A pingback led to this blog posting the video below. I’ve just watched it once and need more time to digest it and watch it again. Because the blogger Super Crazy Video World and all the commenters on YouTube (at least the ones I glanced at) seem to be taking the residents’ side against the nasty Tokyo bureaucrats, my initial reaction is to side with the bureaucrats. At one point, it seems as if the residents are asking that the government act like the totalitarian Soviets!And the bureaucrat who says “You are free to evacuate” seems nonplussed that he has to point this out. I’m going out on a limb here but my guess is that people skills are not his forte, eh?
What do you think? (I’ll have more to say after I’ve watched it again.)
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVuGwc9dlhQ’]
#1 by Super Crazy World on September 13, 2011 - 3:39 am
I think it’s rather ridiculous that the government personnel would not even acknowledge the people’s questions. A simple “I will check on it and get back to you” would have been sufficient, don’t you think?
#2 by sheffner on September 13, 2011 - 8:48 am
One would think so. So why didn’t they?
#3 by Super Crazy World on September 22, 2011 - 9:55 pm
I’m not sure. I’m open minded about the situation but also am worried that the government isn’t doing all it should to protect its people.
#4 by sheffner on September 22, 2011 - 11:26 pm
This is Japan, which means “face” is velly, velly importanto. The officials lost face by not answering. Why would they do that? Maybe because they would lose more face by answering, or because they saw no other way to avoid a confrontation, which would have resulted in all parties losing face. To lose face is bad, but to cause the other party to lose face is considered the height (or depths) of bad manners and is never forgiven.
And I think your impression (that the Japanese government isn’t doing all it can to protect the citizens directly affected) is shared by many in Japan.