Vol.53 – Role of Social Media Clarified from the Japan Disaster

As mentioned in the previous article Vol.52 – Limitations and Potentials of Social Media Revealed from the Japan Disaster many people including the author have been using social media in sharing information about the Japan disaster.




In this article, the author would like to clarify the role of social media which she concluded as “facilitate people helping one another” by introducing what kind of key messages are delivered to navigate people to take what kind of actions in the case of the ongoing Japan disaster, breaking down into 3 phases.



1. Phase 1 : Shock and sense of urgency



This phase is soon after the earthquake that triggered huge tsunami broke out, which was followed by ill-functioning of Fukushima nuclear plant.



1) Outbreak of the earthquake and tsunami



Media reported how the degree of tragedy is immense with much use of movies and photos, and people online including the author had been sharing such content. For the author it was to “broadcast” the natural tragedy and that this is extremely serious issue that would require help from countries and regions around the globe.



The information about help and support from countries and regions around the globe was also shared online by English and Japanese sources. For the author it was to persuade as many parties as possible to get in the mood of providing help.



What was unique about information shared in Japanese (especially in Twitter) is asking for information that helps safety confirmation and asking to spread information useful for victims to be rescued and evacuate.



2) Outbreak of Fukushima nuclear plant issue



Media, especially western, seemed to communicate in a way similarly to outbreak of the earthquake and tsunami but many seemed to be based on “assumptions” and not necessarily on “facts” which was proactively shared by many English speaking people online. One reason is slow announcement/disclosure about the status and countermeasures from the government and TEPCO.



But, the author did not mention about this issue until the first announcement about this issue was made in the press conference by the Prime Minister and the Chief Cabinet Mister and she has been selective and careful in posting information about this issue all because she wanted to minimize confusion.



2. Phase 2 : Condolence and confusion



This phase starts after a few days of the break out of the disaster and in this phase information about relief aids condolence went viral. Also, the focus of the disaster shifted from earthquake/tsunami to nuclear plant issue. And information on predictions and discussion by experts about effects on economy and business (and society including people’s lives etc. in Kanto as well as regions hardly hit by Japanese source) became a hot topic.



1) Aids, prayers and condolence



People shared information about praying and condolence, and about aids to promote relief aids and other supports, and the author was not an exception. This kind of information was promoted in a very similar way as in any marketing campaign. The key for success would be having successfully shared the seriousness of the disaster in phase 1.



What the author did additionally was sharing specific examples of aids by some major companies and individuals and also clearly said hat further aids from around the globe is inevitable to deny misinformation and false rumour of English source that circulated among English speaking people informed immediately by her kind English speaking online friend.



The author also highlighted on urgency of aid in healthcare to call for such aids, having heard from her Japanese friends in healthcare and science/technology field assisting such aids that shortage of healthcare and related aids (medicine and experts) is becoming a serious issue.



2) Fukushima nuclear plant issue



Radiation and recovery updates have been the critical issue almost replacing the seriousness of the natural disaster of earthquake and tsunami, and therefore this information immediately started to viral.



There have been sensational reports from western media and “fragmented” information from Japanese media that with no big picture of the issue and/or countermeasures and outlook.



The author wanted to deny misinformation and minimize confusion/panic and for this reason she shared information of facts and explanations/view of experts obtained from her online friends strong in science and technology.



3) Affect of the disaster on economy, business, society



This kind of information was in general neutral for worldwide media; the difference was the perspective of their analysis and discussion. This is quite natural because of the difference in writers and assumed target audience.



Perhaps the biggest difference was that unlike western media, Japanese media have been communicating much about “planned” blackout because the effect of this is more in Kanto (e.g. Tokyo), directly affecting people’s everyday lives as well as business and economy. Also this would determine the pace and dynamics of economic recovery.



One reason why the author decided to write her second English blog article about the reality of the Japan disaster was to include this information to help English people better understand the bigger picture of the disaster and its affects, which could lead to persuading more people worldwide to contribute to relief aids etc.



3. Phase 3 : Recovery/reconstruction for the future



This is from about 1 week from the outbreak of the natural disaster, of ongoing phase in which focus is mostly on recovery updates and radiation/ contamination from Fukushima nuclear plant.



Japanese media and its people also have been communicating about the reality of the victims and how experts in various settings are working hard in extremely harsh work environment. Moreover, they have been communicating about the future; i.e. recovery and reconstruction.



1) Radiation and contamination from Fukushima nuclear plant and its possible upcoming effects



This is what everyone around the globe is interested in but there is a great difference in the content and tone of the information shared between English and Japanese sources.



In general, English sources have been sensational causing a panic, as pointed out by quite a few recent Japanese sources.  However, there are some English contents that are of facts, which contribute to denying sensational articles and the author has been proactively sharing such information, such as chart that compares radiation level among major worldwide cities that shows that the level is lower in Tokyo and Fukushima than people think. 

Also there are contents from New York Times and Financial Times both by journalists with profound knowledge about Japan, based on the fact with constructive and convincing critism about the underestimated risk management, a good message to Japan. 




2) Harsh realities and work environment of people actually doing the work in various settings



Japanese media have been communication updates of the recovery process and how much efforts are being made by TEPCO engineers in a severe environment. Japanese media also have been communication similar topics in the case of healthcare experts who volunteered to go to the devastated area to help the people in need. The objective of such communication is to convey the message that not only the experts rescuing people and clearing wreckages but many other people are making upmost efforts to safe people and the country, and this kind of information has been proactively shared by individuals.



In addition, Japanese media have been explaining the unfavourable healthcare environment for people; corrupt facilities and shortage of medicines/experts, of evacuation centres and other places where victims are currently living. This is to give a warning that unless it improves, it is quite possible that, for example, once a flue should start to spread it would spread immediately and rapidly, and it is quite possible that many people die from diseases after they managed to survived from the natural disaster, citing what actually happened in the Kobe earthquake in 1995.



3) Future of the country



The disaster is ongoing and thus most media focus on updates, but journalists and experts have also been publishing articles on recovery and reconstruction; what needs to be done, what are necessary and so forth. Some of such articles are closely linked with leadership and (risk/crisis) management. This trend is strong in media that issue (bi)-weekly business magazines.



A few English articles written by Japanese journalists have a unique trend. They focus on reconstruction and its meaning to Japan, saying the calamity would be an opportunity for the country’s rebirth, expressing the commitment of reconstruction.



One of the author’s latest blog articles is about the future (reconstruction) based on the business articles mentioned above with this message/tone and that is what she wanted to say from series of her blog articles together with her thoughts that Japan cannot possibly remain to be a burden in the international community; the reason for all the communications of the topics mentioned above.



4. The author’s final thoughts



The additional information being communicated by Japanese sources and difference in perspective and tone between English and Japanese sources is quite natural because of the difference in available information the two sources have, their target audience and mission/objective of communication.



The interest of English sources is the affect on the economy and business of their country while for Japanese media and its people the disaster is about their country and its recovery is about their own future. This is why their ultimate message would be calling every individual to do what he/she can, saying the they believe in the strength in the country and its people that enable the recovery and rebirth of the country,



The message is also delivered by many famous people in TVCF created and sponsored by the government, generating synergy with message circulated online.



What the author would like to point out is that information shared by English sources helped in crafting the contents and amplifying the effectiveness of information sharing in every phase. This is one way of help from the international community.



After all, the role of social media is to make the information go “viral” by sharing the information with online people around the globe timely and appropriately, to facilitate countries/regions, organizations and people helping one another to overcome difficulties and solve problems, opening the door to the bright future, although the journey may be a long one.