On the occasion of the Advisory Board Meeting at the SieboldHuis
May 20, 2011
It is a great pleasure for me to participate in the Advisory Board Meeting of the SieboldHuis 2011.
It has been more than two months since a massive earthquake and devastating tsunami struck Japan on March 11. Today I would like to provide you first with information on the current situation in Japan and explain our efforts to overcome the difficulties brought with the natural disaster. Together with the support and cooperation of the Netherlands and other countries in the international community, Japan has done its utmost to provide relief and aid to the many victims in the disaster areas. Due to such support and cooperation, I feel the friendship between our two countries has been further strengthened. Then, I will explain how our traditional cultural events have been transformed under the circumstances and what more major events will be added in order to further enhance mutual understanding between Japan and the Netherlands
1. Thank You
Since March 11, Japan has been strongly supported by the international community and friends around the world. We are sincerely grateful for the outpour of support and solidarity we have received from over 130 countries, nearly 40 international organizations, numerous NGOs, and countless individuals from all parts of the world.
Immediately after the earthquake and tsunami struck, my embassy in the Hague received so many expressions of sympathy and words of encouragement in letters, emails from government leaders and people in this country as well as drawings, pictures and folded paper cranes from schools and groups across the Netherlands. The Dutch government donated one million euros in emergency aid to Japan through the Dutch Red Cross Society and provided two thousand mattresses through the European Union. A moment of silence for the victims in Japan was held in the Second Chamber of the Netherlands. Since the disaster occurred, many events have been held throughout the country with a view to extending support and solidarity. Charity concerts were held, funds were raised and a silent march through the streets of Amsterdam took place. Events such as the ‘1000 Origami Cranes for Japan’ right here in the SieboldHuis and the ‘Cherry Blossom Festival’, were organized as well as charity dinners and a charity football match between Amsterdam Ajax and Shimizu S-Pulse sponsored by the National Campaign ’Nederland Helpt Japan’ and the Dutch Red Cross Society. The cordial attitudes that Dutch people have demonstrated toward us through these activities have deeply touched the hearts and minds of the Japanese people. Once again, I wish to express our sincere thanks for all the support the Netherlands extended to us.
2. Travel to Japan : No problem
Regarding the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, we have strived to publish most up-to-date information in a timely manner, including thorough reports from Japan to the International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA, daily briefings for the diplomatic corps/foreign press corps in Tokyo and updates on Japanese Government and Embassy web sites. We will continue to provide the international community with timely and accurate information in as transparent a manner as possible.
The accident is a serious one but the provisional classification of this accident as a Level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) announced on April 12 absolutely does not reflect any actual worsening of the situation in the power station, but rather reflects the application of international standards to the results of calculations based on the cumulative data on the total amount of released radioactive material. Also, the vast majority of radioactive material was released in the short time span immediately following the accident, and the actual amount of radiation in the atmosphere is gradually decreasing. For example, in Tokyo the radiation levels have never reached a level where they would constitute a health threat, and they have also steadily dropped to a point where current measurements are almost at normal levels. The Government of Japan will continue to monitor the radioactive material.
The Chernobyl nuclear accident was different both in its causes and in its situational aspects. In the Chernobyl incident, the reactor itself exploded, whereas in Fukushima the reactor underwent an automatic shutdown, no large-scale fires occurred, and there was only a limited release of radioactive material. The IAEA also pointed out that the two accidents are different in these points. The amount of radioactive material calculated and released up to this point in this incident is far less than that released during the Chernobyl incident. No individuals have died from radiation from Fukushima, and no incidents of radiation-related ailments have been reported, even amongst the residents of the areas near the station.
International organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the International Maritime Organisation and the World Health Organisation have objectively assessed the situation and stated that some measures, such as limitations on travel to Japan, are not needed. We hope the governments and people around the world will trust reliable information such as this and react calmly to the situation, basing their decisions upon objective and established facts.
Fortunately, it is safe to spend time in many regions of Japan that were completely unaffected by the disasters, and we hope that many foreigners will visit these areas of Japan for tourism, study, or other activities. At the same time, foodstuffs are closely monitored and their shipments are strictly controlled. Ships are monitored in the port of Tokyo and Yokohama. In the meantime, false information should not impede normal economic activities and prevent the economic recovery of Japan. While it will take several more months before we can arrive at a more stable stage, we are making continuous progress to obtain control of the nuclear power station.
3. Working Towards Recovery
In more than two months since the earthquake, Japan has advanced along the path to recovery in other fields. For instance, the transportation infrastructure in the affected areas has, for the most part, returned to normal operations, with some exceptions. Sendai Airport, which was closed after suffering extensive damage from the disaster, re-opened on April 13. Other main international airports were already functioning normally. The Shinkansen or bullet train system, is also functioning normally. Indeed even the Tohoku Shinkansen line has resumed operations since April 29. As for the highways, all roads are operating as usual, with the exception of roads near Fukushima Power Station that are under restriction (30.2 kilometres).
Prime Minister Kan set three principles to follow in working towards full recovery. First, respect the wishes and voices of the residents in the disaster area. Second, collect the wisdom of all sectors of society, including scholars, the private sector, NPO’s, and others, and not just that of the official and political sectors. Third, aim for a forward-looking recovery, one that takes steps towards achieving the dreams of the future. Following these principles, the Prime Minister has decided to create a “Reconstruction Plan Meeting”, which has a core of experts and receives input from Governors of the affected prefectures. In the first session of the Meeting on April 14, the participants held a wide-ranging discussions on the creation of guidelines and plans to achieve recovery. The conclusion of this discussion will be reflected in the official guidelines. In the meantime, the National Diet, the Parliament of Japan, has already adopted the first supplementary budget amounted to 4 trillion yen or 33 billion euros for relief and recovery in the affected areas.
On the afternoon of April 17, in response to Prime Minister Kan’s instructions on April 12, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced the Roadmap towards Restoration from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which was later modified on May 17th to reflect the recent development. TEPCO aims to achieve “Step 1” of the Roadmap in approximately three months, which is “achieving a steady reduction in radioactivity.” TEPCO will aim to achieve “Step 2”, which is “managing the release of radioactivity and greatly reducing its volume”, within roughly three to six months after “Step 1” is completed. With the announcement of the Roadmap, the Government of Japan aims to move from an “Emergency Response Stage” to a “Planned and Stabilization Response Stage”.
There is no doubt that Japan will recover from this crisis and emerge stronger than ever and establish a more vibrant and better Japan for future generations. It is our firm conviction that through the fundamental strengths inherent to the Japanese people and the friendship and support of the international community, we can achieve this without fail.
We are also determined that through our continuous contributions, Japan will certainly repay the warm and friendly assistance we have received from the international community around the world. We will work to the best of our ability to realize the reconstruction of Japan.
4. Present and Future – Cultural events in the Netherlands
During the period of national mourning for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami, the Government of Japan refrained from hosting excessive or exuberant cultural activities. I deeply appreciate the sensitivity displayed by our Dutch friends by shifting the accent of their annual cultural events to ones of remembrance and solidarity. The beauty of the nature was more impressive than ever at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival as well as at the Opening Ceremony of the Japanese Garden in Clingendael. I was also strongly encouraged by the SieboldHuis, and its continued efforts to promote Japanese culture during this period through the exhibitions of Aya Takano and Akira Yoshizawa. As Japan gradually enters the recovery stage and emerges from the disaster of March 11, the Government of Japan now can resume the activities to promote Japanese culture. I believe that these activities will not only symbolise the slow but steady recovery of Japan, but also further strengthen the bonds of friendship between our countries.
In 2012, the world Horticultural Exposition ‘Floriade 2012’ will be held in Venlo, Limburg for a six month period. Every 10 years this major horticultural exposition showcases economic, social, cultural and technical developments achieved at the time and draws attention from all over the world. We feel that this event is an excellent opportunity to present Japanese culture during the exposition period and throughout the year 2012 and to deepen friendship of our two countries by co-operating closely with the Netherlands. Hence we plan to invite a Japanese theatre performance with a floral theme to the Netherlands in 2012: Nihon Buyo.
Nihon Buyo is a Japanese performing art featuring values in Japan’s traditional culture such as beauty, simplicity, silence and space and shade. Nihon Buyo or ‘Japanese dance’ is an artistic dance based on the tradition of classical techniques transmitted from preceding forms of dancing art and performed also in most programs in Kabuki today. There are various schools of Nihon Buyo in Japan. The Embassy would like to invite a dance troop organised by the Nihon-buyo Foundation of Japan headed by Mr Senzo Nishikawa, a living national treasure of Japan. We have commenced coordinating this event together with the Dutch promotion company of Van Baasbank & Baggerman and hope to present this performance in mid March 2012 at the theatres in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or the Hague. Preceding the actual performance, a lecture demonstration class will be organised by Mr. Nishikawa and his team sometime in this autumn.
Through this cultural activity, I wish to further enhance and promote the cultural exchanges that so happily enriched cultures of both Japan and the Netherlands.
Thank you for your attention.
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