Abstract
The Fukushima nuclear disaster highlighted the relevance of effective risk communication strategies for nuclear accidents. Poor risk communication was evidenced during the crisis and its aftermath. The government’s mishandling of radiation issues generated concern in international nuclear agencies as well as widespread anxiety among Japanese citizens. Based on anthropological research, I will argue that among the negative consequences of the government’s inability to deal with public fears are the citizens’ uncertainty and ongoing distrust toward the government, the safety regulators, and the nuclear industry. I will also suggest that such harmful effects can be mitigated by enhancing transparency of the decision-making process and by implementing participative programs where policy makers, stakeholders, and representatives of the local communities can jointly discuss energy production schemes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aldrich D (2011) The Tohoku disaster: crisis “windows”, complexity and social capital. Retrieved February 20, 2012 from http://itemsandissues.ssrc.org/the-tohoku-disaster-crisis-%E2%80%9Cwindows%E2%80%9D-complexity-and-social-capital/all/1
Aldrich D (2012) Post-crisis Japanese nuclear policy: from top-down directives to bottom-up activism. Retrieved February 21, 2012 from http://www.eastwestcenter.org/sites/default/files/private/api103.pdf
Bowen R (2006). Japan’s dysfunctional democracy: the Liberal Democratic Party and structural corruption. Available from http://books.google.co.jp/
Cha Y (1997) Environmental risk analysis; factors influencing nuclear risk perception and policy implications (doctoral dissertation). University at Albany, State University of New York, NY
Denney D (2005) Risk and society. Sage Publications, London
Falzon M (2008) Ed. Multi-sited ethnography: theory, praxis and locality in contemporary research (introduction). Retrieved February 21, 2012 from http://www.ashgate.com/pdf/SamplePages/Multi_Sited_Ethnography_Intro.pdf
Fischhoff B (1995) Risk perception and communication unplugged: twenty years of process. Risk Analysis, 15, (2). Retrieved August 21, 2011, from http://www.soc.iastate.edu/sapp/Fischhoff.pdf
Fischhoff B (2011) The emotions of nuclear experts. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/the-emotions-of-nuclear-experts
Frewer L (2004) The public and effective risk communication. Toxicology Letters 149, 391–397. Available from http://www.sciencedirect.com
Fujigaki Y (2009) STS in Japan and East Asia: governance of science and technology and public engagement. East Asian science, technology and society: an International Journal. 3:511–518
Government of Japan (2004) Convention of Nuclear Safety National Report of Japan for the Third Review Meeting. Available from http://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/ni/safety_convention/japan_report_041227.PDF
Green Action Japan (2011) Available from http://fukushima.greenaction-japan.com/2011/05/13/petition/
Hall H (2011) Fukushima Daiichi: implications for carbon-free energy, nuclear nonproliferation, and community resilience. Integr Environ Assess Manag 7(3):406–408, Retrieved September 3, 2011, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ieam.225/pdf
Hayenhjelm M (2006) Asymmetries in risk communication. Risk Management 2006, (8), 1–15. Retrieved from JSTOR database
Ichida T, Fujimori K, Kitazawa T, Itabashi H, Noguchi Y (2011). TEPCO quietly paid 40 billion yen to areas near nuclear plants. The Asahi Shibun, Asahi Japan Watch, September 15, 2011. Available from http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/recovery/AJ2011091510558
Kingston J (2004) Japan’s quiet transformation. Social change and civil society in the twenty-first century. RoutledgeCurzon, New York, NY
Kondoh K (2007) The challenge of climate change and energy policies for building a sustainable society in Japan. Organ Environ 22(1):52–74, Retrieved July 28, 2011 from http://oae.sagepub.com/content/22/1/52.full.pdf+html
Kondoh, K (2009). The challenge of climate change and energy policies for building a sustainable society in Japan. Organ Environ 22(1)52–74
Kotler M, Hillman I (2000) Japanese nuclear energy policy and public opinion. The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University, p. 1–38. Available from http://www.rice.edu/energy/publications/docs/JES_NuclearEnergyPolicyPublicOpinion.pdf
Marcus G (1995) Ethnography in/of the world system: the emergence of multi-sited ethnography. Annu Rev Anthropol 24(95):95–117, Retrieved October 9, 2011 from http://www.dourish.com/classes/readings/Marcus-MultiSitedEthnography-ARA.pdf
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (2006) Japan’s nuclear energy national plan report, September 2006. Available from http://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/english/report/rikkokugaiyou.pdf
NHK Special Documentary (2011) Japan’s nuclear crisis. Available from http://www.nippon-sekai.com/main/articles/fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-power-plant-crisis/nhk-special-japans-nuclear-crisis-part-1/
Noggerath J, Geller R, Gusiakov K (2011) Fukushima: the myth of safety, the reality of geoscience. Bull At Sci 67(5):37–46, Retrieved October 13, 2011 from http://bos.sagepub.com/content/67/5/37.full.pdf+html
Nuclear Safety Commission, Japan (2005) Proceedings of Workshop on Utilization of Risk Information for Nuclear Safety Regulation. Mita Conference Hall, Tokyo, 10–12 May, 2005. Available from http://www.nsc.go.jp/anzen/sonota/riskwork/proceeding.pdf
Penney M (2012) Nuclear power and shifts in Japanese public opinion website
Perko T (2011) Importance of risk communication during and after a nuclear accident. Integr Environ Assess Manag 7(3):388–392, Retrieved September 3, 2011, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ieam.230/pdf
Quintana M (2012) Fukushima crisis concealed: Japanese government kept worst-case scenario under wraps. Retrieved February 8, 2012 from http://japanfocus.org/events/view/129
Ramana, M.V. (2011). Beyond our imagination: Fukushima and the problem of assessing risk. Available from http://thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/beyond-ourimagination-fukushima-and-the-problem-of-assessing-risk
Renn O (2008) Risk governance. Coping with uncertainty in a complex world. Earthscan, London
Ropeik D (2008) Risk communication. More than facts and feelings. IAEA Bulletin 50–1, September 2008. Retrieved on February 22 from http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull501/Risk_Communication.html
Safecast (2011) Available from http://blog.safecast.org/
Sandman P (2004) Worst case scenarios. Retrieved February 20, 2012 from http://www.psandman.com/col/birdflu.htm
Sandman P (2011) Interview on The Futurist. Retrieved February, 20, 2012 from http://www.wfs.org/content/futurist-interviews-crisis-communications-expert-peter-sandman-fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-mel
Tabusa K (1992) Nuclear politics: exploring the nexus between citizens’ movements and public policy in Japan. (doctoral dissertation). Columbia University, NY
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Revised version of a paper originally prepared for the Asia-Europe Forum on Methods and Perspectives of Risk Analysis, Hong Kong Advanced Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Studies at City University of Hong Kong, co-organized by the Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST) of the University of Duisburg-Essen/Germany, in Hong Kong, 17–18 November 2011.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Figueroa, P.M. Risk communication surrounding the Fukushima nuclear disaster: an anthropological approach. Asia Eur J 11, 53–64 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10308-013-0343-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10308-013-0343-9