Lessons from Japan’s leadership and personnel mishaps

The Japanese government has lied about the dire situation at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, as it made announcements based on unreliable reports made by Tokyo Electric Power Company. As an accident at a nuclear reactor can directly affect people’s lives, the situation might have never worsened to this point had Tokyo taken care of the situation in the first place. Failure to release swift and accurate information fueled the nuclear chaos and confusion among the Japanese people. Tokyo took five days after the crisis at the nuclear plant to operate a task force on the situation.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan ordered the Self-Defense Force Sunday to mobilize 100,000 troops to help search-and-rescue efforts. The troops, however, did not receive an order to transport food to earthquake victims until Wednesday, when the food shortage grew serious. Japan’s rejection of a U.S. offer to help the situation in the early stages was also shortsighted. The Japanese people, who have responded to their dire situation with composure that has surprised the rest of the world, are running out of patience because of their government’s mishandling of the situation.

Japanese media said the Japanese government and the electric company rejected a U.S. offer to provide technology to cool the reactor, aggravating the situation. The New York Times wrote of a “leadership vacuum” in Japan, saying the absence of government leadership fanned the crisis. Also lacking was communication by the Japanese leadership required to ease public jitters in a clear and timely manner.

To tackle the crisis, Kan hurriedly appointed as deputy chief cabinet secretary Yoshito Sengoku, former acting president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan. Sengoku’s predecessor stepped down due to his age and health problems. A leader’s failure to put the right people in the right positions always causes problems at a time of emergency.

South Korea, which faces a military threat from North Korea, is always at risk because of the North’s provocations, which are often said to be worse than natural disasters. Seoul showed its weakness in responding to crises last year after the North sank the South Korean naval ship Cheonan and shelled the frontline island of Yeonpyeong. The people of South Korea are responsible to elect a leader in the next presidential election who can solidly cope with national disasters and security crises. The Lee Myung-bak administration and the South Korean people should learn a lesson from Japan’s shaky leadership.