#60: Lessons from Corona Crisis (PART 1)

【Trust】
Nearly four months have passed since the novel coronavirus suddenly changed the way we live. To our dismay, 4 million cases have been confirmed, and 280 thousand people have fallen to this virus. As each day passes by, we remind ourselves of the hope to end this inconceivable sorrow, to secure the health and life of each and every one of us.
 
As frightening as these numbers may seem, the reality is almost certainly more devastating than what the official data shows. That’s because even Italy and Germany – known to be the most aggressive in testing – have so far tested a mere 4.2% and 3.3% of its total population, respectively. The US has tested 2.6%, and as for Japan, a pathetic 0.2% – by far the least among the developed nations.
 
It’s a simple truth that, unless you’ve tested positive, the official data won’t include you as a confirmed case even if you’re actually positive. And increasing evidences suggest that millions of positive cases exist without any symptoms, going unchecked and thereby unknowingly spreading the virus – all the more reason why testing is so crucial.
 
Per a million people, Italy and Germany have tested roughly 42 thousand and 33 thousand, respectively. The US has tested 26 thousand. Japan, on the other hand, is a digit off at less than 2 thousand. It’s no surprise that the world views Japan with skepticism that Abe administration is trying to hide the reality within its borders. Why are they adamantly resisting to test?
 
At least until near the end of March, it’s probable that Abe administration was obsessed with Tokyo Olympics. So obsessed that they didn’t give much regard for sacrificing the education and well being of the children, but as for the Olympics, they fought tooth and nail to stick to its original schedule. Abe administration was quick to shut down the public schools without even consulting the pandemic experts, but rather than expanding on the coronavirus testing, they chose to get busy promoting to the world that Japan and Tokyo are safe from the virus.
 
Unfortunately, the Japanese public was quick to accept that propaganda at face value, and the vast majority went on with their lives pretending as if it were business as usual. Many Japanese people tickled themselves with pride – that We Japanese are so hygienic compared to the rest of the world, that’s why we’re not susceptible to this virus. Despite having some doubts in the back of their minds, the vast majority of the Japanese people chose to ignore science and reality.
 
In all fairness, we have no way of knowing the reality with certainty, precisely because Abe administration still stubbornly resists to increase testing. However, after the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics by caving in to the heightened demands from the prominent American and European organizations, Abe administration abruptly reversed course. Only a few days from the postponement, Abe administration did an about-face and declared a nationwide state of emergency. Looking at this string of events, it’s quite clear that Abe administration’s initial response was not trustworthy in light of protecting human life and health.
 
Abe’s pattern of deceit isn’t anything new. In fact, as early as in 2013 when Tokyo was aggressively pitching to host the Olympic games, Abe said at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting, “Some may have concerns about Fukushima. Let me assure you, the situation is under control. It has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo.” Abe said this despite just a month before, his own government disclosed that 300 tons of extremely contaminated radioactive water were leaking out into the sea, every single day. 
 
On the contrary, Mr. Yamashita, a Fellow at Tokyo Electric who was responsible for disaster recovery of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant at the time, said only a few days from the IOC meeting, “I don’t consider the current situation to be under control at all.” Furthermore, it was still fresh in people’s memories of the devastating damages to Tokyo caused by the nuclear fallout, given it had only been 2 years since Fukushima meltdown. Looking at this string of events as well, it’s hard to deny that Abe’s obsession with Olympics undermined the health and life of all people.
 
Especially in times of distress, it’s certainly understandable to want to believe in a comforting story – even if most of us suspect it to be of false optimism. It’s the weakest part of our heart that makes us all vulnerable to wanting to fool ourselves. To such sweet-sounding falsehood that radiation and even coronavirus will just “wash through” and “disappear like a miracle.” Nevertheless, we must be more prudent and think just who may fall victim to our ignorance – punting the problem down the road only to further exacerbate it.
 
Just like when Militarist Japan lied to their own people and invaded China, exploited the people of many Asian nations, gruesomely violated the human rights and dignity of so many people, committed unspeakable crimes of sexual slavery, raped women in the villages and burned them down to destroy evidence, and eventually led itself into the depth of a devastating war against the US – all in the name of the Emperor by calling it a Sacred War just like the jihadists of today. Looking at this string of events, it’s clear that the Japanese government of the time was not trustworthy in light of protecting life and livelihood of their own people.
 
Just like when America lied to our own people, invaded and gruesomely killed so many innocent people of Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq – destroying their cities, villages, and livelihood. And when America exploited the people of many nations including those of Middle East by profiting from selling and providing weapons of war. Looking at this string of events, it’s clear that the US government of the time, and even now, is not trustworthy in light of protecting life and livelihood of our own people.
 
It’s the same now as it was back then. When a government deals with an inconvenient reality by covering it up, destroying evidence, or simply denying, that’s when we know that they have run amok. When Abe administration did all that in a series of its own disgrace with Moritomo, Kake, social security, and cherry blossom viewing event for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Or the LDP’s continued effort over the last 75 years in propagating a revisionist history that Japan’s motive in World War II was to liberate the Asian nations, not to invade them.
 
Same with Trump administration, when it did all that in pressuring Ukraine to make a false announcement about Biden’s son in an effort to bolster Trump’s re-election. Or blocking key witnesses and evidences in Trump’s impeachment process. Or the denial of global warming.
 
All of these undermine the basic foundation of our democracy.
 
And a government run amok escalates into a nation run amok when, despite having some doubts in the back of our minds, the vast majority of the people choose to ignore science and reality. Going on with our lives, pretending as if it were business as usual.
 
Let us honestly face the reality, learn the facts, think with our own heads, and protect each and every one of our health, life, and human rights through our responsible actions.

Read Next: Lessons from Corona Crisis (2)【Killer is Hero?】
 
Complete Series: Lessons from Corona Crisis (1)～(4)
[1]   [2]   [3]   [4]   
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Read Theme: Perspective