meeting at mext2011/08/01 · 1 july 2011 s&tdc – science & technology diplomatic circle...

1July 2011

S&TDC – Science & Technology Diplomatic CircleFelix Moesner & Bruce Howard, Co-Chairs

Meeting at MEXTExperiences from the March 11 disaster

S&TDC Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle

Felix Moesner & Bruce Howard, Co‐Chairs

July 12, 2011

2July 2011


Contents

Experiences from the March 11 disaster

• Introduction S&TDC• Questionnaire• Sufficiency of S&T Information• Sources• Information during Recovery Phase• Effective Delivery of S&T Information• Comments

3July 2011


Introduction S&TDC

4July 2011


Introduction S&TDC

Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle

• Founded: late seventies

• 80+ Members from Embassies & Affiliates

• Background: S&T plus Innovation & Education

• Platform for activities, seminars and visits

• Interacting with leaders and officials from the government, academia and private sector

5July 2011


Introduction S&TDC

Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle

6July 2011


Questionnaire

7July 2011


Questionnaire• 16 Responses

• Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech, Denmark, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA

8July 2011


Sufficiency of S&T Information

9July 2011


• Have you received sufficient S&T information regarding the March11 disaster?

• Top interest: radiation issues

• We want to offer assistance


General

10July 2011


• Quality and quantity of information improved compared to immediately after the earthquake

• GOJ has done a great job of making lots of information available in English quickly

• MOFA briefings with other ministries have been good

• MEXT “Radiation in Daily Life” was very useful

• Information from MEXT has become much better and we can see the hard efforts made


Positive Feedback

11July 2011


• Missing analysis, interpretation, context (what does it mean?)

• Missing appropriate references (ex. radiation in Tokyo is lower than many other countries even during peak period with rainfall)

• Missing reliability due to contradicting information

• Missing overview, visualization

• International organizations have been quicker and clearer with visualization than Japan, often using Japanese raw data.

• From May on, there is too much information. It is not possible to read everything anymore.


Areas for Improvement

12July 2011


• MOFA briefings could have started sooner and have been sub‐standard with lots of material but no interpretation.

• MEXT should have given more explanation and should have made more use of the SPEEDI tool.

• Technical issues with presentation

1. Website information should be formatted in Western style (chronological vs. by theme)

2. Material should be in interactive graph formats or PDF or downloads rather than EXCEL or low‐quality GIF via FAX.

3. Information needs to be more concise and aggregated


Areas for Improvement

13July 2011


Sources

14July 2011


Sources

Useful sources for getting S&T related information on disaster?

15July 2011


Information during Recovery Phase

16July 2011


• Information on NPP disaster

• Decontamination

• Impact on environment

• People’s health

• Food safety and tracking

• Detailed roadmap

• New disaster prevention plans


Information needs during the recovery phase

17July 2011


• Status of …

• R&D centers (damages, recovery, personal stories, where help canbe offered)

• Foreign students and researchers in Japan (with focus on how to make more come in the future)

• Japan’s policies on …

• Universities

• Energy

• Disaster prevention

• 4th Basic S&T Plan (not all of us know the new version is in its final stage of preparation with much emphasis on recovery)



18July 2011


• What can the international community do?

• What kind of help is needed to help tackle issues? (ex. health, decontamination, research center)

• What kind of international cooperation would be helpful?

• Safety Assurance (from government/independent experts)

• Information to convince the world that Japan is safe to come fortravel, business, studies and research; the food is safe from radiation

• Maps of …

• hot spots as well as radiation level for all prefectures

• “only 1‐2% of Japan has been affected; rest is safe”



19July 2011


Effective Delivery of S&T Information

20July 2011


Effective Delivery of S&T Information

Most effective way for Japan to deliver S&T related information

21July 2011


Comments

22July 2011


• English: Information in English is important. Official websites are not always updated or complete

• New information: Recent briefings are repeating the same information

• Opportunity: Now is the time for Japan to become a World Class R&D hub for future energy technologies and sustainability

• Newsletter: To make Japan’s S&T, recovery efforts more visible

• 1 Central Website on NPP disaster (radiation, food, water, soil, etc.) vs. many different websites of various ministries

• Please use us: S&T counselors are entry points to get help/support

Comments

Final Comments

MEXT Questionnaire for S&TDC members Please reply by July 1 (Friday) to

[email protected] or fax: 03-3473-6090 Q1. Have you received sufficient S&T information regarding the March 11 disaster? If not, what kind of information would have been useful?

Yes No

Q2. Which sources have been useful for getting S&T related information regarding the disaster?

Website (home country's) Website (Japan's)

Newpaper (home country's) Newpaper (Japan's)

TV (home country's) TV (Japan's)

Symposium (home country's) Symposium (Japan's)

Briefing (home country's) Briefing (Japan's)

Q3. For the recovery phase, what kind of information would you like to have?

Q4.In general, what is the most effective way for Japan to deliver S&T related information?

Website Newspaper TV Briefings Symposium Newsletter Others

Q5. Other comments

Q1. Have you received sufficient S&T information regarding the March 11 disaster? If not, what kind of information would have been useful?

3. Analysis of information would have been most appreciated.

• 5. The problem was to obtain relevant information during the events on a daily basis. Plenty of information was available (e.g. measurements) but their reliability was questionable because of contradictory information. Moreover, raw data were not really helpful and no interpretation was provided. Several weeks after the events, information is now streaming in an helpful way.

7. The later on installed briefing routine in the Gaimusho by representatives of various ministries, which is still ongoing, was and is good. Before it was difficult to get any information in English.

9. More Informations about radiation, especially a map of hotspots and food safety issues.

12. We definitely understand that the situation at hand has been overwhelming and all our support goes to the Japanese people, and we would like to assist also MEXT, with whom we always share a good relation. We also think that information from MEXT has become much better and we can see the hard effort done.

This stated, there are several points where improvements need to be made:

• The presentation of radiation issues have lacked overview. MEXT data should be presented in interactive graph format, not as EXCEL sheets with numbers. MOFA material distributed by FAX of GIF is below standard. Why not give out PDFs or just the download website? Also, overall, the MOFA briefings have been sub-standard, ie. handling out a lot of material but giving no interpretation.

• Generally, radiation data have been presented without appropriate references. It was people from the diplomatic corps *our office, among others * who pointed out that daily radiation in most countries is much higher than that in Tokyo, even during the peak period with rainfall… Such basic information was lacking, and general people had no reference to hold on to.

• As of now, our S&T office, being responsible for Fukushima reporting, more used other sources PLUS the visualized data from individuals. MEXT should have devoted more time to explain and make use of the SPEEDI tool. International organizations have been quicker, more clear with visualization than Japan, often using Japanese raw data.

• The MEXT “Radiation in Daily life” was very useful! Early on we used similar charts from our own country.

• Concerning S&T info, it has been quite good. We have had many contacts with Tohoku University *and visited early on. More info on damage to other areas would have been good.

13. In the beginning, it was difficult to judge the status, especially around the Fukushima NPP. Through verification with experts at home institutions, it was possible to grasp the risks. With the time, the quality and quantity of information and data improved. From May onward, there was too much information available. It was not possible anymore to read everything, so a digested version would have been highly appreciated.

15. I think there has been plenty of information, and the GOJ has done a great job of making lots of information available in English quickly. However, I have two suggestions: 1) Organize website information in a way that is easier for Westerners to navigate. Currently, much of the information is posted in chronological order, rather than thematically. Americans (and perhaps other Westerners) are used to websites that organize information in a different and more visual way. 2) Provide more context for the S&T information. For example, I may not be able to understand millisieverts, but it is helpful if you tell me that background radiation in Tokyo is lower than Denver.

16. While MEXT and other government departments/agencies have undoubtedly done their best in disseminating what they have felt to be useful and important information about the crisis, the nuclear incident at Fukuhima might have motivated an even greater proactivity and openness by soliciting the international S&T community to immediately assist in containing and controlling the hazards posed by the NPP.

Q3. For the recovery phase, what kind of information would you like to have?

1. I would like to receive more information on nuclear power plants technology aimed at preventing new accidents.

3. Impact on environment.

5. Plans for dealing with people health in the Tohoku area, decontamination, ensuring the tracking of food, the

status of research centers. If help is needed in these domains. Impact on the 4th S&T plan, budget and priority areas in which international cooperation could be helpful.

7. The way of briefings in the Gaimusho as mentioned above with additional distribution of documents via e-mail

is ideal.

8. Information on adaptations and modifications to Japan's S&T policy, particularly in the university sector.

11. Situation and recovery of Fukushima nuclear power plant. Japan’s new energy policy. Japan’s new energy policy on disaster prevention.

12. What is needed is DETAILS concerning how to assure

How to get students and researchers to go on coming to Japan. Information to assure them about the radiation safety on food. To assure them that they will get a high standard teaching and research, and that Japan is SAFE! Information of recovery of R&D facilities, i.e. J-PARC, others. Personal stories of researchers in Japan… ie. JSPS has a role to play!

13. Compiled, concise information on the status as well as the future approaches (road map, etc.). What is

still missing is an information that could be sent to future exchange students and researchers on the situation in Japan. A map, that shows that 'only' 1-2% of Japan is affected; the rest is safe.

14. Map of level radiation all prefectures, Detailed plan of TEPCO and reports for all stages.

15. I would like to have information that demonstrates to Americans that Japan is safe for travel and business. We

would like to see Japan's economy and tourism recover, and one important way to do so is to demonstrate to the world that Japan is safe. It would also be helpful to hear independent experts speaking out on this topic.

16. Information on the impacts of the cumulative radioactivity releases from Fukushima – both on the immediate

vicinity of Fukushima, but also on the wider areas affected by water, soil and food chain contamination. Information on scientists and scientific projects adversely affected by the crisis, and the needs of these

scientists to continue their research elsewhere. Like many other countries, Canada would like to assist in finding facilities and placements for these scientists, even on a temporary basis.

Q5. Other Comments 2. It is very important that the information is delivered in English for all the people who do not speak Japanese. In that

sense, we appreciate briefings and symposiums with simultaneous translations. Information in officials’ websites is not always updated or complete.

5. Recent briefings have been basically repeating the same information. Sorting what’s new from old information

would reduce the time and help to be more focused. As the same time, it is understandable that MEXT staff priority should be to deal with the issues at stake more than communicating perfectly with foreign S&T counselors. However, these counselors provided an entry to get help and support. Please us them.

12. For Japan, this will be a difficult time to come. Japan must convince the world that Japan is a safe country to work

in and that NOW is a great time to come! Now, Japan has also a unique chance to boost its competiveness and to put more S&T investments into future energy technologies. In this respect, if Japan can show the world that it is the WORLD CLASS R&D environment for the future of energy and sustainability. If this can be shown, then you can also get researchers to come to Japan. Seen positive, now is a moment of opportunity for Japan!

13. Japan is the number #2 powerhouse in S&T output, after the US. It is important to make these efforts more visible

abroad. As part of a future promotion approach, an overall newsletter could be envisioned that highlights all new topics on a monthly basis. This newsletter could be regular news feed to all Embassies but also all partners around the globe. Maybe, such a newsletter could include 1 top-story by one of the science journalists (such as Yomiuri; Nikkei or Ms. Motomura, Mainichi). Such a group must be cultivated. Additional channels are Nature and Science.

15. It would be challenging to do so, but to better serve a broad foreign audience it would be useful if information about

the Fukushima disaster (especially as it relates to health) were organized in one central website with easy-to-navigate design. Currently you have to check many different websites for the different ministries. U.S. Embassy officials know where to find the information, but I think it is much harder for the general U.S. public to find all the information related to the disaster. It would be great if the Japanese government could coordinate all the S&T information about radiation, food, water, soil, etc on one website so that the international community could better understand the situation here.

16. Canada has stood by Japan from the very beginning of this crisis ready to assist where needed. Canada continues

to do so today, and every day until this crisis is fully resolved. Our admiration for Japan’s tenacity and stamina in working to resolve this crisis is immense.

meeting at mext2011/08/01 · 1 july 2011 s&tdc – science & technology diplomatic circle...

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