Diplomatic relations

Blog assignment:Please, provide us with short answers to the following questions:

 1.    What country are you a national citizen of and how did you react to the outbreak of the nuclear meltdown?
  Australia
  I was in Tokyo and made no plans to leave. I gave the OK to my sister and her family in Australia to come  to Tokyo the day after the earthquake as they had planned.


2.    Did you consult your embassy for any kind of support following the crisis or did you fully rely on your own devices?
No.  I learned a long time ago the embassy is not here for people like me.  They are here to facilitate business links.  That said, I was pleasantly surprised that the gave out chocolate Fantales when I went in to vote last time. ;)


3.    What were the actions taken by your government towards their citizens and/or Japan at large, and how do you evaluate the way your embassy managed the crisis in the immediate aftermath? How about in the following weeks?


My sister and her husband had registered on the Aus Govt.  Smart Travel site http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ which quite reasonably puts some of the responsibility of travel precautions onto the traveller. They received a phone call from the embassy. (I actually answered the phone and asked the embassy why I hadn't received a call... )  Even though I am registered with the embassy, I didn't get a call - I know other Australians here that did though.  Perhaps they had a policy of only calling landlines and I wasn't here to get it?  I'm not sure.
The  Aus. govt. gives detailed advice for travel to specific locations.  http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Japan  My sister and her husband paid close attention to it, and left Tokyo for Takayama when travel advice advised not being in Tokyo.  I eventually got an email from them - perhaps two.  I have posted one below.


4.    Would you have wanted your country to react differently? If so, how?
I don't really expect much of them. I don't pay tax in Aus due to reciprocal tax agreements so I can see why they might think long term residents should fend for themselves.  It shouldn't be hard to maintain a data base of Australian residents though for sending out emails. (which they eventually did)  It took a long time for them to remove the advise against travel to Tohoku generally - which irritated me because Akita, Aomori & Yamagata were never in any danger (except for a small area on the coast near Hachinohe.

5.    To the best of your knowledge, has the triple crisis affected your country’s diplomatic relationship with Japan in any way? If yes, how would you characterize the current state of bilateral relations between your country and Japan?
Aus PM Julia Gillard visited Minami Sanriku - the first foreign leader to do so. She wore black - as  you would in Japan at a site of mourning & was criticised for her gloomy fashion sense by Australian media - cringe.... Australia's relationship with Japan is good.  Japan has paranoid feelings of being a spurned lover -  that Australia now loves China more than Japan..... It's true up to a point - but the Aus. opinion is a bit more free love - we can be  friends with both.  In sections of Aus political circles there is a feeling that the Japan relationship is taken for granted on both sides and more should be done to promote it.


6.    In your opinion, and in the case of a highly-industrialized country like Japan, what specific impact do you see disasters having on diplomatic relationship with other countries?
Depends on the disaster, depends on the people, depends on the countries.. depends depends depends...
It created opportunities for improved and worsened relationships. For China there has been opportunism and glee that Japan can no longer be smug in terms  of food safety, but at the same time it seems  that there is awareness that there's a chance to recast relations more positively... I will believe it when I see it though....
 Relations with the US military have improved - though not in Okinawa probably.  I have heard comments personally and anecdotally  to the effect of  I hate the American military being in our country, but we couldn't have done without their help.    I think it's harsh to criticise Japan for not accepting all aid.   Taking rice as an example. There was complaint that Japan wasn't accepting rice - but actually there is plenty in national stores which should be used - the difficult was having the helicopters to fly in the quantities needed.  And without electricity or potable water as in the initial stages, raw rice was not appropriate to be taking in at all.  There were blankets rejected for being too thin - better than nothing surely, but better to get warm blankets for people when it's snowing outside.....
There has been a high level of international co-operation especially evident on the nuclear front.  I hope it continues.

  

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <Ecu.Manager@dfat.gov.au>
Date: Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Subject: Registration Confirmation [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
To: 



You have been forwarded this email as you have registered your presence in
Japan or you have registered your intention to travel to Japan on the
Online Register of Australians Overseas.

You may have already been contacted by Australian officials in Japan or
Australia and some of you may have already returned to Australia due to the
fluidity of the nuclear situation.

Our aim is to ensure we have accurate contact details for every Australian
(and their family members) registered, who may be in or near the earthquake
affected areas of Japan.  To that affect we would be grateful if you could:

 - Advise if your original registration remains valid.  If it has changed
please advise.  Some people listed their Australian address as their
Japanese address.  It is important that we have correct phone and email
details and a correct city name and address in Japan if possible.

 - What are your intentions eg are you intending to remain in Japan or
leave.  If leaving, grateful advice of your planned departure time.

 - Advise if you have delayed your travel to Japan.

We would be grateful if you respond by return email to
ecu.manager@dfat.gov.au

Can you please include the registrant name in the email heading eg Citizen,
John Smith, DOB (or passport number), Japan earthquake 2011.

When we receive your reply we will add your details to our contact list of
Australians in the affected areas of the earthquake / tsunami which will
ensure quicker contact (local conditions allowing) should this be required.