(BTW, I was but one speaker in a panel, organized by Eric Johnston,
Deputy Editor at the Japan Times, which included: Masami Ito, a
Tokyo-based reporter for The Japan Times who covers the Justice
Ministry and writes extensively about immigration issues; Takuya
Asakura, a reporter for the Asahi Shimbun in Kobe who covers general
affairs in that city; Yuji Yoshitomi, an award-winning journalist for
the weekly magazine "Friday" and author who writes on Kansai area
politics and society.)
MY QUALIFICATIONS TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC:
I have been
involved in activism in Japan since the mid-1990s, working with the
media to raise issues and public awareness on several discrimination
issues. I have worked with a number of internet-based human
rights networks, founding "The Community" (http://www.debito.org/TheCommunity)
Internet mailing list and action group in 1999. Caveat: I
am more of a loner when it comes to organization and public speaking,
rarely speaking on behalf of an established NGO--so it's harder for me
to "represent an NGO's position" for this forum. That said, the
lessons I have learned about communicating effectively with the media,
particularly the Japanese media, may be of interest to those wishing to
do some activism of their own.
Activism in
Japan can be a tough job, but not impossible. Even in reputedly
"conflict-adverse" Japan. In large part this is due to the
receptiveness of the domestic media, which I do not consider
"adversarial". It's a matter of having the right message and
knowing your audience. To that end:
------------------------------------
A: HAVING THE RIGHT MESSAGE
When you take up
an issue, you must of course convince others that it is worth listening
to and doing something about. This of course includes the media,
and reporters can be as interested as any activist in covering social
issues and working to improve society (for some, that's the reason why
they became reporters). How I do it, starting from zero:
1) CREATE A WEBSITE
You need an
information center, and a website will act as your 24-hour setter of
the record straight. Update it, metatag it (search engines bring
in interested strangers), and refer to it in future activities and
email updates. Saves time, energy, and money--all critical in a
social movement with limited resources. It will also give
reporters a place to shop for information beforehand. Many
reporters write their articles before they even meet you, and are just
looking for live quotes. Their questions will be more informed if they
view your information site beforehand.
2) DOCUMENT
Keep primary
sources alive. Scan articles, reproduce text (Don't worry about
copyright: Fair Use Statutes permit reproduction of whole
articles if you acknowledge the source and don't charge for access to
it. Point is: keep indispensable information under your
control, not under some indifferent webmaster who deletes all articles
after a week.), keep weblog of your old announcements and essays on the
subject. Don't forget dates and original weblinks (even if
original news websource dies). Upkeep means established
credibility and old facts and cases not fading into anecdote. If you
always have facts at your fingertips verifiable anywhere at any time (I
often reread what I wrote years ago, just to refresh my memory), you
will stay on top of an issue, come whatever question from a
reporter. You have to be active (as opposed to passive--by
definition of your label) in creating and maintaining public awareness.
3) BE PATIENT YET VIGILANT
It may take
years for your issue to catch fire, so don't be disappointed if the
media doesn't knock on your door immediately. Meantime, keep
sharpening and refining your message, finding new angles and ways to
keep the topic fresh and germane to today's events. News, by
definition, has a short shelf life, and if you can be there when the
issue is hot, with a comment and a link to old information (showing a
pattern or continuity), you will more likely succeed in getting
ears. And credibility as a future source. Anyway, social
problems take years to address, so prepare yourself to be in it for the
long haul.
----------------------------------
B: GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION
Tailor your
message to the sensitivities of your listener. A reporter for an
economic newspaper will want to see the issue in terms of money, while
a fellow NGO journal writer will want to see the issues of social
justice. But before this, how do you get an audience?
1) EMAIL
Build an email
list of people who may be interested in your issues (ask their
permission before adding--most will say yes). Takes years before
it becomes effective, but I have thousands of recipients (and hopefully
readers), some of whom forward around what I write, even to fellow
reporters. Separate email lists by preference (friends,
reporters, human rights lists, etc). Expect few answers to any
request or call for action--be happy with the nibbles you get.
Patience builds the regular readership, and earnest constancy builds
credibility. Virtuous circle: the more nibbles you get now,
the more future nibbles you get later if you're on the ball.
2) EVENTS AND PRESS CONFERENCES (kisha kaiken)
Yes, anyone can
do them--it's just a matter of your convening it and reporters
attending. Contact the Press Club (kisha kurabu) connected with
the agency or outlet you are trying to canvass, and tell them the time
and place. Simple as that. If they come, ALWAYS have
something printed up for reporters to take home and refer to--saves
time and results in fewer misquotes. For press conferences, I
suggest at most 10 minutes presentation, the rest Q&A. No
more than an hour total (they have deadlines) unless they still have
unanswered questions. More in my book "JAPANESE ONLY" pg 137-8 (http://www.debito.org/japaneseonly.html).
Remember any article your issue gets is a minor miracle--a major one if
they get the info right. At press conferences, always ask for
reporters or officials in attendance to leave a copy of their meishi in
a pile at the front (they will--under professional ethics they must
identify themselves if asked; some won't unless), then add them to your
email list.
3) INTERVIEWS
Even more
miraculous is a one-on-one with a reporter. Remember that
reporters are people too with values, angles, judgments, and deadlines,
so talk to them like human beings. But remember that due to
editors and editorial constraints, things rarely, if ever, come out in
an article as you wanted. Still, take as much time as the
reporter has and answer all questions that you consider constructive in
tone to the best of your ability. Tour guide them through your
primary sources (reporters love photocopies). Be earnest and
sincere. If you convince them of the veracity of your cause, you
will have a vital avenue into the debate arena. But remember
media propensities:
------------------------------------
C: KNOW THINE AUDIENCE
Print and
broadcast media are fundamentally different. Broadcast is shorter
in attention span, also requires soundbites, good hair, non-knitted
eyebrows, charisma, and an entertainment quotient (esp. Japanese TV),
which may preclude interest in "serious" topics like social issues
anyway. Print lasts longer, gets edited and quoted more liberally
(often to your advantage--a sympathetic reporter will correct your
linguistic mistakes positively), and is more easily dispersed by email
and web. Print is also the better primary source for your info
site (more reproducible). Just remember the bents of your media
outlets.
PRINT MEDIA BENTS:
Mainichi and
Kyodo are sympathetic to social issues, Yomiuri (exception: Osaka
Yomiuri) and Sankei are almost always conservative (and get defensive
about anything that appears to be criticism of Japan). Asahi is a
lottery--depends on the editor, but it's inching perceptibly to the
right. Regional papers are generally liberal but it depends on
the region. Weekly tabloids are wild and unpredictable (after
all, paper never refuses ink), and accuracy is at a lower priority than
sales (distortion to increase drama is the name of the game).
Recommend you avoid tabloids. (Not to worry--those reporters are
used to being avoided.)
BROADCAST MEDIA BENTS:
Again, each
network is hit-or-miss, but NHK tries to be most centrist. It is
also the most clearly censored, cf. Abe Shintaro scandals with LDP
politicians putting pressure on network. NHK will, however, be
more likely to take up more "serious" topics--there just has to be an
overriding "public's need to know" factor behind it. If you get
on NHK, you really know you've arrived and are being taken seriously.
-----------------------------------
BARRIERS TO ACTIVISM IN JAPAN
Be aware of the social proclivities so you can anticipate media reaction:
1) ACTIVISM IS GENERALLY FROWNED UPON IN JAPAN.
I believe
because it is associated not with success, but with extremism, since
historically there is no "Sixties" liberal victory period.
Discussion in JAPANESE ONLY pg 327-330.
2) CULTURE OF INFORMATION CONTROL.
Just about every
organization, and especially the bureaucracy, is closed to outsiders,
and getting them to own up to anything, let alone wringing any info out
of them, will be nearly impossible without insiders and tenacious
reporters who know how to play the game (a call from a reporter to an
agency sends shivers). Reporters are also necessary to get past
the
3) PRESS CLUBS.
One-stop
shopping, but also self-censorship and info control. Biggest curb
on watchdogism there is. See Freeman, "Japan's Press Clubs as
Information Cartels", at
http://www.jpri.org/publications/workingpapers/wp18.html
4) RESISTANCE TO CAMPAIGNING.
There is a knee-jerk disaffection with demonstrators, and overly-overt
attempts to influence the public. So what. Campaign
anyway. Just be aware that people aren't going to trust you or
your intentions until you've been around awhile.
5) YOUR COMPARISONS TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ARE OF LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS
esp if said
human rights problem is being construed as "a matter of cultural
differences" in the media. Do make the argument that "other
societies do it, so Japan should too" if you want, but don't expect
much sympathy. Cries of "cultural imperialism" are inevitable,
esp in the tabloids and the pundit arenas.
6) THE CONFUSING NEED FOR BALANCE.
This sounds nice
on the surface, until you realize the media is interviewing the other,
bigoted, side too. This effectively gives credence to the racists
and often promotes their issue (which is one more reason why you need
to make discrimination illegal--so the reporters won't feel a need to
find out "the criminal's point of view" for the sake of balance, and
inadvertently justify it.
7) THREATS DO HAPPEN.
If you think you
won't get rough stuff here in Japan after appearing in the media,
remember Minamata photographer attacked by thugs. I have had lots
of threats, even death threats (but if I was going to be whacked, I
doubt I would have been warned). If you have a high enough
profile, there is some deterrent. In any case, keep your family
out of the media. Culturally problematic and reprisals may be
directed at them to hurt you.
------------------------------------------
GETTING AROUND BARRIERS
1) STAY SUNNY AND OPTIMISTIC,
and don't
blubber about your issue to journalists. Upbeat is
inspirational. I told you that activism would be challenging, so
chin up: it's far more challenging to be an optimist than a
pessimist.
2) IGNORE UNCONSTRUCTIVE QUESTIONS AND CRITICS.
Trying to answer
those who simply will not listen, or who have an angle they're angling
for, takes valuable time and energy away from activism. Absorb
their arguments and answer on your info site. See book JAPANESE
ONLY pgs 299, 311-315, 368-370.
3) REDIRECT SUNDRY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO YOUR WEBSITE.
Again, saves time and energy.
4) BE AWARE OF COUNTERARGUMENTS
so you can
formulate yours in advance. That is why advance criticism is
valuable--you can escape future ambushes in public.
5) JAPANESE SOCIETY IS SURPRISINGLY RECEPTIVE TO NEW IDEAS IF PUT SINCERELY.
Remember that
people will listen to you here even if they disagree with everything
you say. A high cultural value is placed on calmness in the
debate arena, so be calm, sincere, and earnest at all times. It's
amazing how fast people sense insincerity here.
6) LEARN JAPANESE--YOU CANNOT WORK IN JAPAN WITHOUT.
Enough said. Get to work.
7) REMEMBER THE POWER OF PRECEDENT AND THE RESPECT FOR PERSEVERANCE IN JAPAN.
People often
will only come to believe that you are serious if you have been working
at an issue for years. So do so.
------------------------------------------
CONCLUSION
I probably don't
need to tell you this, but taking up a problem is almost always better
than not. Even if nothing budges, at least you tried. And
if it does budge, it probably would not have done without your
help. And very often the media's help. Either way, it's
better than doing nothing about it, and getting worn down by the
futility of your situation. Enlist the media in your quest--they
will be receptive if the time, message, and source are right. ENDS
Arudou Debito
Sapporo
debito@debito.org
http://www.debito.org
Copyright 2005 Arudou Debito, Sapporo, Japan