by RICHARD MINITER
March 20, 2011 9:24 AM
Almost as shocking as Japan’s potential nuclear meltdown, its 9.0 Richter-scale earthquake and record tsunami, is the calm, orderly response of its people. “Why is there no looting in Japan?” asks a writer at Britain’s Daily Telegraph, touching off a tidal wave of bogus theories around the world.
In unison, the experts began clucking their tongues. While Americans looted New Orleans after Katrina, the Japanese are more altruistic, honorable and so on. Ever since the 1980s, Western experts have been willing to believe strange ideas of Japanese superiority and equally silly ideas about American inferiority. Remember when Japan was going to rule the world economy? This latest praise song to Japan is from the same hymn book.
Culture is the favored camouflage of bogus experts. “Looting simply does not take place in Japan,” one Columbia University professor told CNN. “I’m not even sure if there’s a word for it.” Actually the word is “nusumi.” And the Japanese Army did its share of looting in World War II.
The cascade of craziness continues. “The Japanese are now reaping the fruits of having been taught, and drilled in, discipline and resilience, since childhood,” intoned one writer for Manila’s Philippine Star. The Washington Times’ James Picht contended that Japan’s emphasis on “conformity and consensus” trumped “the urge to smash and grab.” Did no one notice the police on duty in Sendai?
To be sure, there is an ocean of cultural differences separating Japan from America, and discipline and conformity are imposed with stifling force there while the opposite virtues of freedom and individualism are celebrated here. Yet the experts have a blinding bias. Generally suspicious of individualism, capitalism and America, they hope to use Japan to proselytize their prejudices.
The main causes of Japanese orderliness in face of disaster are simple: the police were on-duty and the public stayed in place. The police enforce the law, while the public’s mere presence deters crime. Plus, people defend their own property.
The opposite occurred in New Orleans in 2005. Days before Hurricane Katrina struck, most residents were evacuated and many police fled. Malefactors lurked, seeing a chance to smash and snatch with no fear of punishment. Ironically, the advance warnings and evacuations made looting more likely.
Still think the difference between Sendai and New Orleans is mainly cultural? Consider Grand Forks, N.D. In 1997, the Red River climbed over its retaining walls and flooded a city of 50,000. Fires followed, devouring nearly everything above the water line. Yet, no looting. Indeed, there were only two minor burglaries recorded during the crisis, police Lt. Byron Sieber told the Grand Forks Herald on April 22, 1997.
Pictures of the tragedy in Grand Forks could have been shot in Japan: orderly lines, neighbors filling sand bags, bottles of water handed to perfect strangers.
While the people of North Dakota are pretty nice, no one contends they are culturally superior to the people of New Orleans. The difference: The community stayed in place, and law enforcement did its job.
This is precisely what happened in Sendai, Japan: the community did not leave the scene to a few hard cases, and the police enforced society’s natural desire for order.
Some suggest that comparatively rural areas (Sendai is Japan’s northern farm district) make anonymity harder, and therefore bad acts are less likely. There is something to this, but a united public and motivated police force make a big difference — even in large cities.
Consider New York City’s three blackouts. In 1964, America’s then-largest city suddenly went dark. Impromptu candle and beer parties formed in hotel lobbies. No looters. In 1977 chaos reigned when darkness fell. In 2003, the Big Apple again lost its lights. Again, no looting and a festive Mardi Gras atmosphere took over. In 1964 and 2003, the police were proactive and the public numerous and confident. In 1977, the police had a nonconfrontational philosophy and the public cowered as the devil rattled the door.
The Japanese are no better and no worse than Americans in a crisis, provided that the public and the police are present and active. We individualist cowboys do a pretty good job most of the time. What saved Sendai from looters wasn’t cultural superiority, but common sense.
Best-selling author Richard Miniter’s newest book, “Mastermind,” is available on Amazon.com.
Originally published at: http://www.gazette.com/opinion/japanese-114811-less-almost.html
