The report on the deployment of Osprey U.S. Military aircraft to Okinawa which aired on July 23 on NHK TV’s popular nightly news show “News Watch 9” (hereafter “News 9”) was a horrible piece of broadcast journalism. The program left me questioning the competency of the host, Kensuke Okoshi, and wondering if “News 9” has ceased to be a responsible and objective news forum and instead become a mouthpiece dedicated to reflecting the political voice of NHK under the influence of its labor union, although the outfit is a national broadcast network owned 100% by the government.

　　　The program began with a reporter covering a US freighter out at sea a little after 5 a.m. as it continued to sail towards Iwakuni, where they were scheduled to land for inspection at the US military base in this western Japanese city. The camera then switched to scenes showing Iwakuni citizens and their supporters angrily shouting anti-US base, anti-Osprey slogans in chorus. The newscaster defined the sentiments of the protesters as “the voices on the street” in Iwakuni, as well as Okinawa, noting that they represented “opposition” or “resignation” over the Ospreys’ deployment. This was followed by a comment from Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda, who said he was “indignant” over the aircraft’s arrival in Iwakuni, where the US Marine Corps will assemble the aircraft before sending them on to Okinawa, where they are scheduled to be deployed in October.

　　　The scene then switched to Ginowan City, home to the Marine’s Futenma Air Station, where there were further reports of bitter opposition to the Osprey. Next there followed a report on anti-Osprey demonstrations staged near the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on the same day, airing remarks by Prime Minister Noda and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto. “The government stands firm on its principle of not allowing Ospreys to fly over any part of Japan unless their safety is confirmed,” said Noda. While Morimoto had this to say: “It is common sense for the US Marine Corps to refrain from flying over residential areas as much as possible.”

　　　Following this series of reports, reporter Hirotaka Inoue observed live from Iwakuni: “I am reporting from where protests were actually staged earlier in the day by groups of citizens opposing the Ospreys. Where I stand now was tightly packed with some 500 persons who came to protest against the Ospreys, all shouting slogans in unison as they faced the US military base.”

　　　I myself saw footage of the rallies which showed the protesters in a line alongside a wharf facing the US base across the bay; there was clearly ample space between the protesters, allowing them to raise their clenched fists or swing their arms freely as they loudly demanded that the Ospreys “go home.” This footage was shown not only on other networks but on other NHK programs as well. There were also reports of the demonstrations in all the major newspapers, including the influential liberal daily Asahi Shinbun, which carried a photograph of the protest on its local news page.

　　　Neither the footage nor the photograph gave the impression that the site of the rally was “tightly packed” -€ an expression that I am convinced should best be used when depicting a situation in which people are physically “packed line sardines.” Does NHK train its reporters to describe any situation as “packed,” whether it is actually packed or not?

Playing Fast and Easy with the Truth

　　　Of course, one is unable to know the background of reporter Inoue, including whether he is a full-time journalist on the staff of NHK’s news bureau. Whatever his position may be, however, NHK must understandably have dispatched him to Iwakuni on an assignment to report the truth about the rally on behalf of nation-wide viewers. If so, NHK should have trained him more properly. Unless the outfit does so, I feel it can easily run the risk of compelling its audience to regard “News 9” as being no different from the tabloid journalism for which talk and variety shows of private Japanese TV networks are notorious. Clearly noticeable in Inoue’s reporting were loose and, therefore, irresponsible expressions on a par with the private networks. This is absolutely unpardonable for what is generally regarded as a respectable news program such as “News 9.” Let us review what Inoue had to say in his report:

　　　“The impression that has stayed with me is that, among the people who participated in the rally were those who have already sadly resigned themselves to accepting the Ospreys now that they had already arrived in Japan, as well as an extremely large number of those who feel extremely deep indignation, especially on this occasion.” Inouye used such words as “extremely deep indignation” and “an extremely large number of people,” which made me suspicious of what degree of extremity he was implying when he used “extremely” in his reporting. He reported on the number of protesters as “more than 500.” So I naturally am inclined to question what percentage of this relatively small number of protesters he interviewed constituted “an extremely large number of people” in his view. I suppose it would be safe to assume that he most likely could not have had the luxury of spending enough time to interview every one of the protesters, although I certainly have no intention of asking him such a senseless question. But I still consider it his minimum responsibility as a reporter dispatched to a hot spot to relate to viewers as exactly as possible on what he based his description of “an extremely larger number of people”; was it “almost all of the people” he interviewed that day, or “80%,” or “50%” — or less?

　　　I firmly believe it part of the job of someone in Okoshi’s position to assume responsibility as the show’s anchorman to make up for what his reporters on the scene fail to deliver. However, he rather shockingly failed to play this role on his July 23 show. Not only that. I have tended to notice a number of rather serious problems with his on-the-spot reporting concerning matters pertaining to the Osprey. Visiting Iwakuni prior to the aircraft’s arrival, Okoshi interviewed Mitsuharu Yamamoto, the city’s man in charge of base-related issues, and compiled a video report. Here’s how Yamamoto was introduced:

　　　“After becoming a city clerk, Yamamoto went on to see his city negotiate with the central government over matters relating to the US military base in Iwakuni in response to never-ending requests from citizens who did not want the US base in their city. As a result, the government moved one of the base’s runways one kilometer away from the city area on to land partially reclaimed from the sea. However, the government later made a decision to allow US carrier-based aircraft to relocate from the Atsugi US Marine air base, central Japan, to Iwakuni. It was as if the runway, originally constructed to help reduce the burden on the shoulders of the citizens, ended up being conveniently used as a home for more American military planes. Mr. Yamamoto told me he felt betrayed by the government at the time.”

　　　Of Yamamoto, who said he had “become distrustful of the government ever since,” Okoshi asked: “Is it indignation or resignation that you most strongly feel?”

　　　Identifying his own sentiment as resignation, Yamamoto posed this question: “People in Japan are saying no to Okinawa, as well as Iwakuni. Don’t you suppose it is about time we Japanese started thinking how we should truly face up to the question of our nation’s security?”

　　　Okoshi should have sincerely grappled with this most pertinent question raised by Yamamoto, because it tackled the vital matter of Japan’s security. Okoshi could have provided an opportunity on his program to help promote a national discussion about this pertinent matter by inquiring of Yamamoto, as well as viewers, “What then do you think you personally must do as a responsible citizen about this critical matter?”

Inciting a Victim Mentality

　　　Japan’s southwestern islands, including the Senkaku Islands, are faced with a growing threat from China’s abnormal military buildup, especially the strengthening of its naval power. Under such circumstances, if the Japanese keep saying no to the US military bases in Okinawa, as well as the one in Iwakuni, should Japanese Self Defense Forces (JSDF) take over from the U.S. forces full responsibility to safeguard Japan’s own security? Or should we simply sit idly by and not take any action? Will Japan’s security be sustained if the US forces should decide to leave Japan? Who will then be charged with Japan’s security, and how?

　　　These are very appropriate questions Okoshi could have asked viewers in an attempt to entice a cross section of Japanese to start grappling with security issues more squarely. But Okoshi was apparently little interested in playing such a role. He concluded his comments concerning the Ospreys as follows:

　　　“The government has obviously claimed that it has absolutely ascertained the safety of the Ospreys. However, such a pledge has yet to touch the hearts of many of us in Japan who feel we have been deceived by the government.”

　　　On the surface, it sounds quite reasonable for Okoshi to request the government do what it can to “ascertain the safety” of the aircraft in question. However, I feel very strongly that NHK, which has invested ample time in the coverage of Osprey-related matters, should bear the burden of calling viewers’ attention to the accident rate involving the Ospreys, which is amazingly low despite the public perception.

　　　In point of fact, the Osprey’s accident rate -€ 1.93 per every 100,000 hours of flight -€ is not very high in comparison with other aircraft. It compares favorably against the 6.76 accident rate of the AV8B Harrier, for example. Aircraft operated by the US Marine Corps have an overall accident rate of 2.45 (the Sankei Shimbun July 24). In other words, Ospreys have a lower accident rate than any other type of aircraft deployed by the Marines.

　　　In fact, Defense Minister Morimoto has pointed out that the CH46 helicopters currently used in Japan have become so aged that he believes they may pose more problems than Ospreys. Clearly, it is slanted reporting to refuse to present objective facts, including the Osprey accident rate, and incite a “victim mentality” among some people and a feeling that they “have been betrayed by the government” while refusing to make any reference to grave national security matters such as how to deal with the threat of China.
　　　Watching Okoshi on “News 9,” I could not help being reminded of the first installment of NHK’s “Japan Debut” news show launched several years ago. Entitled “Asia’s first-rate nation,” it favorably depicted Taiwan, but in an incredibly slanted fashion.

　　　Time and again, Okoshi stressed the importance of heeding the sentiments of the people who feel “betrayed by the government.” But I firmly believe that it is Mr. Okoshi and NHK’s irresponsible and slanted reporting that will sooner rather than later end up grossly betraying viewers across Japan.

(Translated from “Renaissance Japan” column no. 520 in the August 2, 2012 issue of The Weekly Shincho)