My X-Y-Z theory.. again, you see through this, you know how to corelate, own opinion is all what matters, no indoctrination. I don’t want to feed readers with simple sensation, give them something to chew on and create an open opinion.

I know that Akihabaranews specializes in tech news but when you put such an eye-catching article up there (which *did* draw my attention to clicking on the link) I think a reader expects to come away from reading the article with either:
1) Ahhh, so Japanese aid programs ARE helping Japan due to X, Y, Z.
2) Ahhh, so Japanese aid programs AREN’T helping Japan due to X, Y, Z.
3) Ahhh, so Japanese aid programs ARE helping Japan but also hurting Japan due to X, Y, Z.

My take from the article was that there was a tremendous drop in tourism, but a solid correlation between Japanese Aid Program and the drop in tourism wasn’t made clear. The drop in tourism could be for a variety of reasons – a massive earthquake just hit, a massive tsunami just hit, half the trains in Tokyo (a major transport hub) are not running, foreign embassies are recommending tourists not to come due to infrastructure disruptions, fears of spreading nuclear fallout, tourist agencies recommending tourists not to come or possibly just common sense that human beings don’t desire traveling to post-crisis hit countries.

I did enjoy the article and appreciate that an effort was made to prepare it – I just think the quality of the writing can improve in the future which would increase the readership.. which is good for business after all. Not to mention that

In closing let me just say that you neatly fingered one major driver of the drop in tourism.. and it wasn’t Aid programs.

“Due to the mass media touting the help and rescue for the victims of the Sendai, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures, the country’s tourism business is in a sharp decline. ”

Due to the mass media..

mass media..

media..

ta da!

Sometimes it’s hard to have up to 4 articles open on screen from different Japanese media and try to condense all this in a post. You just type the bits and pieces that come up and make them go together to create a small report about the matter.

Describing the safety of the region … I think this is easier said than done, unless CNN and the big broadcasts start doing “visit Japan” promo’s, it’s not going to be “indoctrinated” as well. When you would ask any random guy or lady on the street about Japan AS A COUNTRY, they’d tell you one of the following keywords: Nuclear plant, Earthquake, Tsunami, Destruction, …. where 2 months ago it would have been: Tea ceremonies, Culture, Samurai, Ancient temples, Anime, Electronics, … Their conception will restore over time, but definitely not overnight.

back to topic :3 i just hope they can manage the situation there somehow and i think that the reopenings of different tourist attractions like Tokyo Disneyland helps business to recover.

“This is by far correct.” → “This is far from correct.”
“From Hokkaido up to Okinawa” → “From Okinawa up to Hokkaido”
I would also discourage use of “flushing”; the word “flush” is typically associated with getting rid of (unwanted/unneeded) things, and in this context is insensitive and almost disrespectful to the victims and their families.

For a more complete view, you shouldn’t *only* focus on the cancellations. After all, can you really blame foreigners for postponing their trips when even *Japanese* themselves are avoiding the Fukushima area? (And that is an ongoing fact, not an exaggerated media report.)

What you need to provide are resources that help travelers understand the safety of their region:
- Secretary Edano promotes Fukushima produce that has been scanned and confirmed safe.
- Links to water radiation level monitors in several primary vacation prefectures.
- Comparisons of ongoing radiation levels in Japan with normal levels in Japan, and normal levels elsewhere.