JosephK

Hi everyone.

(Sorry english is not my native language (I'm French) but I will try my best).

I have an argument with someone about The official report of The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission, maybe some of you heard about it. The thread turns arounds whether the english translation of this report is trustable (I think it is), and if in japanase they talk about Fukushima only as an accident or as both an accident and a disaster (as I think). In perticuliar, the discussion is about this text (the chairman's message, at this location : naiic.go.jp/about/chairmans-message/) : (which is the introduction of the report) and this pargraph :

« 3.11の日、広範囲に及ぶ巨大地震、津波という自然災害と、それによって引き起こされた原子力災害へ の対 応は、極めて困難なものだったことは疑いもな い。しかも、この50年で初めてとなる歴史的な政権交代からわずか18カ月の新政権下でこの事 故を迎えた。 当時の政府、規制当局、そして事業者は、原子力 のシビアアクシデント（過酷事故）における心の準備や、各自の地位に伴う責任の重さへの理解、 そして、それ を果たす覚悟はあったのか。「想定外」「確認し ていない」などというばかりで危機管理能力を問われ、日本のみならず、世界に大きな影響を与え るような被害 の拡大を招いた。この事故が「人災」であること は明らかで、歴代及び当時の政府、規制当局、そして事業者である東京電力による、人々の命と社 会を守るとい う責任感の欠如があった。».

I think these kanji « 人災 » should be translated as « manmade disaster » (as it is in the report) and not as « manmade accident ». Could someone confirm ? And more widely, does this text only refers to Fukushima as an accident (« 福島第一原子力発電所事故 ») or does it have occurence of « nuclear disaster » (« 子力災害 ») ? How does it refer precisely to Fukushima ? Well, if some of you could enlight me on the validity of the english translation (at this location : naiic.go.jp/en/about/chairmans-message/) , I would appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

(Sorry, I am not allowed to post links, so I give the adress, just copy paste it in your browser).

Thunderman

天災（ten sai) (natural disaster) is the opposite word for 人災（jin sai) (man-made disaster).

人災 is a common word, and it is not restricted to Fukusima or nuclear disaster.

To distinguish them is rather subjective.

Earthquakes and tsunamis are usually thought as 天災.
I personally think that Fukusima also is basically 天災.
Yet, Japanese media wants to make someone criminal. They want to make someone responsible for the disaster, and they say it is 人災.