Is it safe to visit Japan?
Many travelers are wary of visiting the country after March’s devastating earthquake and tsunami raised concerns about a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
“The water and food in this area are safe. However, the city has suffered great damage from harmful rumors,” noted Ichiro Kanke, major of Wakamatsu City, in a YouTube video posted on Wednesday.
Mayor Kanke turned to YouTube to spread the message that his city is safe and poses no radiation threat.
Falling tourism
In halting English, Mayor Kanke urges YouTube viewers to visit Wakamatsu City, which he calls a “safe area.” As of Monday evening, the video had 211 views.
Also known as Aizuwakamatsu, Wakamatsu City is located in the same prefecture as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex. However, as Mayor Kanke notes in the video, Wakamatsu City sits 100 km (62 miles) from the plant.
The mayor faces an uphill battle in reviving tourism to the region, since the name Fukushima has become synonymous with nuclear power.
Tourist visits to Fukushima prefecture have fallen in half compared to last year, officials told the Associated Press earlier this month.
Ichiro Kanke, mayor of Wakamatsu City, takes a radiation reading at Mt. Iimori in a YouTube video.
Radiation reading
In the YouTube clip, Mayor Kanke takes a live radiation reading at Mt. Iimori, a popular tourist attraction.
The camera zooms in on the device, which reads 0.08 microsieverts per hour. The mayor filmed a similar video at the historic Tsuruga-jo Castle and obtained a 0.18 reading.
(In April, the Japanese government set the radiation threshold for closing schools at 3.8 microsieverts per hour– 47.5 times higher than Mayor Kanke’s reading at Mt. Iimori).
“According to a radiation specialist, this measurement value has no effect on the human body,” Mayor Kanke says on the Mt. Iimori video. He ends the clip, which lasts 1 minute and 43 seconds, with an invitation to tourists.
“As you can see, Aizu-Wakamatsy City is a safe area. Please come here for sightseeing. We hope to see you then.”
Mayor Ichiro Kanke appeared in a YouTube video encouraging travelers to visit Wakamatsu City.
For more info
Visit the Aizuwakamatsu City’s English-language website for tourist information and the mayor’s latest messages. The city’s YouTube Channel features additional videos with Mayor Kanke.
Your thoughts
What do you think of Mayor Kanke’s video message? Would you visit Wakamatsu City right now? Share your opinion by leaving a comment below.
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Thanks to Downtown Traveler reader Mark for pointing us to this video, which has not appeared in English-language news reports.
It’s a hard sell in the first place as I don’t think that area is one of the major tourist destinations to begin with. Now with the media saying there’s so much uncertainty with the radiation, I think people will err on the side of caution and hold off going. Sad for that region since they really need the tourism dollars.
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That is cool that he turned to youtube to spread the word on the safety of tourism. I was a little disappointed though that he did not sing the song “Friday” while he was on video. Guess I will have to swing over to Rebecca Black while I am there.
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My heart goes out to the people of Japan, However, it is not a place I would put on my bucket list right now. I think it’s going to take quite a bit of time before we know exactly how the radiation is going to effect the area,
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Yer, not sure there is much to do there in the first place. But, at least the Mayor is trying, which is good. Would I go to Japan, or his town? Yes, no question about it.
Though I hear hotels and hostels have not reduced their costs?! Shame.
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It’s great that they are showing that some areas are actually safe – I think radiations are way scarier than revolutions or earthquakes! The problem is that, imho, people wouldn’t go to Japan (especially from far away) just being able to visit certain areas, when they can’t visit Tokyo, for example. And probably they still should land in or pass through contaminated areas.
This might work for Japanese or nearby Countries tourists!
Anyway, it’s good to know more details about the actual situation and the effort of this major is laudatory. 🙂
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I agree with Giulia – radiation is much more frightening than almost anything else really. Not being able to see it or know if it’s affected you for years. such a shame for these poor people.
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Last week, I finished cycling the length of Japan from South to North over 43 days. Although radiation is something to take very seriously, except for the effected area pointed out in the map in the video, the country is safe to travel. There are bustling, beautiful towns still full of people going about their daily lives in the NorthWest region (the coastal views here are to die for btw).
I advise people to be wise and cautious by doing their homework first, but not to let fear of the unknown be the reason they stay away from Japan.
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Last week I finished a 43 day, 3,500+km cycling tour of Japan. Although radiation should be taken seriously, I think it’s tragic that undue fear is keeping people from seeing this beautiful country. Aside from the effected areas pointed out on the map in the video, everywhere else is safe and full of bustling towns and cities of people living their daily lives.
I hope everyone get the chance to visit Japan. My personal recommendation is a slow train ride along the NW coast of Honshu island (the main island).
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Andrew, thanks for sharing your experience as a visitor to Japan after the earthquake and tsunami. I’m sure the locals appreciated your visit! Japan clearly need to do more to address the radiation fears of travelers.
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