Regarding Kazuo Ogoura's April 8 article, "Politics of crisis leadership": Ogoura's statement that a commitment to "public responsibility" by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco) management has not been "clear and manifest in the eyes of the general public" is an understatement. To speak of Tepco's "privacy" at a time like this is nothing short of bizarre.
Ogoura harkens back to the "good old days" when he was in government and government regulators had friendly breakfasts and lunches with representatives of industries. He blames the "problem of Japanese crisis management" on a supposed departure from this cozy relationship.
I have to admit that I'm a little shocked by Ogoura's lack of introspection. If experts are right that the Fukushima nuclear plant crisis is largely man-made, as The Japan Times reported last week, then it was not made overnight.
It's not that I expect Ogoura's generation of leadership to accept the possibility that they share responsibility for this "mega-crisis." It's just that I'm dismayed by this bald-faced attempt to point fingers in every other direction.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.