OVERVIEW

DUE TO THE INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS IN FUKUSHIMA, AND THE SUBSEQUENT HEAT WAVES OF THE JAPANESE SUMMER, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE OPERATING COMPANY OF THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, TEPCO IMMEDIATELY CALLED UPON THE JAPANESE POPULATION TO EMBARK ON AN EXTENSIVE POWER SAVING EFFORT. THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT SET A TARGET OF 25% REDUCTION IN THE USE OF ENERGY NATIONALLY, OF WHICH THE GENERAL PUBLIC WAS ASKED TO FULFILL 15% OF THIS SAVING. TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS IS NOT AN EASY TASK FOR A COUNTRY WHICH RUNS ON ELECTRICAL ADRENALIN.
THE FOLLOWING SERIES THAT I TOOK AS A PHOTOGRAPHER IN AND AROUND TOKYO, JAPAN, PRESENTS (WITH AN IRONIC TENOR) HOW THE AVERAGE CONSUMER IN JAPAN IS PLAYING THEIR PART IN ORDER TO HELP THE NATIONAL RECOVERY. WITHIN THIS NEW MOVEMENT, COLLECTIVE ENERGY SAVING BECOMES A SORT OF NATIONAL SPORT. IT SEEMS EVERYONE IS CONTRIBUTING IN ORDER TO PREVENT SOME UNDEFINED WORST CASE SCENARIO. THE ENFORCED COOPERATION, WHICH THE OFFICIALS EXPECT, HAS STRONG MILITARISTIC TRAITS WITHIN A HIERARCHICAL, TOP-DOWN, THOROUGHLY ORGANIZED JAPANESE SOCIETY. THE PROPOSITION APPEARS TO BE: COLLECTIVE ACTION HELPS TO COPE WITH THE GIVEN CRISIS ON A NATIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL, AS EVERYONE IS IMBUED WITH A FEELING OF BEING ABLE TO HELP PERSONALLY AND TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE REHABILITATION OF THE NATION. UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A MYTH IN ORDER TO TAKE PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE FACTS.