经济学人下载:应对日本核灾难,与辐射共生

The prompt dissemination of accurate information is not happening, though. By April 6th TEPCO had managed to staunch the leakage of highly contaminated water from one of the damaged reactors that had produced levels of radioactive iodine 7.5m times the legal limit in one sample of seawater. But that was not before fishermen about 70km south of the plant had caught tiny sand-eels, known as konago, with larger than normal traces of radioactive iodine and caesium. The unwelcome discovery prompted Naoto Kan, the prime minister, to issue a new safety standard for levels of radioactivity in marine products. Knowing the public’s fears of unsafe food (and no doubt encouraged by the promise of compensation), the local konago fishermen had already pulled in their nets for the season.

尽管如此，准确的信息仍未能及时传播。4月6日，东京电力公司（TEPCO）设法止住从损坏反应堆之一流出的高污染水，有一个海水样本显示：流出的高污染水造成了放射性碘超标750万倍。然而，在此之前有渔民在核电站向南大约70千米的地方捕到了含放射性碘元素和铯元素超标的一种叫做玉筋鱼的沙鳗鱼。这个不受欢迎的发现促使首相菅直人发布了新的关于海产品放射性水平安全的标准。当地捕捞玉筋鱼的渔民了解到民众对于不安全食品的恐慌，他们本季度就把网收起来不再捕鱼了（当然，有赔偿金的承诺鼓励他们暂时停止捕捞）。

The fear of contamination is spreading internationally, too, and the government is learning that it is not enough just to present scientific evidence about radiation levels. On April 6th India suspended all Japanese food imports. Neighbouring South Korea expressed concern that it was not warned about TEPCO’s decision to dump low-level radioactive waste into the sea to make room to store more toxic stuff on land. South Korea does not share a sea with Fukushima. But South Korea, like Japan, has a vibrant seafood culture. Rational or not, perceptions matter.

对于污染物的恐慌也在国际间传播，政府逐渐了解到只为放射性水平提供科学依据是远远不够的。4月6日，印度全方面停止进口日本食品。尽管这不是警告，与日本邻近的韩国还是对东京电力公司（TEPCO）决定倾倒低放射性废物入海来为存储更多陆地上污染物的行为表示担忧。韩国与福岛并不在同一片海域。但是和日本一样，韩国对海味也是情有独钟。这已经不是理智不理智的问题了，观念影响到了他们的行为。

With more emotion than sense, electronic components, machine parts and even towels made far from Fukushima have required radiation checks or been turned back by Italy and China, among others. The Japanese authorities have not helped by falling back on technocracy rather than a more sympathetic response. Shippers have urged the government to issue certificates that would assure foreign ports that goods are radiation-free. Instead, Japan expends its energies mainly attempting to convince shippers about the safely low levels of radiation in the country at large. “The question is how to reduce anxiety, not present science,” says Katsunori Nemoto of Keidanren, Japan’s business lobby.

人们受到情绪的影响远超过感觉，即便是在离福岛很远的地方制作的电子元件、机器配件甚至是毛巾都被要求做辐射检查，尤其是在意大利和中国，一些商品甚至被退货。日本当局没有通过在技术统治论上让步向货主们提供帮助，也没有做出了更具同情心的回应。货主催促政府签署向外国港口保证商品是无辐射的证明。而政府却是花大量时间尝试详细地告诉货主国内的辐射水平低而安全。日本经济团体联合会的游说员根本克典说：“问题在于怎么减少恐慌，而不是提供科学依据。”

At a time when the Japanese economy needs help, to date around 50 countries have imposed restrictions on Japanese imports. America, which buys one-sixth of Japanese farm exports, has put products from Fukushima and three other prefectures on a watch list. The European Union has named a dozen prefectures that need radiation tests, yet traders in these places report a lack of testing equipment. In one case, says an executive at a Japanese trading house, tuna that arrived in America was set aside by customs, rotting before it was inspected. A sake brewer on a sales trip to Las Vegas noticed that Japanese food was off the menu at hotels.

就当日本经济需要帮助的时候，迄今约有50个国家发布了对日本商品进口的限制令。购买日本农产品出口量六分之一的美国将从福岛和其他三个县生产的产品放入观察名单。欧盟提出日本有十二个县的产品需要进行辐射测试报告，然而当地商人却说缺乏测量设备。日本商行的一个经理主管说：在一个案例中，一批到达美国的金枪鱼被海关放置一边，在检测放射性之前就已经腐烂了。一个日本清酒的制造商在去拉斯维加斯的销售旅行中发现，日本食品已经不在旅馆的菜单之中。