The Prime Minister’s Office of Japan has launched an English translation for its earthquake disaster information updates on Twitter. The PM’s Office set up an official account (@Kantei_Saigai) two days after the 8.9 magnitude scale quake on March 13. Three days after the Japanese account was set up, the Japanese PM Office started an English account (@JPN_PMO) to provide the latest information on safety concerns, evacuation plans and information on the nuclear reactors.
Social networking has proven to be an important tool in re-establishing contact with loved ones post-disaster. Google even has a person finder service available for this reason. It has also become an important source of real time information. Since its inception, the English-language Twitter account has had more than 23,000 followers.
The English translation account does highlight the limits of Twitter’s 140 character limit. 140 characters in Japanese is effectively a paragraph whereas when translated to the English account one tweet is broken up into four or more tweets which makes the experience of following @JPN_PMO account in one’s real time Twitter feed somewhat disjointed.
Some of the translation also feels rather clunky but the greatest drawback is there still appears to be a sizeable time delay. At current viewing, the English account has not been updated since 14 hours ago but when one checks the Japanese one, it was last updated 36 mins ago. This means that while it is a great official source, English-language users will still be visiting news sites and friends to get the next update on the situation as we would expect. Twitter is all about being able to follow many people at the same time after all.
The Twitter account is definitely commendable in its straight, seemingly uncensored delivery of information such as the admission of radiation levels in food. This will help reassure citizens that a cover up is not going on and while there are radiation concerns in Japan, it is under control. With so many sources of information now, honesty is the best policy to keep people following. Corroborated reports are ones that can be trusted hence the mass amount of Tweets during and post-quake which though contained similar information, was useful in this regard.
Not to mention that celebrities on Twitter have used the micro-blogging site to raise not just awareness of disasters like the quake in Japan but also to raise money to donate to the relief efforts. Lady Gaga has definitely bought her presence behind the quake relief effort and gone beyond tweeting #prayforJapan. Her prayer bracelet was able to raise over a quarter of a million dollars in 48 hours.
So, social media comes full circle. As much as people like to talk about the effects of Twitter on the internet and it’s comparison with Facebook, it is really its impact on the real world that is fascinating especially in the way it translates concerns to tangible help. These days you really can do something to help from all the way on the other side of the world. The symbiotic relationship between online and offline events feed into the cycle of social media which, as the @JAPN_PMO account shows, transcends cultural and even language barriers.