The request to the Government associated with the earthquake

“The request to the Government associated with the earthquake off the coast of northeastern Pacific Ocean”

March 12, 2011

We sincerely sympathize with all the victims of the earthquake this time.
We, as FPAJ (Free Press Association of Japan), proposed a following request to Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet today, morning 12th March,2011.

First of all we respect Government’s quick response to the earthquake.
All the member of freelance journalists, internet and foreign media of FPAJ have been requesting to participate in the press conference of Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet from yesterday.

Under these circumstances, FPAJ has determined to manage the individual requests from members to the Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet to avoid confusion for government’s emergent response to the earthquake.

Since the earthquake occurred yesterday (today’s early morning), the conference of the prime minister and cabinet ministers have been held seven times together.

Nevertheless, all the member of freelance journalists, internet and foreign media of FPAJ continue to be refused to participate in the conference because “the briefing is not regular ordinary conference”

Currently, many residents of affected areas, except some of the victims in the shelters, can not reach at television and newspapers for the emergent information.
In addition, phone connection is cut off or unstable, they are spending anxious time without any critical information.
In the meantime, immediately after the earthquake, the internet connection of SNS, and internet media such as Twitter, Nico Nico Douga (video streaming – www.nicovideo.jp/), is relatively stable as the place for “information exchange” (transmission and collection) through mobile device or PC.

Many of the members of FPAJ have been reporting through those internet media such like SNS and others. FPAJ has been contributed to release the “right” information of the Government.

We, FPAJ, requests to open and participate in the press conference of the Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet in the following priority for the victims in need for the right information and for humanitarian aid.

• Participation by all the reporters for reporting and researching.
• Participation by all the reporter and media of members of FPAJ.
• Participation by the reporters who participated in the press conference of Chief Cabinet Secretary in the past
•Participation by the reliable internet media such like Nico Nico Douga
• Participation by the representatives of FPAJ

FPAJ (Free Press Association of Japan)