[acjama]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

TBut there were a LOT of people who ran like crazy without thinking about anything else. This has had negative effects on the opinion of and trust given to foreigners working and living in Japan.

Preaching to the choir. Although I hold a long-term tech position, people don't "get on my face" that much. I was removed from a mailing list of a club that I frequented though, on the account that I was foreigner, hence ran like little rabbit when the tsunami came.

When people consider me first as a member of a large foreign group and as an individual second if at all, I consider that racist behaviour at best, and as a result I feel that that kind of people must be treated as racists. I have a smaller but much more trustworthy circle of Japanese acquaintances since March.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

As I work and live in Japan, but didn`t (and wouldn`t) run off and abandon responsibilities - I do not find this a pleasant thing.

No adult would.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Your example works, maybe, for Tokyo and Tohoku.

No, I don't think so. Fear for your family and yourself doesn't really start measuring distances. During Chernobyl, there was severe contamination several thousands of kilometers away, and there still is, after 25 years. Even today my home town has almost triple the radiation levels of Tokyo, and the distance to Chernobyl is over thousand kilometers as the crow flies.

Many Europeans still remember that, but since the J-gov decided to openly outsuck even the Soviet Union with regards to nuclear crisis management, that didn't really help things. Quite the opposite, the indifference of J-gov was a clear indication that any action, if even taken, would be too late.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Now that I can`t find any company willing to hire me for even a short term translation project...

I'm sorry to hear that.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

lowered expectations of responsibility shown toward the pool of skilled foreign workers in Japan has directly affected my quality of living.

But since you're not irresponsible, you shouldn't let people treat you as such. Japanese are just human. They can be racists, overgeneralize and make mistakes and poor judgements as anybody. Whether you want to support that image or reward this kind of behaviour is up to you, but I strongly recommend against encouraging racism. I have good experiences in showing my disappointment towards Japanese who, well, disappointed me.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

watched only US or UK news or received their "news" from family... even when it was completely outrageous and in contrast to reality.

Not only UK or US media. I came home one day and noticed that dad had tried to call me on skype several times. He'd been crying because he READ on newspaper that I was practically vomiting blood and incapacitated by incontinency somewhere on the streets of Tokyo, when actually I just had a lovely day viewing Hanami. I "opened my mind" on my blog about my country's national broadcast company practices (even when sis works there), and hits to my blog rose from the normal 24 per day to 22 000 in two days. I also provided video footage around since none of the panic mongers who earned their rightful place at the Journalist Wall of Shame bothered with any proof. I offended a few "journalists" and took a load off of several people, including a granny who's kid stayed behind. It was so worth it.

I completely understand people's panic if news agencies and likes of Facebook were their only information sources at the time.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

"Then why are people in Osaka and Fukuoka running? You`re being deceived by the Japanese government!!" ... ad infinitum

I read a Finnish blog to those lines, very rare. It was about Onagawa Nuclear plant, just 120km north of Fukushima. No reports of damage, so it was obviously covered up! ...Or, as it turned out, suffered no damage whatsoever since tsunami danger was not grossly underestimated (not a Tepco facility, you see).

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Hate individuals I do not. Hate the attitude that it was totally okay to not give notice, that leaving wouldn`t hurt anyone, and that it didn`t matter at all - I do.

And that makes you a good person.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Those who ran off with little to no notice, but who came back as soon as the western media bored of the non-stop sensationalism. Who wanted their jobs back and who asked for vacation pay, or even a raise because they decided to grace "dangerous" Japan with their presence, etc.

Really?
Unfortunately I don't find that hard to believe.

But if I generalize the behaviour of extreme cases to the whole racial group, I'd be no better than the scum racists who thought I ran away too just because I look different than Japanese.