A Japanese Actor's Message (part 1):Think and Imagine the Truth Behind the Scenes

Following is the translation of the text from Tatsumi Takuro, Japanese actor's blog (http://ameblo.jp/tatsumitakuro/page-2.html#main).

"HELL....."

"It is hell, Tatsumi-san, " said a friend who called me from Ishinomaki, Miyagi. 

He called me to inform me of his safety. I was once in a TV program. The show's focus was to help the North East region revitalize itself. So I've had lots of friends in the region and many of them are affected by the earthquake and Tsunami this time. I was concerned about them but there is nothing much I could do and time just passed by. I could not even feel like blogging then. But I realized I could not stay like that. I came to senses when I heard his words.

"Please tell the truth to as many people as possible. Bodies are all over the place. Even if they are at the shelter, there is no food and children are dying of starvation. Please, Tatsumi-san!!"

I am in entertainment business. I know there's a flip side to TV industry, both good and bad. One day, my work was canceled and I was watching TV whole day. As I thought, what I saw was only scary images and scenes of touching moment. 

Even if you are cool-headed in seeing things and reality, that cannot make a good show or runs counter to the broadcasting code. In the first place, it is fair to speculate that what the audience can see is the image of relatively safe places to which shooting crew has access.  However, you can guess and imagine the truth behind the scenes, gathering various information through other sources. We should fully exercise our imagination and think well what we can and should do. 

Shortly, publishing companies will issue magazines featuring the disaster and expose much grimmer images than what TV has shown. But things have just started, because we have no idea how big the scale of devastation. There is a long way to recovery way ahead of us. We have to think long-term support for those affected.

I wonder where this country is heading....It looks the courage and decency is tested.

To all the people who lost their lives in the earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku region, I heartily express my deepest condolence.