I guess it goes without saying that this very thoughtfully composed post also implies is that it's not only the media infrastructure that is failed. But the answer is written into the post as well: be involved. Apparently everyone in Japan has a duty in times of crisis, and it's not something opted into.
I am genuinely jealous, after reading this post. In that I would love for _my_ country to have its shit together to this degree. That, also, goes without saying.
Japanese society is also ethnically homogenous (which increases trust and social capital - see http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9477.2007....), hierarchical, and strongly favors social harmony over individual expression. I'm not convinced that a country like the U.S. could be as well prepared as Japan seems to be. I'm not saying we couldn't eventually overcome a similar scale disaster, but I think Japan is always going to have us beat in the immediate to short term aftermath.
"...strongly favors social harmony over individual expression."
I like how you put that. It describes my experience with Switzerland as well. I remember the pros and cons of being an American ex-pat there -- it could be quite rigid at times. As I get older, however, my frustration with this dichotomy appears to be growing. Individual expression can get off my lawn.
I live in a city of 2M people directly opposite the pacific from this.
Our 50 person earthquake response team was disbanded last year after an investigation into police funding.
Of course since we are mostly on reclaimed land which will liquefy, all our drinking and firefighting water comes into the city across 2 ancient bridges and very few of the buildings have been earthquake retrofitted we aren't worried about the loss of 50 search and rescue people.
I am genuinely jealous, after reading this post. In that I would love for _my_ country to have its shit together to this degree. That, also, goes without saying.