Ambassador Zeko for NAP: The building I was in shook well, the Japanese fear for one of their largest nuclear power plants

Interview by Delvin Kovač

Japan is counting its victims after a devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale that hit the central part of the country, specifically Ishikawa Prefecture, on the first day of 2024.

The latest information indicates at least 48 victims, and it is feared that there could be more. At least 45,000 households are without electricity, and the material damage to buildings and road infrastructure is enormous.

Tsunami warning lifted

Japanese authorities had initially issued a warning for a devastating tsunami, but it was later lifted.

To make matters worse, Japan was struck by another tragedy today. Two planes collided at Tokyo airport. 5 people lost their lives. Fortunately, all 379 passengers and crew members were evacuated from the passenger plane.

The victims were crew members who were on board a Japanese coast guard aircraft at the time of the accident, which was supposed to deliver aid to people affected by yesterday's earthquake.

The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Japan, Mato Zeko, was in his apartment/residence in Tokyo, located on the fourth of 12 floors, at the time of the earthquake yesterday afternoon local time.

In an interview with the Patria News Agency, conducted late last night Tokyo time, the ambassador revealed that he was in the kitchen at the time and, when it started shaking, he thought, he said with a laugh, that there was something wrong with him.

- I thought I was dizzy, but I soon realized that the whole building was actually swaying and that an earthquake was happening. To be honest, it's a rather unpleasant feeling, although I didn't feel scared, probably because I trust Japanese engineers who build their buildings - Zeko told us.
Ambassador Zeko: I thought I was dizzy (Photo: Private album)

He reminds that earthquakes are not a new phenomenon for Japan, given that the country is located in a very seismically active area, and ground tremors are practically a daily occurrence for them.

- However, Japan has established very good services for protection against potential natural disasters. They have developed a quality application that constantly monitors every ground tremor and informs their citizens about it.

We in the diplomatic-consular mission (DCM) always have one person in contact with their crisis management team - adds Zeko.

He points out that the 7.6 magnitude earthquake was preceded by a 6.3 magnitude one, followed by more than 300 smaller tremors.

- That strongest one was felt quite well even in Tokyo itself, although the smaller ones were not - says Ambassador Zeko, who took up his post in September last year.

He says that local authorities did not initially have data on the number of victims. They initially reported that one elderly person had died, then six, and by this moment the number had risen to 48.

- You know that Japan takes all precautions during the design and construction of buildings so that they can withstand earthquakes stronger than 8 on the Richter scale.

Even though numerous roads were destroyed by this latest earthquake, you see that the buildings remain intact. The Japanese pay maximum attention to this - explains the ambassador.

No panic

He adds that it is clear to everyone that an earthquake similar to yesterday's would have caused incalculable consequences everywhere in the world, far greater than those in Japan.

- Here they feared a tsunami, based on the experience from 2011, but the government lifted that warning. The road infrastructure is in a catastrophic state - the ambassador tells us.

He also commented on the plane collision at Tokyo airport. Strange and not very typical for the Japanese, but it happens.

- The chance of something like this happening here, a plane collision on the runway itself, is really small. But we will see whose fault it was after the investigation is completed.

Unfortunately, the people who died were on their way to deliver aid to those affected by the earthquake - emphasizes Ambassador Zeko.

He also says that he does not currently have information about any injured or deceased citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture.

- We are in constant contact with people who live here, most of them are in the vicinity of Tokyo. For now, we have no information that any citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina lives in the vicinity of Ishikawa - says Zeko.

He also states that citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who travel to Japan do not have the habit of reporting to the DCM, which would be the only entity that could help them if something happened to them.

- My experience is that it is always good to contact the DCM - by email, by phone. Just so we have information about their stay here, so we can contact them in situations like this - adds Zeko.
A street in Tokyo where the ambassador's residence is located (Photo: Private album)

The Japanese, he says, are not panicking because they are generally prepared for such and similar situations from childhood.

- They do a lot of training for such situations. That is their culture, people are simply eager to help.

They are compassionate towards each other, they function very well, they have very good services. There are no oversights, they behave completely reasonably - adds the ambassador.

And what the Japanese certainly fear, he adds, is the potential impact of the earthquake on nuclear power plants.

- Precisely in the area where the earthquake occurred is one of their largest power plants - said Zeko.

Japan, our interlocutor continues, is at a critical point when it comes to the further development, use, and construction of new nuclear power plants.

- After what happened in 2011 in Fukushima, and then the release of purified radioactive water, there followed a series of discussions about the justification of building nuclear power plants.

On one side is the government, which advocates for their further development and construction, and on the other side are local communities that are increasingly against it.

And we all know well that Japan is heavily dependent on these power plants for its energy - concludes Ambassador Zeko in an interview with Patria.