The Campaign

Japan's Prime Minister’s Office’s (PMO) Global Communications team (GCT) met for the very first time in August 2010. Little did they know their biggest communications challenge was just around the corner. March 11, 2011 - Japan was struck by the most powerful earthquake in its history, resulting in a devastating tsunami and throwing the country into an unprecedented crisis. Speculation was rife and information often difficult to come by, but while they tackled crisis response, the team never lost sight of their raison d’être – improving Japan’s image internationally. In the months following the earthquake, the GCT leveraged major international events to forge connections with third parties who could become ambassadors for Japan, re-assuring the world that Japan was safe and open for business while setting the stage for telling the real story of Japan’s revitalization. As the country picked itself back up, the GCT began a campaign to rebuild the country’s image, raising global awareness of Japan’s modern vision. This campaign made use of a number of global events and Forums, using celebrities, government spokespeople and prominent business people to showcase the progress Japan had made. Faced with the sympathetic but uncompromising lenses of the world’s media, the GCT went far beyond the usual ‘Crisis Management’ cliché to create a self-sustaining legacy of coverage that was remarkably pro-Japan.

The Brief

The goal was single-minded but challenging: protecting and re-shaping Japan’s global reputation. The GCT worked to align a consistent and clear message across all governmental departments and politicians, whilst dispelling rumors and myths in the process. The long-term priority was to shift focus away from the crisis and raise global awareness of Japan’s revitalization. Through research and analysis (quantitative consumer and business-based surveys combined with opinion-leader interviews and focus groups), the GCT steeped themselves in the feelings of the Japanese people and became attuned to the ever-shifting sentiments of the international audiences, enabling their move from reactionary to pro-active storytelling.

Results

While Japan may have been criticized for aspects of its communication in the wake of this disaster, Shikata and his team were an oasis of calm, giving international audiences more access to Japan than ever before. The global response was invariably sympathetic of the earthquake’s effects and provided a generally optimistic outlook on the recovery process. Japan’s presence at numerous international events was met with support and good-will. Japan’s determination to revitalize was widely applauded. Nearly 1,000 attendees joined Japan at some of the special events at international Summits like Davos. One international CEO who attended the 2011 Summer Davos event in China commented that he was standing listening to a speech by a young Japanese girl who had lost her family in the tsunami, with tears streaming down his face. This usually unemotional CEO, and many like him, redoubled their resolve to help Japan recover.

Execution

Creating a strong presence at major international events was an important element of the team’s strategy to raise global awareness of Japan’s modern vision. In additional to prarticipating at global leaders' summits, at the World Economic Forum’s Davos summits, Prime Minister Noda addressed participants via video feed, reinforcing Japan’s message of stability, determination and progress. Hosting “Japan Night” events during both forums provided an important opportunity to connect with high-level decision makers while showcasing not only Japan’s reconstruction but also its significant contributions to the world on a global stage. These messages were further reinforced by the celebrity influence of Ken Watanabe, who explained how Japan’s resilient culture gave hope and inspiration. An original short film shown at the events powerfully illustrated the progress made since the disaster and gave the world a glimpse into several of Japan’s beautiful traditions including classical Japanese dance and calligraphy.

The Situation

In 2011 the GCT was still a fledgling initiative. Led by Noriyuki Shikata, a forward-thinking diplomat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and seasoned marketing professional Yoshimitsu Kaji, previously with Nissan, it consisted of MOFA secondees, and private-sector experts from major businesses and law firms. Media coverage about post-earthquake Japan was often sensationalist and misleading, fuelling unnecessary panic and potentially damaging Japan’s reputation. Coupled with the potential for Japan’s message to get “lost in translation,” this made for a toxic combination. A major shift in the communications approach was needed to mitigate potential damage. The GCT led the way.

The Strategy

Protecting and re-shaping Japan’s global reputation required a twofold strategy, which began mid-year: creating channels for timely, clear and concise information while also pro-actively engaging with media and third-party influencers to correct misperceptions and tell the story of the real Japan. A key element was to reach out to broader global audiences; targeting not just traditional Japan-watchers and sushi lovers, but also creating an interest in Japan among new audiences worldwide. Transitioning between crisis and proactive communications, work began to promote Japan’s long-term message of recovery and revitalization on a global stage. The GCT leveraged major international events to forge connections with third parties who could become ambassadors for Japan, amplifying its global message and enhancing its image worldwide. As a result, messages became more forward-looking and demonstrated to the international community that Japan has much to offer.