TEPCO's has hardly covered itself in glory amid Japan's grave nuclear crisis, which explains why the country's government has taken over PR from the plant operator. The trouble is, as Peter Sandman pointed out on Paul Holmes' blog last week, will Tokyo really make a better fist of things? Also relevant here is Kumi Sato's in-depth exploration of the PR woes that have accompanied this crisis. PricewaterhouseCoopers has created a new head of reputation role. Step forward Richard Sexton, a partner at the firm, who will focus on how the firm is perceived and its relationships with politicians. The remit itself is rather narrow, and Sexton's background as an auditor will do little to cheer PR people who see this role as the natural evolution of their existing responsibilities. Countries hiring PR firms is nothing new, but Poland's decision to enlist Burson-Marsteller - ahead of its EU presidency later this year - seems to make sense. The country is still dealing with the fallout from the Kaczynski government's xenophobic rhetoric, and anti-Eastern European snobbery lingers. B-M will have its work cut out, even if it does come with a 1m euro price tag.