December 15, 2012

Calling on the IAEA to sincerely respond to the Nuclear Power Plant Disaster Victims

Fukushima Action Project Joint Representatives:
OBUCHI Mari
MUTO Ruiko
SEKI Hisao

Introduction

We have learned that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will establish two research centers in Fukushima Prefecture, as part of the Prefecture’s ”Environmental Creation Center.” Based on the nature of the IAEA, we perceive it to be a global nuclear power promotion industry, emphasizing the peaceful use of nuclear and understating its risks. It is quite difficult to imagine and understand what such an institution is planning to do coming here to Fukushima. Many of us affected by the nuclear power plant disaster are questioning whether these research centres will have any benefit for those affected, and are concerned about the real intention. In order to ensure that we, the people affected by the nuclear power plant disaster, are not to be ignored we have launched the “Fukushima Action Project.” We submit this statement today on behalf of those affected by the nuclear disaster. We also request an official response within January, 2013.

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident and the lives of Fukushima Prefecture citizens

On March March 11 2011, our beautiful homeland of Fukushima, abundant with nature, and our lives as we had always known them were turned upside down by the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and following tsunami were absolutely fierce, but were acts of nature which noone can stop. However, the Fukushima nuclear plant accident was clearly a human-made disaster, which could have been prevented if no power plants had been constructed.

We residents of Fukushima, who suffer because of the radiation resulting from the unprecedented nuclear disaster, have lost some of the very fundamentals of human lives - clean/safe air, water and food. The accident has turned the environment into one which can no longer even receive any of the blessings of nature. The ideas of an agriculturally self-sufficient lifestyle, local production for local consumption, natural grazing and organic farming that were passed down from generation to generation have been completely destroyed. Many vegetable or cattle farmers or fishermen from highly contaminated areas such as in the evacuation zones have had their whole livelihoods cut off. And more than anything, the healthy environment and hope for a bright future to to bring children up has been stolen away. It is painful that such an irreparable burden has been forced upon the future generations. Protecting children from the damage of radiation is our urgent task. Without protecting these children, there can be no future for Fukushima Prefecture, for Japan, and even for humanity itself.

The Fukushima nuclear accident is not yet over

It has been 1 year and 9 months since the disaster, and yet even now it is impossible for anyone to get close enough to the cores of the Reactors 1 and 4 which underwent explosions to uncover the whole picture of the accident. It is unknown how particularly Reactor 4, where the building itself is tilting, is bearing the constant aftershocks which continue to happen, making the situation continue to be very uncertain.

Whenever these aftershocks occur, we residents of Fukushima are frightened by the fear of another possible Fukushima disaster. In the worst case scenario, if the building collapsed, there would be a potential release of several times the radioactivity of this past accident, which could affect Tokyo and even beyond, driving Japan into ruin and deepening the severity of radioactive contamination on a global scale. However, under these circumstances, on December 17 in 2011, the Japanese government officially announced the end of the disaster by saying that the reactors were in “the cold shutdown condition.” This is impossible to believe. The accident has not ended. Even now, radiation of 10 million becquerels per hour is continuing to be emitted into the sky and the ocean. Our lives are threatened by low dose exposure to radiation all times, both externally and internally.

A further issue is that the disposal methods for radioactive waste is not yet decided. On top of the fact that such waste has continued to accumulate for decades, following the accident and subsequent decontamination efforts, radioactive materials are now being piled up in the corner of back gardens of houses and school grounds, just simply covered by tarpaulins. As an earthquake prone country with active fault zones throughout the country, Japan is well known for earthquakes, an active fault zone is just like a spider web and covered all across Japan. I believe that we should not have even a single nuclear power plant.

At the time of the accident, both the national and Fukushima Prefecture local government covered up information which should have been made available to the public. Through this and delays in the evacuation of people from Namie and Iitate, the residents of Japan have been placed in danger. Iodine was barely distributed at all. All that the government has done is to conduct a “safety campaign,” by telling people that “there are no immediate health risks”, or “it is alright to be exposed to 100μSv of radiation per year.” The residents of Fukushima are forced into a difficult decision between the fear of radiltion, which cannot be seen or smelled, and the authorities’ “safety campaign,” is causing great distress and fraction between families, friends and neighbours. Discrimination and divided communities are being brought about just because of a line drawn through the middle of the town.

After the accident, all of sudden without notice, people had to fled their hometowns with only the barest necessities. From the inhumane environment of living in an evacuation centre, to moving from there to a small temporary house without any kind of privacy, and then subsequently to subsidiseng housing, without any sign for the future. Many families decided to live separately and evacuate just the mother and children in order to protect their children for the effects of radiation. People are being forced to do this in order to protect their children. It is said that there are around 160,000 nuclear refugees who have been forced to evacuate and cannot return home, even if their houses are still standing.

On the other hand, there are people who are wish to evacuate but cannot, and those who have decided to stay in their familiar environment and work for its recovery. Others evacuate for short periods of time as a kind of respite. As a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident, we residents of Fukushima have been forced to completely transform our lives, and because of these major changes, there are countless cases of disjuncture of families and communities.

We request our right of freedom, for people to make their own choices about how to live. And within this, we also highliht the need for compensation measures including social welfre or employment, in order to keey the safety and security that self choices to be given at any time and any circumstances, which are should not be determined or forced by each individual’s ways of life. On top of that, not just having freedom of self choices, but also has to have a system of social security, compensation and job opportunities.

Nuclear power plants take everything away

This situation shows that “nuclear power plants take everything away.” This is proof that human beings and nuclear technology cannot coexist. Once an accident occurs, there is no means to stop any radioactive plumes which may be emitted, and the ecosystem and human social system is destroyed. Nuclear power is thus one of the biggest, priority issues for human beings.

With the hope that the IAEA conference may focus on technological development for the process of decommissioning the reactors, and for the storage of radioactively waste. With this opportunity to come together and share our wisdom and experience together with people from around the world. We make the following demands of the IAEA.

1. Decommission all the 10 units of Fukushima No.1 and No.2 Nuclear Power Plant immediately through cooepration with experts around the world, and to truly bring an end to the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster.

2. Nuclear power plants should not exist in Japan, such an earthquake-prone country with active fault and fracture zones crossing all directions. None of the nuclear power plants throughout Japan should be restarted and all plants should be decommissioned immediately, in order to prevent another Fukushima.

3. Take efforts to minimise the exposure of children and young people to radiation here at this site. The Japanese government should immediately put in place measures to support the families of people who wish to evacuate or temporarily move to a safer place.

4. Disclose the health survey data of children and others held by the Fukushima Medical University to the person tested, and ensure accountability. Provide sufficient response to any questions and concerns of the person and his/her parents.

5. Distribute a “health booklet” (tentative title) to all “Disaster Victims in Fukushima” and encourage TEPCO, the Japanese government and the Fukushima Prefecture to ensure the lifetime health and livelihood of victims if necessary.

6. Promote decommission technology which takes into consideration the minimisation of exposure of workers. Develop the decommission technology that considers lowering the amount of cumulative radioactivity for exposed workers and also create new employment.

7. Urgently ensure a disposal method for spent nuclear fuel waste.

8. Call for a an energy transition to renewable and low carbon energies together with the Japanese Government, and create a new society.

9. Amend the policy of promoting nuclear power, strictly regulate the effects of radiation on human beings, radioactive damage on mankind and reduce it as much as possible.

10. All of the above should be done based on full disclosure of information, and no local authorities or police seemed to have it approached from, not invite mistrust or suspicion from the outside.