- Angry Fukushima residents want nuclear energy abolished, and they want it now. The ninth of eleven public hearings on Japan’s energy future took place in Fukushima City on Wednesday. All but one of the 30 speakers was in favor of Japan having 0% nuclear by 2030, at the very least. One gray-haired woman said, “I want all the reactors in Japan shut immediately and scrapped…Many people are now aware that the government’s talking of ‘no immediate risk to health’ is tantamount to ‘long-term health risk.’” Another middle-aged woman said, “I’m scared. I’m really scared…I’d like the government to think about why people have gathered in front of the prime minister’s residence every Friday since April. That’s not fashion. That’s not a temporary fever. That’s a heartfelt scream from the public.” Three options that the government has put on the table are to phase out nuclear power completely as soon as possible, aim for a 15% share of the power supply by 2030, or a 20-25% share by the same date. But, sources say it will be difficult to satisfy the thousands of Fukushima residents who live in a state of fear. Also, it seems the government’s decision to restart Oi units #3&4 has galvanized the national antinuclear demographic. (Japan Today)
- Many speakers at the Fukushima hearing focused on fear of the impact of radiation on children. “I’m really terrified,” a Fukushima woman stated, “I have two daughters. I wonder if it’s a good idea to let them lead a life, give birth and stay here.” What concerns many parents in Fukushima about children’s radiation exposure is an apparent lack of consensus among scientists. Although there is no hard evidence to show the Fukushima levels of exposure will ever harm the children, there is also no evidence to show that it will not. Fear of radiation combined with uncertainty and doubt seem to be the root causes of these anxieties. One other concern is the possibility that Fukushima children will experience the same type of discrimination suffered by the children of Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivors (Hibakusha). Hibakusha discrimination was largely the result of the widely-held belief that radiation sickness is contagious. Many people believed H/N survivors and their children had radiation sickness and could transmit radiation sickness to others. Now, the fear of similar discrimination toward Fukushima children has caused parental apprehension. “I’ve tried to prepare myself mentally for the discrimination my son may face when he looks for a job or when he gets married, just because he was in Fukushima last March,” said 50-year-old woman. A man who called himself Nogi said. “I’m deeply concerned about whether it is OK for my children to marry and raise their kids in Fukushima. Young people (in Fukushima) have to feel anxious and fearful at such joyful moments in life.” (Japan Times)
- Only 22% of the evacuated Fukushima citizens have participated in the prefecture’s study of health effects following 3/11/11. As a result, the town of Namie wants to issue a “radiation dose book” to all 21,000 residents in order to keep track of their health record. Namie Mayor Tamotsu Baba says he doesn’t trust other governments to do the job, so he wants it done by the town itself. Baba said health hazards due to radiation exposure, particularly among women and children, will likely remain a concern for the rest of their lives. “Even if the central government tells us that we will be all right as long as our radiation doses are kept under 20 millisieverts a year, we cannot take it literally,” he said. Baba feels the introduction of the health book system would help Namie press for free permanent access to medical treatment under a system similar to that given to Hibakusha. The downside is many parents fear their children having the book might brand them as tainted (unclean). (Asahi Shimbun)
- Only 0.1% of Fukushima children have detectable levels of radioactive Cesium in their bodies. None of them have concentrations that are in any way hazardous. “Unlike the areas affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident, where internal exposure to cesium continued after the disaster, the survey results show that children (in Fukushima) hardly took in cesium after the disaster (at the Fukushima nuclear plant) and that chronic internal exposure is at a very low level for most children,” said Masaharu Tsubokura, a researcher with the institute who conducted the survey. He announced the results of nearly 6,000 whole-body screenings which revealed levels of cesium above the minimum detection level were found in six children. Three siblings had the highest readings of ~600 Bequerels, which is many times less than international health standards. All three say they ate wild mushrooms, thus Tsubokura feels this was the cause. (Mainichi Shimbun)
- A poll taken by Mainichi Shimbun at July’s public hearings shows that 70% want nuclear energy abolished. However, the newspaper admits it will be “hard to predict whether and how ‘public opinion’ expressed at such policy hearings and elsewhere will be reflected in the government’s policy decision.” After this week’s two remaining hearings, the government will conduct a telephone poll of randomly-selected citizens on Aug. 4 and 5, followed by a more detailed survey with some of the respondents to the telephone poll. In addition, the Cabinet Office will use its website to collect “public comments” until Aug. 12.
- Another municipality says it will assist in the disposal of tsunami debris…but not the rubble that remains in Fukushima Prefecture. Tokyo says Kitakyushu will soon accept combustible debris from outside Fukushima Prefecture. Other municipalities are negotiating with Tokyo from six other prefectures in the Kanto, Hokuriku and Kansai regions, including Aomori and Shizuoka. Miyagi Prefecture says some local governments in Tokyo, Aomori, Yamagata, and Ibaraki Prefectures have started to take about 140,000 tons of material…but only if is combustible. It is felt the same restriction will hold with future agreements. Miyagi has about 220,000 tons of burnable rubble remaining. Iwate Prefecture says they have about 240,000 tons awaiting incineration. While this sounds impressive, it is but a small fraction of the total volume of debris to be processed. Miyagi Prefecture has 12.52 million tons of disaster debris, while Iwate has 5.25 million tons, of which 1.14 million tons and 1.19 million tons respectively are designated for disposal outside the tsunami-hit prefectures. A senior Environment Ministry official said, “We’ll ask for further cooperation from the local governments that have already started trial incineration and other preparatory work as a step for full-fledged acceptance [of disaster debris from Iwate and Miyagi].” (Yomiuri Shimbun)
- Ex-Prime Minister Ichiro Ozawa is trying to resurrect his political career using the antinuclear agenda. He has created a new party, Kokumin no Seikatsu ga Daiichi (People’s Lives First), including some fifty lawmakers who have left the ruling DPJ party mostly due to economic dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Noda. The main plank of the new party’s platform will be to end all nuclear energy in Japan in ten years. “After we take power, we will aim to decommission all nuclear power plants and drastically change Japan’s energy policy,” Ozawa said. He believes it is possible to eliminate the nukes within 10 years by improving the efficiency of thermal (fossil-fueled) power generation technology, promoting power-saving measures and mass-producing alternative energy technologies. (NHK World; Mainichi Shimbun)
- P.M. Yoshihiko Noda says he will meet with the organizers of the weekly Tokyo antinuclear demonstrations. Sources close to the prime minister said he is “positive” about taking part in a meeting with a group representative. This is seen as a move to show he is not ignoring the outpouring of protest from the recent rallies. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimora said Noda has told him “I want to hear the opinions of the public, no matter which side they are on.” However, the P.M. remains firm on his decision to restart Oi units #3&4. (Mainichi Shimbun)
- Several prosecutors have opened criminal probes into the Fukushima Daiichi accident. The investigations have been spurred by lawsuits filed against Tepco officials, government officials, and ex-PM Naoto Kan. Allegedly, the perpetrators committed acts of professional negligence leading to evacuation deaths, injuries, and exposure to avoidable levels of radiation. The cases are being examined in Tokyo, Fukushima district and Kanazawa district in Ishikawa Prefecture. Sources say the cases may be difficult to pursue due to a lack of concrete evidence. The strongest evidence concerns the deaths of bedridden patients who were improperly treated or abandoned during the chaotic evacuations during the early days of the accident. The complaint relative to Naoto Kan accuses him and five of his staff for delaying the venting of unit #1 at F. Daiichi causing its hydrogen explosion. The Fukushima complaint is signed by 1,000 plaintiffs saying no less than 33 officials should face criminal charges. The Tokyo and Fukushima cases are considered critical to the investigation as a whole. (Japan Times)
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