Tomorrow in one year, on March 26 2020, the Olympic torch relay will start in the radioactively contaminated Fukushima Prefecture. This is why tomorrow, a group of anti-nuclear oranizations in Germany, Switzerland, France and Japan will launch an international information campaign entitled „Tokyo 2020 – The Radioactive Olympics”. The campaign will focus on the ongoing radioactive contamination of parts of Japan due to the nuclear catastrope of Fukushima, which began eight years ago.
Dr. Alex Rosen, chairman of the German affiliate of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), one of the principal organizations behind the campaign explains: „We are concerned about the health consequences of radioactive contamination, especially for people with increased vulnerability towards radiation, such as pregnant women and children.“
International regulations limit the permitted dose for the general public of additional radiation following a nuclear accident to 1 mSv per year…
Rice planting for commercial sales begins at a paddy in Iitate in May 2017, for the first time since the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in 2011.
March 27, 2019
A Tokyo court on Wednesday ordered the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to pay a total of ¥21.34 million in damages to a group of evacuees from the March 2011 nuclear disaster.
But the ruling by the Tokyo District Court, which was the 11th such decision against Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., came as a shock to the evacuees, who claim the court has neglected their suffering.
The lawsuit was filed in March 2012 by 42 former residents of Iitate, a village in Fukushima Prefecture, who claim their lives were affected by the Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant disaster in 2011. They were forced to evacuate from the prefecture due to evacuation orders that…
NB links to videos and slides will be added to this post when they become available.
The Remember Fukushima Parliamentary public meeting took place in committee room 9 in the House of Commons, Westminster, London, on 19 March 2019.
Many thanks to all who attended and helped to make it such a great evening. With enormous gratitude for Caroline Lucas MP hosting and chairing the meeting:
Caroline Lucas MP, Green Party, for Brighton Pavillion (centre)L to R: Asami Yokota, Fukushima resident mother; Kaori (interpreting); Akiko Morimatsu, Fukushima evacuee mother; Caroline Lucas MP, Green Party, Host and Chair; Dr Ian Fairlie, independant consultant on radioactivity in the environment.
Caroline Lucas’ opening speech included the following statement:
“We must never forget this catastrophe. That is why we are meeting here tonight. We must continue to counter the efforts of the Japanese Government, TEPCO, academics and official bodies to minimise its effects and to ignore the past. This, unbelievably, includes holding some events of the 2020 Olympic Games in contaminated parts of Tokyo and Fukushima Prefecture.”
Dr Ian Fairlie runs through details of how disaster struck and the catastrohe began to unfold eight years ago …
… and outlines the dire situation in Fukushima, 8 years after the catastrophe began, including 23 million 1-tonne bags of nuclear waste – ie radioactively contaminated topsoil & vegetation – piled up at 100,000 sites; melted down fuel still not retrieved; tonnes of highly radioactive water still pouring into the ocean every day; the spent fuel pools on the 4th floors of reactor buildings 1, 2 & 3, still full of dangerous highly radioactive spent fuel rods; microparticles of nuclear fuel scattered more than 100 km away from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant – these are insoluble so remain in the environment and pose a serious risk to health if they become airborne and are inhaled.
The rest of the slides from Dr Ian Fairlie’s talk can be seen here
Asami Yokota who still lives in Koriyama, a city in Fukushima which although heavily contaminated wasn’t evacuated, speaks about her son who evacuated by himself to Hokkaido at the age of 15Akiko Morimatsu: We must fight for the basic human right to live in a healthy environment
Banner from the Kansai trial, with the same words as on the sash worn by Akiko Morimatsu: demanding the right to evacuate from radioactive contaminated areas for a healthy life and compensation for victims of nuclear disaster from the nuclear power company (TEPCO)
Ms Sonoda (who requested to not be photographed), reveals some terrible statistics …… and spoke about the beautiful life she enjoyed with her husband and child in Fukushima which was destroyed by the nuclear disaster.Citizen journalist Hervé Courtois, from France asks about the numerous incinerators being used to burn radioactive combustible debris, eg vegetation, in Fukushima, in order to reduce the volume of accumulated waste: surrounding areas are surely being further contaminated by the smoke – even if carefully filtered it is impossible to remove all the radioactivity, particularly tritium – radioactive hydrogen.Ann Garrett asks what we in the UK can do to help the victims of the nuclear disaster and change the Japanese government’s mind about hosting the 2020 Olympics, with some events planned to take place in Fukushima as if it is not still in a state of nuclear emergency.Akiko Morimatsu and her children with whom she evacuated from Fukushima to Osaka eight years ago and who she has brought with her on her tour of Europe
L to R: Asami Yokota, Fukushima resident mother; Kaori (interpreting); Akiko Morimatsu, Fukushima evacuee mother; Caroline Lucas MP, Green Party, Host and Chair; Dr Ian Fairlie, independant consultant on radioactivity in the environment.
The Remember Fukushima Parliamentary public meeting took place in committee room 9 in the House of Commons, Westminster, London, on 19 March 2019.
Caroline Lucas MP, host and chair of the meeting, opened the meeting with the following speech:
“Eight years ago on March 11 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster was triggered in Fukushima Prefecture about 150 miles north of Tokyo. Over the ensuing weeks, four explosions and three nuclear meltdowns occurred, over 160,000 people were evacuated and radioactive emissions were scattered over large tracts of Japan.
In 2012, an Investigative Panel of theJapanese National Diet (ie Parliament) concluded that the Fukushima disaster was “… profoundly man-made and was caused by a disregard of the risks of earthquakes by an industry determined to preserve the illusion that nuclear power was absolutely safe.” The Panel attributed the accident to the “collusion” of government, regulator and industry to gamble the public’s well-being on lowering the high cost of safety from an inherently dangerous technology.
The disaster continues to this day, and is still causing immense problems.
Unresolved issues include:
Many tonnes of melted nuclear fuel remain in an unstable state under reactors 1, 2 and 3
An estimated 300 tonnes of contaminated water are dumped daily into the Pacific Ocean. This water is needed to keep cool the melted nuclear fuel which must not be allowed to melt again.
Many millions of cubic metres of contaminated soil remain in huge temporary dumps, with no clear idea on where they will be stored in the long-term.
According to NHK World Japan, over 50,000 evacuees remain in temporary accommodation. Despite Government pressure to return to so-called ‘cleaned up’ towns, most evacuees are reluctant to do so.
The toll of Fukushima is fearsome. Over 7% of the land area of Japan was contaminated to a serious level. Official reports state over 3,600 people have died as a result of the nuclear disaster, including over 2,000 during the evacuations necessary to avoid the large radiation exposures. Over 180 additional cases of thyroid cancer have been recorded in children and teenagers so far: more are expected. From official WHO collective dose estimates, over 5,000 other cancers will also occur. Reports are now trickling out of other health effects, including recent spikesin congenital heart disease in infants.
But these are just the reported health studies. Who is counting the just as serious numbers of suicides, mental health effects, ‘nuclear’ divorces, and families who remain geographically apart? We shall hear shortly first hand testimonies of these effects.
The restoration, clean up, compensation and recovery costs are immense. The Japan Centre for Economic Research calculates these will range from £240 to £560 billion, about four times higher than Japanese Government estimates.
But we shall probably never know the true full costs of Fukushima.
We must never forget this catastrophe. That is why we are meeting here tonight. We must continue to counter the efforts of the Japanese Government, TEPCO, academics and official bodies to minimise its effects and to ignore the past. This, unbelievably, includes holding some events of the 2020 Olympic Games in contaminated parts of Tokyo and Fukushima Prefecture.
I should briefly mention that the legal fight for compensation is a major issue in Japan. Many court cases are being brought by Fukushima evacuees, parents and others and are now reaching an important stage. Two major class actions are the “Children’s Rights Trial”, which demands that local governments recognize the right of primary and secondary school students of Fukushima Prefecture to enjoy education in a healthy environment. Second the “Parent+Child Trial” which seeks compensation from the Fukushima prefectural and Japanese central governments.
This meeting is about Fukushima, but I wish briefly to refer to the UK situation as it has Japanese parallels. Here, two Japanese multinationals, Toshiba and Hitachi, recently indicated that they no longer wish to proceed with their proposed nuclear reactors in Cumbria and in Wales. (A third, Mitsubishi, withdrew from its proposed reactors in Turkey 6 months ago.) They are all withdrawing from their nuclear businesses even as the Japanese Government and TEPCO are still pushing for the reopening of old reactors closed after the accident. Why are these Japanese nuclear conglomerates pulling out of nuclear? A major factor has been the increased costs of safety features in new reactors now required after Fukushima.
I should like now to introduce our speakers tonight.
We warmly welcome to Britain three Japanese mothers from Fukushima, Akiko Morimatsu, Asami Yokota and Ms Sonoda who have been travelling throughout Europerecounting how they were affected and continue to be affected by the disaster.
Initially, Dr Ian Fairlie,an independent consultant on radioactivity in the environment and former scientist within DEFRA, our Government’s environment department, will set the scene, and later make some concluding remarks.”
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant before the 11 March 2011 disaster
Feb 2013 map showing the areas most contaminated by radioactive fallout from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, created by Professor Yukio Hayakawa of Gunma University, from a combination of government and citizen dataRadioactive contamination of the Pacific ocean by Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plantThe contamination travelled around the world: map showing the distribution of Cesium 137 fallout, just one of the many radioactive materials released from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011
Radiation dose rate inside reactor 1plus: as recently reported by Fukuleaks, highly radioactive microparticles of nuclear fuel scattered unevenly for at least 100km – serious risk to health if these become airborne and are inhaled1m3 plastic bags, each one containing 1 tonne of radioactively contaminated topsoil or vegetation, cleared from fields, gardens, roadsides and parksCouple standing in a deserted high street inside the evacuation zone in FukushimaInfant being scanned for radioactive contamination during the March 2011 disaster
On 11 March 2019, we gathered for a vigil to mark the 8th anniversary of the beginning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe, on Piccadilly, London, across the road from the Embassy of Japan.
During the vigil we observed three minutes of silence for all of the victims of the March 2011 triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.
Video by Shimin Media London:
Photos by Lis Fields:
Banners on the railings of Green Park on Piccadilly, London
Reverend Gyoro Nagase of Battersea Peace Pagoda and Sister Maruta of Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda, both Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist, bring peace with chanting, drumming and prayer
Kaori reads a message from Ruiko Muto, Member of Fukushima Women Against Nuclear Power Chair of the Complainants for the Criminal Prosecution of the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
Nobu speaks about Fukushima and the urgent need to end the use of nuclear power and nuclear weaponsFay reads some of her poems
Kazumi and friend sing a Japanese protest songShigeo Kobayashi reads a letter addressed to Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan
March 22, 2019 Every year since year 2011, I participated in Paris, France, to the events organized for the anniversary of Fukushima nuclear disaster. This year I decided to do it differently and to go to London, England, to participate there to the events organized by the London antinuclear community and the Japanese community. Four […]
Please sign! To the Civil Department of Fukushima District Court There are two parts in the “Trial to Protect Children from Irradiation”: the “Children’s Rights Trial ” and the “Parent-Child Trial”. In the case of the first trial the defendants are the local governments. The plaintiffs demand the recognition of the right of primary and […]
Assembling outside the London Embassy of Japan, Piccadilly …… outside the London Embassy of Japan, Piccadilly …
… outside the London Embassy of Japan, Piccadilly …… outside the London Embassy of Japan, Piccadilly …… crossing Piccadilly in fierce winds ….… marching through Mayfair, along Piccadilly …… harmonised melodic chanting & rhythmic Uchiwa Daiko drumming through Mayfair, along Piccadilly …… harmonised melodic chanting & rhythmic Uchiwa Daiko drumming through Mayfair, along Piccadilly …… harmonised melodic chanting & rhythmic Uchiwa Daiko drumming through Mayfair, along Piccadilly …… passing by the Royal Academy, Piccadilly, London …… marching down Regent Street St James’s from Piccadilly Circus …We stopped in front of the New Zealand High Commission on Haymarket to pay our respects with a minute of silence for our brothers and sisters who were murdered in their places of worship in Christchurch on Friday.Stopping outside Downing Street, off Whitehall …… Outside Downing street: more than 16 million 1m3 black plastic bags of radioactive soil & vegetation are still piling up across Fukushima, Japan, still with nowhere to go after eight years …… on Whitehall: heavy police presence due to Stand Up To Racism march & demo soon to arrive …… arriving at Westminster …… Palace of Westminster, partially shrouded for repairs – as are parts of wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, even after eight years …… marching in front of Big Ben, clad with scaffolding. at Westminster …… Shigeo addresses the gathering from the base of the George V statue, Old Palace Yard, opposite the House of Lords, Westminster …… “Congratulations to so many Japanese people for the witness they give us for peace and justice in the world. To honour nuclear victims we must campaign to stop military production.” Bruce Kent, CND Vice President, addresses the gathering, (a police officer has just informed us that we are no longer permitted to use a microphone or any amplification in this location) …
… gathered together opposite Parliament to listen to Bruce Kent, CND Vice President (Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament) …… gathered together opposite Parliament to listen to Bruce Kent, CND Vice President (Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament) …“Let us honour the memory of the Fukushima disaster by campaigning to scrap Sizewell C and all plans for new dirty, dangerous and expensive nuclear power, “Dr Kate Hudson, CND General Secretary (Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament), addresses the rally …Roy Pumfrey speaks on behalf of Stop HinkleyReverend Gyoro Nagase of Battersea Peace Pagoda and Sister Maruta of Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda, both Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist, with bring peace with chanting & prayer with their friend Mark …Phil Steele
Bunny Easton, veteran peace campaigner and regular participant of the weekly Friday morning Remember Fukushima vigil outside the London Embassy of Japan, PiccadillyNeil Crumpton, speaks on behalf of PAWB (People Against Wylfa B)Simon KobayashiKaori reads a message from Ruiko Muto, Member of Fukushima Women Against Nuclear Power Chair of the Complainants for the Criminal Prosecution of the Fukushima Nuclear DisasterAn appeal for an end to all wars by Bunny Easton, veteran peace campaigner and regular participant of the weekly Friday morning Remember Fukushima vigil outside the London Embassy of Japan, Piccadilly
Ann Garrett reads one of her poemsRed and Green choir and Raised Voices choirOn right: Atsuko Kamura who has just performed a Japanese folk song, a capella, with her friend on the left.In the shadow of Westminster Abbey, Shigeo concludes the rally.
Additional photos from Ann Garrett:
Fay and Ann Garrett hold FoE Bromley bannerAnn Garrett and friend hold Bromley CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) banner
On the 8th anniversary of the Fukushima disaster there are events taking place by campaigners in the UK and around the world to Remember Fukushima. It seems however that lessons have not been learned by the regulators and by the nuclear industry. The precautionary principle which should apply with solid brass bells on, to […]
REMEMBER FUKUSHIMA 