WITH the Japanese government’s eagerness to continue with the plan to discharge contaminated radioactive water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant residence from the prefecture continue bear the weight of not being able to go back to their homes.
12 years have passed since the nuclear accident in Fukushima occurred, however, going back to Fukushima remains a challenge for its residents due to contamination caused by the meltdown.
63-year-old Harue Sanpei is a resident of Tsushima in Fukushima prefecture.
Her home is less than 50 kilometers away from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
She said, that the government didn’t make any effort for the local residents to evacuate but instead hid the truth, in the end, the local government organized the evacuation for the residents in the area.
“The reason why we can be evacuated is that the local government of Namie Town took actions. On March 15, 2011, we were evacuated to Nihonmatsu City. During that period, the Central government did not issue any evacuation instruction. Instead, it’s repeatedly emphasized on television that the accident had no influence on people’s health. We have not only adults, but also children, who have a longer way to go in the future. No parents would not protect their children. The country should protect the people the most. Why did they fail to do so?” Harue Sampei, member, group of victim in Fukushima Nuclear accident, said.
According to Sanpei the said clean-up work done by the government of Tokyo and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to areas affected by the nuclear accident has not once given true importance to the well-being of Fukushima residents.
The local residents wish to push decontamination that aims to ensure their safety and restore the area to an environment suitable for living.
“Currently, only about 1.6% of the area in Tsushima has been decontaminated as a reconstruction base. Although the relevant work has been carried out in the surrounding area, it has only involved that for roads. Why not decontaminate the place where we live at first? I can’t understand the country’s plan,” Harue Sampei, added.
Harue also revealed that there were similar environmental pollution diseases such as the Minamata disease in Japanese history, which once caused serious impacts.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Environment, Minamata disease is a poisoning disease that nervous system, mainly the central nervous system, is damaged by methlmercury.
Meanwhile, the Japan Medical Association said Minamata disease is caused by daily consumption of large quantities of fish and shellfish that were heavily contaminated with the toxic chemical generated in chemical factories and then discharged into the sea.
“Does (the Japanese government) really consider the safety of its citizens? You should also know Minamata disease which is caused by frequently eating various aquatic products polluted in the ocean. We pleaded with them not to discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea again and again, as there is a huge risk. The country does not listen to the voices of the weak or accept public opinion. The government just does what they want to do and follow their own decisions,” according to Harue Sampei.
