“Unbelievable
things are going on in broad daylight”
from blog “The
Reality of Fukushima” by Momoko Fukuoka
People who have
read my blog, after learning about the real situation of Fukushima, often said,
“This is unbelievable! Japanese government and Toden (Tokyo Electric Co.) must
be taking care of this. It has been 3 years. Why don’t they move to safe areas?
They should be able to find jobs somewhere. What happened to all donations we
sent? Aren’t they distributed to the victims of the earthquake? It is
unthinkable that they still need foods and daily essentials!”
This is an
understandable reaction for people with common senses. It has been 3 years
after all! However, in reality, there are unbelievable things that are going on
in broad daylight.
First, all the
money came in went to the government (according to Japan Red Cross Society).
The government distributed the money to municipal governments of cities, towns
and villages, and instructed them to use it for infrastructure repairs and
decontamination. None went to the victims of the disaster directly. A few expressed the disappointment. They
said, “We wanted even a little as an expression of sympathy. But there was
nothing. It wasn’t the amount. We wanted the intention.”
Why don’t they
move to the safe area? It is because there is no money for them to move. Before
they settled down to temporary housings, they already had to move 7, 8 times.
People affected by Fukushima nuclear reactor used to think that the government
would create a safe place for them to move, for they may not go back to their
home. The government would compensate for their lost homes. They could start
their new life in a new home with their families and friends and rebuild new
community…
However, the
reality was so different. There was no compensation for their lost properties.
There was no plan for their new homes. Families and communities were separated.
Even young couples were separated to look for jobs. The victims of Fukushima
nuclear power plant disaster have even lost the basic human rights because of
the contamination. They lost everything: safe living condition, basic human
needs (foods, clothes and shelters), family connections, education for children
(schools & kindergartens), health (radiation), jobs, marriages, hopes for
the future, bank savings, their properties… What left is the uncertainty of
future, fear of illness, loss of hope and despair.
Even now, the
government and Toden are sending people back to areas with unsafe radiation
levels. Their goal is to “send the victims home.” They are spending enormous
amount of money for decontaminations.
Because their
goal is to “decontaminate and send them home,” there is no housing construction
for the disaster victims. There is no compensation for the lost properties.
There is no support of moving expenses. Furthermore, for the people who live
outside the 20km radius of affected area and areas that was revoked of refugee
area status, their monthly compensations of 100,000 yen (about 1000 USD) from
Toden were stopped. They have no income. In addition, they are asked to pay tax
and they have to pay the medical expenses. The rent of housing is covered up to
the third location, but after that they have to pay their own rent. Many that
were affected by Fukushima nuclear plant disaster were famers and before the
disaster there weren’t much food expenses. Now they have to pay for food.
People who lost
the monthly compensations from Toden have lost the lifelines. The elderly who
receives the government pension receive about 40,000 yen (about 400 USD) a
month. After paying electricity, heat, gas and phone bills, there is nothing
left. Even people over 70 years old are joining decontamination work. They say
that is the only way to survive. After evacuating the radiation area, they are
going back to expose to radiation. They will get 10,000 yen (about 100 USD) a
day as a danger fee. They can only get physical once in every few months. They
cannot even see the result themselves. They are just told, “The radiation is
below the dangerous amount, so you are safe.” They are used to it now and the
sense of danger is wearing thin.
“The Voices of Disaster Victims”
People who found the government’s reaction absurd say:
“Before spending money on the decontamination effort,
they should invest on rebuilding the disaster victims lives. We are not looking
for extra compensations. We just want to live like before. We want to live like
ordinary people.”
“After many decontamination attempts, there are areas
registering higher radiation levels. There is no infrastructure. No hospital.
Not even a shop. The houses are infested by rats and there are wild boars
roaming the town. How can we go back to the places like these.”
“There are places in South Soma city where nothing has
done after the 3/11 disasters. Even at the temporary housing, the radiation is
0.3 μSv. However, they are saying that by April 2016, they will announce that
all residents can return home. Outrageous.”
“The government contacted the disaster victims
directly without going through the mayors of cities, towns and villages and
said, “You can go back home from December 24th to January 6th
at your own risks. I didn’t go back because I know the danger of radiations.
But the others in my community went back.”
“Aren’t we the victims and is Toden responsible for
the disaster? Why are our demands not accepted and do we have to accept the
unreasonable demands of Toden?”
The elderly victims now say, “I want to die in my own home in my hometown.”
Living in the small temporary housings is stressful and their patience is
wearing thin. Without a long-term plan from the government, separated from
their families, the elderlies feel lonely and they long for their homes. They
wish the decontamination would progress faster, so they can go home as soon as
possible.
The victims of
Fukushima disaster are getting taciturn.
“We don’t want
to think about the hardship. We don’t want remember the disaster. That is why
we don't talk about the nuclear plant. We don’t want to talk about our
recollections of disaster. There is no sense of hope, so we don’t want to talk about
the future and compensations. Just thinking about it makes our hearts heavy.
Please don’t talk to us about that.”
Even mentioning
those issues will bring out dark painful silence and uncomfortable groan among
them.
One leader of
neighborhood community council said, “Before, we were bright with hope to
rebuild our community. Now, everyone is looking down. They were healthy and
hardworking people, but now they are sick and cannot even walk. They stopped
talking. They became silent.”
The victims of
Fukushima disasters also have to endure the cold stares. Because the media
doesn’t report the reality of what is happening in Fukushima, there are vast
misunderstandings among people: “Aren’t they receiving the money from the
government and Toden?” “How long do they have to depend on the others?” “You
are lazy.” “Find a job. (They don’t understand the fact there is no job to
find)” “He is from Fukushima. (As if we are virus)”
Some young people say: “We may not be able to get married.” “We may not be able
to have a child, because we are from Fukushima.”
“Please extend
your understanding and compassion for the people of Fukushima”
Could you
correctly understand the people of Fukushima? They have suffered and hurt. They
witnessed too much sadness. And they are exhausted. Could you hold them with
warmth and kindness? Could you give them a shoulder to cry on?
What they need
now are people who understand them and friends who can take their hands and
walk with them. Your loving kind gaze; your warm words and hands; that is what
the people of Fukushima need right now. It becomes the hope for their lives.
If possible,
please send us support. There may be people from Fukushima near you; in your
neighborhood and in your community. Please help them. I wish from the depth of
my heart that you can be an angel for those people.
Momoko Fukuoka
