Truth of Fukushima Children

A mother, who escaped from Fukushima to Takarazuka near Kobe, shared the truth of Fukushima.  A third party hasn't proved it, so no Japanese media has reported.

We had a permission to share the article by the mother.

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When we lived in Fukushima, our children often said,

"We're dying soon, right?"

At first, we had no words to say.  But later, we started to say,

"So we evacuate from Fukushima."


Even in the summer, children have to wear long sleeves and masks in classrooms.  They must not play and have gym classes outside.  Grasses grew up about childrens' height at school's field because nobody walk in there.  When children tried to play with the soil and grasses, their parents screamed not to touch them.  Adults told children not to walk above side ditches.

We bought Geiger counters and measured.  The counters indicates very high radioactive backgrounds even inside houses.  We moved beds of children from window side to the center of the rooms.  We carefully cook meals.  We cleaned roofs and walls of houses with high pressured washers.  We also washed roads to school.  In weekends, we evacuated to other prefectures.  But still a lot of children suffered nosebleeds, diarrhea and headaches.

Several friends of my daughter were diagnosed as beginning of leukemia, some others as thyroid disorders.

Mothers cannot stay there anymore, but people had different opinions and they had a lot of arguments at their families and companies.

Our family evacuated from Fukushima finally, but we stayed there for 10 months after the earthquake.  So we're not sure about the future of our daughter.  She has to worry about her health for rest of her life.

I feel so guilty to stay in Fukushima for 10 months, the most dangerous period.  I feel guilty to deprive everything from my daughter.  I'm not sure what was right.  After all, I am so sorry for my daughter.

The truth of Fukushima is recognized as taboo and nothing is reported.  I wonder people in other prefecture think we have to be confined in Fukushima and just avoid harms.  Still some people would think we claim too much.

If they restart nuclear plants and cause accidents, what will they do?  I suppose they think accidents will not happen in their areas.  The nuclear accident happened in Japan actually.  How can't they wake up yet.

Oi Nuclear Power Plant
It locates north of Kobe.  When winds blow from the north, Kobe would be contaminated terribly.  Here won't be set as a evacuation zone, so it will be even worse.  I wonder why people look so peacefully.

Kitakyushu City forces to accept radioactive debris

May 22 2012, Kitakyushu City accepted radioactive  debris from northeastern Japan without explanation to citizens.  28 trucks transported 80 tons of radioactive debris and arrived.  Protesters sit on a road to an incineration facility.  Policemen forced citizens to  get out of the road and finally the trucks drove into the facility.

CNN International reported the incident as "From Sorrow  to Anger" and said it's very rare that Japanese protest  so strongly and people cannot trust the government any more.



Massive protest against gov. to stop burning... 投稿者 hero_9


Here is another movie when the trucks arrived in Kitakyushu.



When the trucks arrived, radioactive level jumped up to ten times as usual.  As one of the trucks drove back, radioactive level went down.





On June 6, Kitakyushu City held a public conference about accepting the debris.  Kitakyushu Mayor, Kenji Kitahashi, Prof. Naoto Asano of University of Fukuoka,  Prof. Kazuya Idemitsu of University of Kyushu, Prof. Yo Ito of University of Kitakyushu, Prof. Ryuji Okazaki of University of Occupational and Environmental Health,  Masahiro Yamamoto of Ministry of Environment, Hiroshi Imanaga of Kitakyushu City Environment Bureau.

Kitakyushu Mayor, Kenji Kitahashi explained  "Radioactive level of the debris is at or below 100  Bq, so that it's safe to accept and burn it.  Bug-filters of the incineration facility can remove 99% of cesium."  However, one of citizens told "None of bug-filter manufacturers guarantee the filters can remove 99% of cesium."  Mayor and professors didn't answer the question.  In Japan, we had never had accidents of nuclear power plants.  Therefore bug-filter manufacturers had never assumed radioactive removal.

A lot of people worried about radioactive dangers and also economical damages cased by rumors. The mayor said, "If we encounter economical damages by rumors, we can protect marine and agricultural products!  Let's eat our products!"  But citizens laughed at the mayor and replied "No! We don't!!"

Kitakyushu City gave only 30 minutes for Q&A to citizens.  People protested it was too short and asked to extend the conference, but the city never allowed.  The city restricted people to ask questions only for one minute,  by order which they decided.

One of citizens asked to screen "Forest Great Wall Project", but the city refused because they didn't have enough time.

"Forest Great Wall Project" is proposed by Prof. Akira Miyawaki of Yokohama National University.  They build hills with debris and cover it with the soil, then plant various kinds of trees on the hills along the coast line.  The debris maintain openings in the soil so that trees can grow their roots better.  Roots of trees hold the debris strongly.  Even after tsunami,  big trees still survived in Miyagi.  Prof. Miyawaki said that the hills protect people and houses from tsunami, people could hold on trees in case of tsunami.  The hills can exist for centuries Prof Miyawaki said.

A video of Forest Big Wall Project is only in Japanese.




Citizens gave a big hand about Forest Great Wall Project and showed complaints about accepting debris.  One of professors said "Be quiet, people.  Let's discuss quietly and intelligently."  But a man replied "A big hand is our intention."

A citizen asked "Mayor said he has already decided to accept the debris.  But if you hear our opinion, do you change the plan?"  Citizens clapped their hands.  Mayor replied, "We're going to  decide the amount of the debris in case of accepting them on a full scale."

Another citizen asked, "In Ishinomaki City, they've already built temporary incineration facilities.  Why do we have to accept the debris still."  The city said,  "Please ask the question later.  We're not talking about the issue right now."  Then they never answered the question.

Downtown of Kitakyushu City

A woman said, "I'm not satisfied that you just continued 'It's safe. It's safe.'  An average radioactive level of debris is 28 Bq, but you said  they transport debris at 8 Bq.  We should calculate with the average level.  How can you choose only low  radioactive level debris?  How can you guarantee the safety?"

Citizens continued to show their anxiousness.  "Why do you need to transport the debris for so long distance?   Please help children in Fukushima with that money.   People need safe food from Hokkaido and Kyushu.  Why do you need to contaminate Kyushu?  Please keep Kyushu clean."  "Pregnant women cannot take CT scans and X-ray checks.  You said we take CT scans and X-ray checks, so accepting the debris is safe.  However we take those health checks by our intentions.  Why do you force us to be exposed to radiation?"  "CT scans and X -ray checks cause external exposure and do not include internal exposure to radiation.  In the U. S., National Academy of Sciences said that internal exposures to radiation could cause damages for human beings even if the radioactive is low level.  It is the world's standard."

A citizen asked "The amount of debris was 34 tons.  Its radioactive level was 8 Bq.  Your data shows that 46000-Bq-radiation is missing.  Where is it?"  Mayor and professors did not answer the question.

A professor said "In case of Chernovyl, a child carrying 15000 Bq inside his body did not have any health problem."  But citizens  replied with anger,  "You're wrong." "We're not sure about damages caused by radioactive debris.  We do not know where missing radiation went.   We assume the missing radiation transferred to materials."  Citizens showed their anger. "You assume?"  "Don't you inspect?"  Professors said, "Please look at the website of Ministry of Environment."

Kitakyushu City and professors do not answer questions from citizens mostly.  The city seemed to employ decoys and gave a chance to one of the decoys to question.  A conference host interrupted questions from opponents.

A citizen said, "In the U. S., an investigation showed the possibility of breast cancers are double for women who live within 160 km from nuclear reactors.  If radioactive level is low, we should not accept the debris."  A professor replied, "We do not have any data showing radiation leaks from the reactors."  People were angry about the reply.  Men who sounded like Japanese mafia yelled "Shut up!" to opponents.  People requested to extend the conference, but the host refused and said,  "We have no time."  The host stepped on people and said, "Be quiet."

Kitakyushu City just continued "It's safe, it's safe."   Citizens opposed strongly and requested the city to answer their questions.  The city never did.  Kitakyushu City and professors stepped on what people said and monopolized microphones.

Kitakyushu City Hall

A man pointed out that none of bug-filter manufacturers  guarantee to remove cesium.  The city replied "We don't know.  It's not our business."   The man said "If you don't know, please don't declare the safety.  Some scholars say it's safe, but some scholars do not.  You're wrong and we're right.   If you're not sure about the safety of an medicine, can you take it?  Nobody is sure about the safety, so nobody can guarantee the safety.  Offenders say 'damages caused by rumors', but for victims, those are actual damages.  Kitakyushu City declared  'environmental future city'.  In the past, the city scattered photochemical smogs.  Do you scatter radiation this time?  You have never learn from the history.  I thought Kitakyushu City is stupid."

People started to show their angers clearly.  "We'll  also suffer mental damages!"  "You want just money,  right?  How much you get?"  Kitakyushu Mayor said, "100 Bq is not considered as radioactive materials."  Citizens replied  "But it's not zero."  "You are not scientific at all."   "You should move to a house close to the incineration facility."

People requested to extend the conference but the city  never agreed.  People raised a chorus of yells  ,  "Extend!  Extend!"  The city closed the conference by force.

Tsukumi City abandoned to accept radioactive debris

Public conference of accepting debris

On May 27th, Tsukumi City held a public conference to radioactive debris from northeastern Japan, but most citizens opposed the plan.  People were anxious about health and environmental problems.

Tsukumi City decided not to accept the debris this time.  However, Koji Yoshimoto, Tsukumi Mayor said that he would reconsider the issue and have a plan to accept and burn the debris in the future.

Most citizens continue to refuse to accept the debris.  They gather radioactive data of other cities which have accepted debris from northeast.