Fukushima Update

NYTimes：Culture of Complicity Tied to Stricken Nuclear Plant

TOKYO — Given the fierce insularity of Japan’s nuclear industry, it was perhaps fitting that an outsider exposed the most serious safety cover-up in the history of Japanese nuclear power…

 

 Over 100 Parents Participate in “Discussion on Protecting Children from Radiation”

25 April 2011
Over 100 Parents Participate in “Discussion on Protecting Children from Radiation”
Report by Fukuro-no-Kai
On April 25th, a meeting of more than 100 people that included parents with school-aged children was held in Fukushima City. Originally this meeting had been organized as a planning meeting for the “Meeting on Protecting Children from Radiation,” scheduled for May 1, but when more than double the anticipated parents showed up, it was changed to a discussion meeting.
This meeting was hosted by two citizens’ groups: Fukuro-no-Kai and the Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster.
The Japanese government and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology made a decision on April 15 that the standard for assessing usability of schools in Fukushima Prefecture – where radioactive contamination is progressing – shall be up to 20mSv per year exposure. Fukuro-no-Kai issued a criticism of the decision by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, stating that this forces children to be exposed to extremely high levels of radiation. The Fukushima Conference also is opposed to this decision by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and has submitted a letter to the Fukushima Prefecutural government and Board of Education demanding class cancellations when levels exceed 0.6mSv/h as well as evacuating children from the area and decontaminating schools. Immediately after the statement and letter were posted on the Fukuro-no-Kai blog, there was a flood of comments posted by parents with school-aged children from Fukushima Prefecture. In three days, approximately 650 comments were posted. This was what lead to the planned convening of the “Meeting on Protecting Children from Radiation.”