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On March 11, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, with the epicenter off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture.
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant lost all its power and the nuclear meltdown started a few hours later.
But all this information was not conveyed to the public,
and iodine tablets to prevent thyroid cancer were not distributed to children except in only a few municipalities.
In late March, radioactive iodine was detected in tap water and water bottles disappeared from town.
In April, the Ministry of Education and Science set the radiation limit for schools at 20 millisieverts per year.
It established a policy that schools with radiation levels lower than this could let their children play in the schoolyards as before.
Parents in Fukushima objected to this policy and called for the lowering of the limit. (Poster: "FUKUSHIMA CHILDREN ARE NOT GUINEA PIGS!")
On May 23, after the negotiation with the parents, the Ministry of Education and Science promised them to aim for 1 millisievert.
In May, radioactive iodine and cesium were detected in breast milk of mothers living in Kanto and Tohoku regions.
In June, 14 schoolchildren in Koriyama City filed a provisional injunction against the city demanding a school evacuation.
In July, high level radioactive cesium was detected in beef from cows fed with contaminated rice hay.
The contaminated beef was found to have been used in school lunches in cities like Yokohama. (SAFE SCHOOL LUNCH, PLEASE)
In August, even in Tokyo, schoolyards and sand pits of some schools were found with radiation level exceeding 1 millisievert per year,
and decontamination efforts started. (0.36 MICROSIEVERTS PER HOUR IN SAND PIT)
During the summer break, swimming pool activities at many schools in Fukushima Prefecture were canceled,
and summer camps for Fukushima children were held throughout the country.
During this period, more than 30,000 people moved out of Fukushima Prefecture.
"You know, many children transfer schools like this because it's not safe there. If I could evacuate with all other schoolmates, I'd rather not stay in Fukushima."
In September, high level radioactive cesium was detected one after another in food items like seafood, mushrooms, and rice.
In November, radioactive cesium was detected even in baby formula.
In the meantime, schools in Kanto and Tohoku gradually started radiation tests for their school lunches.
In December, on the day the school evacuation trial in Koriyama was dismissed, Prime Minister Noda declared the nuclear accident was over.
On the 21st, Minister Hosono and Minister Edano announced it would take 40 years
until the radioactive materials in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant are removed and its conditions are restored to safety.
As the video showed, there have been many, many things in the past year.
As mentioned in the last part of the video, it is said to take forty years to decommission according to the government's scenario.
Well, I personally think it may take longer than that.
Anyway, we're in the situation where what happened now will have consequences that will last for many years to come.
Looking back, what do you remember most about the disaster?
How about you, Miss Rie Takeda? You're still living in Fukushima.
What has left the strongest impression on you since March 11?
Well, of course I remember the accident quite well,
but I also remember we couldn't play in the schoolyard any more, or TV news crews came to school, or something like that.
Yes, I know TV news crews frequently went to schools in Fukushima, especially in the first semester [from April through July].
Toma, how about you?
You were living in Fukushima and then moved to Sapporo.
Looking back now, what has left the strongest impression on you?
Well, they raised the radiation limit to 20 millisieverts [per year] and reopened schools in April.
That was the most shocking thing for me. So I went to the negotiation with the Ministry of Education and Science.
That negotiation shown in the video?
Yes, I was in the front row and listened. But they only repeated vague things like "We'll think about it."
I remember that was a very long negotiation.
Yes. I was in the front row, so I spoke up once. Oh, you did.
Yes. And, well, so I was really frustrated they decided nothing after all.
They said they would aim for 1 millisievert, but they haven't done anything, till now.
So that's really irritating me.
Did you decide to leave Fukushima after that? Any comment on your leaving?
We decided to leave in June...in May or June.
We decided to leave because we saw nothing had changed after the negotiation.
Also, various kinds of Fukushima produce were on the market in large number and that's another reason why.
Even children feel anger. Or I should say, children would feel more anger. Yes.
Thank you. Then, will you pass the microphone to the second next seat, to Mr. Nishikata?
He also moved out of Fukushima. Kaito, how about you?
What do you remember most about the past year?
Well, I didn't know anything about radiation and all that.
So I was wondering, "It's getting warmer. Why do I have to wear a mask, hat, long trousers, or something like that?"
Was it easy for you to leave? I often hear about children who were reluctant to move out.
I didn't want to go away from my friends. And I was also worried I would be bullied by new classmates.
I understand that.
As shown in the video, many children hope for school evacuation.
But I guess the government hasn't discussed this issue at all.
Well, then, the only one from Tokyo, Miss Nakata, how about you?
After the nuclear accident, from around June, my school started measuring radiation levels
and announcing the origins of food items used in school lunch.
I know Musashino City was quick to act. Yes.
And from the very first test result, we knew radiation had been detected in green onions from Ibaraki.
Such results are printed as handouts and distributed to us at school.
Handouts. Then you look at them and..."Ah!"
Yes. "Ah, detected!" "Why?!" or something like that.
It was all the more shocking because we'd already eaten them.
In July and August, too, radiation was detected in various food items.
And each time it was detected, a handout was distributed.
When I looked at it, I felt so shocked and said to myself, "Oh no, I've eaten this..."
I went like "Why? Why? Why?"
Well, you feel it keenly since you actually see the test results.
But if there were no radiation tests, you might keep on eating those things without knowing anything.
I think this is actually the case for some children.
Ms. Amamiya, how do you feel now, after looking back on many news since March 11 and now hearing children's stories?
Well, what frustrates me most is that the government declared the accident was over at the year end.
Even now, as many as...around 150,000 people?... are still living away from home and don't know when they can return.
In such circumstances, how could the government ever declare such a thing? I really don't understand.
I agree. It did it without any clear perspective.
Another thing is, the Dispute Reconciliation Committee for Nuclear Damage Compensation determined
that people who evacuated voluntarily and people who remain would receive 80,000 yen each uniformly.
"Are you joking?!" is what I want to say to the Committee. It can hardly cover the transportation fees, you know.
Will they ever receive compensation for their moving costs? There are far too many unacceptable things.
So Mr. Kawane, you used to be an ordinary teacher at a junior high school, but now you're moving out of the ordinary.
You've been actively involved in various activities while still working as a schoolteacher.
All this while, have you noticed any change in your school?
Or anything about yourself? Or any comments on the children's stories?
Well, the first semester [from April through July] was most difficult for me.
Even though I wanted to discuss radiation issues, other teachers were not very concerned.
And the atmosphere at school was like "Don't you dare talk about such things."
But in the second semester [from Sept. through Dec.] , some schools started to disclose origins of food items used in school lunch
and to measure radiation levels at their schoolyards.
Our Saitama City, too, launched a service to lend a dosimeter to the citizens.
The situation began to change and a new atmosphere of "Ask Kawane if you don't understand about radiation" began to emerge at my school.
But excuse me, she said "a Geiger counter kept in the science room," but was it there even before 3.11? Yes, it was.
Really? Did all schools have a Geiger counter?
Well, this is the one. Radex made in Russia. It's 0.08 microsieverts per hour now.
Well, actually, Saitama City's Board of Education had decided to put radiation in the City's junior high school science curriculum starting April the next year,
and so junior high schools in Saitama City alone had been given this and kept it in their science rooms.
Also uranium... What? Uranium?
Yes, they had sent a set of 5 radioactive minerals including uranium to each school.
How do you store uranium? It's confined in the back of the darkroom. Oh...
So Mr. Kawane happened to have a Geiger counter then and used it.
Looking back, I sort of feel sad because we didn't know anything at all initially, but we couldn't help but be familiar with these radiation issues in the end.
Well, after the commercial break, we will continue with an extensive discussion,
based on the results of a street survey about radiation issues, conducted by the children.
We'll be right back after this.
This program is brought to you by your donations. (To be continued.)