We will not give up!” A story of a family who moved from Fukushima
I moved from Koriyama City to Fujinomiya City in Shizuoka Prefecture
in August last year. In Koriyama, I held a managing director job at a
firm that provided elder care services from its
foundation. I was also a head of the Parent and Teacher Association
at my son's kindergarten. “Even if I were looked at as someone who
deserted the colleagues and communities and betrayed their
trust, I would not abandon my child, no matter what”. It was based
on this belief that my wife and I made a heart-to-heart united decision.
Honestly speaking, it was not the case that we had a lot of savings, and our anxiety about starting a life in an unfamiliar place was not small. But more than anything, the pain of having to leave the place where I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life was unbearable. On one summery day, the three of us left, very quietly, but with courage in our heart. I cannot forget that morning.
Honestly speaking, it was not the case that we had a lot of savings, and our anxiety about starting a life in an unfamiliar place was not small. But more than anything, the pain of having to leave the place where I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life was unbearable. On one summery day, the three of us left, very quietly, but with courage in our heart. I cannot forget that morning.
Shortly after our arrival in Shizuoka in November, my wife, pregnant
with our second child, was hospitalized due to a risk of premature
birth. My days were spent packing my son's lunch,
transporting him to and from the kindergarten, visiting my wife at
the hospital, and working as a daily laborer in construction. At the
same time, I was busy trying to start up a business as a
day service provider for the elderly. In February this year, my wife
gave a birth to our first daughter. In the delivery room, I remember
both of us were anxious to see if she had normal feet,
hands, fingers …. And on June 1 this year, I was finally able to
open a day service facility, though a small one.
When we left Koriyama, “voluntary evacuation” was still an unfamiliar term. When we went to the municipal offices in Shizuoka, they asked us with a wondering look why we moved here, as Koriyama was not part of the government designated evacuation areas. This happened at many other places we went to, and it became very troublesome to explain our fate to the others, who did not understand. We faced very challenging situations at times, but my resolve to survive even on muddy water, if I have to, got stronger, and helped me keep going and bring my plan to fruition.
It has been a year and eight months since the nuclear accident. This past November, I represented the Shizuoka Office for the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Plaintiffs and returned to Fukushima to submit the letters of complaint to the Fukushima District Prosecutor's Office. When I left Fukushima last year, I said to myself, “I am not abandoning Fukushima, but rather I am withdrawing from Fukushima”. In whatever ways I can, I intend to keep Fukushima close to my heart as long as I live. We still struggle economically. But to know what is really important in life, and to be able to live with true pride is a prerequisite for happiness. We are reminded of that.
"We will not give up. Fukushima will not give up."
When we left Koriyama, “voluntary evacuation” was still an unfamiliar term. When we went to the municipal offices in Shizuoka, they asked us with a wondering look why we moved here, as Koriyama was not part of the government designated evacuation areas. This happened at many other places we went to, and it became very troublesome to explain our fate to the others, who did not understand. We faced very challenging situations at times, but my resolve to survive even on muddy water, if I have to, got stronger, and helped me keep going and bring my plan to fruition.
It has been a year and eight months since the nuclear accident. This past November, I represented the Shizuoka Office for the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Plaintiffs and returned to Fukushima to submit the letters of complaint to the Fukushima District Prosecutor's Office. When I left Fukushima last year, I said to myself, “I am not abandoning Fukushima, but rather I am withdrawing from Fukushima”. In whatever ways I can, I intend to keep Fukushima close to my heart as long as I live. We still struggle economically. But to know what is really important in life, and to be able to live with true pride is a prerequisite for happiness. We are reminded of that.
"We will not give up. Fukushima will not give up."
Katsumi Hasegawa, Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture
"Tangara", magazine of Fukushima Network for Saving Children from Radiation
-----------------------------------------
Video Message from Mayor of Futaba Town.
Here’s the original text of the video message, which was shown
during the Q&A at Berlinale screening of NUCLEAR NATION. (See
English translation at the bottom.)
Guten tag Berlin.
My name is Katsutaka Idogawa.
I’m the Mayor of Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture.
I’m the Mayor of Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture.
I regret that I’m not able to join you at this year’s Berlinale.
I would’ve loved to meet you all, and speak to you in person.
I would’ve loved to meet you all, and speak to you in person.
Ever since the crisis began at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, our town has received so much warmth, encouragement and support from people around the world.
Thank you very much.
It’s my hope that, through this film,
everyone around the world can
get a better understanding of
how dangerous nuclear power is.
If they were safe, nuclear power plants would be very convenient.
Before this accident happened, I wanted to build more nuclear reactors, thinking that was the best way to bring progress to our community.
Since the accident, my attitude has changed drastically.
Increasing the number of nuclear plants without making provisions for serious accidents is extremely reckless.
On top of that,
a safe way to dispose of nuclear waste has not yet been discovered.
Despite this, nuclear plants are cropping up around the world,
in great numbers, and this is very disconcerting.
In light of the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi, we need to question ourselves,
honestly, if nuclear power plants are truly a necessity on
this Earth.
I believe it’s critical for us to be rational.
Our planet is small.
How much space do we have left,
to absorb all the radioactivity we keep producing?
What capacity do we have, for storing all the nuclear waste?
Unless we find viable solutions,
we should not be permitted to use nuclear energy.
The learning curve has been steep.
I don’t want anyone else in this world to ever experience
what we’re going through.
My deepest wish is that our situation will help you
make the right choices for the future.
Katsutaka Idogawa
Mayor of Futaba Town
Mayor of Futaba Town
Japanese
双葉町長からのビデオメッセージ原文
いま開催中のベルリン国際映画祭で、「NUCLEAR NATION」上映後、井戸川克隆双葉町長からのビデオメッセージが届けられました。
———————————–
グーテンターク、ベルリン。ドイツの皆さんこんにちは。
私は福島県双葉町町長の井戸川克隆と申します。
この度のベルリン国際映画祭に出席をできなくて、大変残念に思っております。
皆さんと直接お会いして生の声をお届けしたかったんですが、
なかなかできませんでしたことをお詫び申し上げます。
さてこの度の、福島第一原子力発電所の事故によって世界中の皆さんから双葉町の町民の皆さんに対しての、温かい思いやりを戴きました。ご支援ありがとうございます。
この映画を通して世界中の皆さんに原子力発電所が持つ大きな危険というものを実感をして戴きたいと思います。
安全な装置であれば原子力発電所はやはり便利です。
私はこの事故が起きる前は原子力発電所を誘致して町の振興に役立てたいと思っておりました。
事故が起きてから原子力発電所に対する私の考えは大きく変わりました。
事故に対する備えが無いまま、原子力発電所を増やしていくことは大変危険であります。
まして、“放射性物質の最終処分”ということも確立されていないまま世界中に原子力発電所が多くできることは大変危険だと思います。
この福島原発の事故を皆さんと共有して、これから地球上に原子力発電所が必要なのかどうか、皆さんと共に考えなければならないと考えております。
地球の大きさは一定であります。
その大きさの中で放射能を受け入れる容積っていったいどのくらいあるんだろうか、
また、いろいろな廃棄物を受け入れる場所とか方法があるんだろうか、
もう２度と私たちのような経験を世界中の皆さんにしては欲しくありません。
よく皆さんがこの事を考えて今後の事を選択されることを願っております。
双葉町長 井戸川克隆
Nulear Nationより転載
http://nuclearnation.jp/en/?p=135
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
転載フリー M.A
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿