NUCLEAR DREAMS: FUKUSHIMA AND JAPAN’S LOST FUTURES

Kaveh K, Year 11 writes...

Dr Makoto Takahashi’s lecture on Fukushima’s impact on Japan’s future, as well as the broader history of Japan’s “lost decades,” was an interesting talk at the Royal Geographical Society, organised by our Geography Department.

Dr Takahashi’s specialises in disaster management and its relation to trust by the public, a very pertinent topic in light of 2011’s Fukushima nuclear disaster, a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, due to a 13-14m high tsunami, caused by a moment magnitude 9.1 earthquake, which had an epicentre close to Fukushima prefecture (annotated map, right). The meltdown resulted in a 12-mile evacuation zone being instated around the plant and it joined Chernobyl in being one of only two nuclear events to ever receive the highest risk rating.

There has only ever been one confirmed direct death as a result (attributed to radiation poisoning) though, as Takahashi explained, Fukushima’s impact was much, much worse for the surrounding area’s inhabitants in the long-term than the short-term.

After Chernobyl, safeguards were in place in the event of catastrophic meltdowns and the Japanese government was able to swiftly evacuate all affected inhabitants. This speed-driven, rather than analysis-driven, approach may have made sense initially, but later the government reclassified the risk zones from circles radiating from the plant to areas based on radiation readings. From this, it emerged that some had actually been moved into areas of higher risk than before. This and other short fallings, like allegations of corruption and mismanagement regarding planning about such disasters, such as the criminal gangs (known as the Yakuza) being the first to offer support in some areas, helped create a deep distrust in the

Japanese government, with some claiming it had fallen into another of its “lost decades”.

However, in Fukushima, an entire way of life had been turned on its head. For example, 80,000 people depended on farming and, with land contaminated (the prefecture is filled with bags of radioactive waste, pictured) and a lack of true, non-economical incentives, most never returned. Some had settled into their new lives with their families, and others simply did not trust the Japanese government claims that the areas were properly decontaminated. The once fertile soil was now radioactive and, in 2015, almost 20% of Japanese consumers were still hesitant about buying food from Fukushima. With a low demand and difficulties to supply, it was unsurprising that hardly any of Fukushima’s farmers have returned.

Of those farmers that have, they have mainly done so for their family. Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world, with a median age of 48, ten years older than that of the USA. Some hope their children will carry on the family business and create families in Fukushima.

Yet, despite this, Fukushima still feels the impacts of a disaster that occurred over a decade ago.

Many have been optimistic about the future, but Dr Takahashi sees Fukushima as an example of how to protect other places, rather than one that deserves help.

Whatever occurs, Fukushima’s outcome is still uncertain. Dr

Takahashi showed us Giles Price’s thermally imaged Restricted Residence, which serves a stark reminder of the eerie environment that the farmers are returning to.