This Week's Update — Actions towards measures for Fukushima Nuclear Accident and to calm the radioactivity panic are spreading (26th March, 2012)
More Japanese are beginning to feel the importance of dealing calmly with problems regarding Fukushima nuclear plant accident. GEPR introduce such movements this week.
This Week's Column
1）International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is a private organization to recommend regulatory action on radiation to governments and international organizations. ICRP supports activities from intellectual aspects to Japan after the nuclear accident in Fukushima.
ICRP held a dialog seminar in Date City, Fukushima Prefecture. Professionals of radiation protection from the world provided their knowledge and research, and they exchanged opinion with residents of Fukushima and local government officials.
Professor Yoshiyuki Mizuno, Kyoto Woman's University, who participated this seminar, contributed a report “How to Reconstruct the Life in Fukushima by Using Specialized Knowledge of Radiation Protection: ICRP dialog seminar Date City Part 2" (English translation coming soon).
In this paper, he also introduces ETHOS project which was carried out in Belarus after the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
Prof. Mizuno has been introducing accurate knowledge of radiation protection. GEPR have a deep respect for Prof. Mizuno and other individuals who persists in their efforts for reconstruction of Fukushima and other affected areas.
2）Social Panics over radioactivity has spread widely in Japan after the nuclear accident in Fukushima. Some caused unscientific actions, such as refusing evacuee child from Fukushima entering nursery school.
What is the background of these extraordinary reaction and thoughts? Dr. Kumiko Ishikawa, Research Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, scholar of history of political philosophy and thanatology, contributed a column " The Roots on Problem of Radioactivity Panic seen from concepts of impurity and the image of Mother " (English Translation coming soon).
During 1930s, with militarism in the air, there were many mother and child suicides, which was an abnormal involvement of mother to a child. The current radiation panic has a similar aspect, and she points out that in its background, in any age, there seem to be an excessive burden of childcare for Mother.
This Week's Web Links
1）ETHOS IN FUKUSHIMA Japanese private volunteers intend learning from experience of ETHOS PROJECT , aims to for reconstruction and protection f radioactivity with residents independence.
2）ETHOS project report in Belarus
3) Conclusions and Recommendations of the ICRP dialog seminar in Fukushima.
