Support activity for Fukushima

On March 11 2011, huge earthquake called the Great East-Japan earthquake, tsunami and the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster damaged large area of the east Japan, especially Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima; they are included in Tohoku region.

About 300 thousand people have evacuated their hometown. The half of them are inhabitant of Fukushima. And the third part of them—about 50 thousand people—have evacuated voluntarily even if the government do not make an order to evacuate from their town. This shows that the damage of the nuclear disaster is terribly serious. According to recent research, the level of exposure to radiation (especially internal exposure) of inhabitants of Fukushima does not reach the estimated one. However, the low dose exposure gives mental stress to them. This stress affects the inhabitants of Fukushima’s decision makings about economic and social activity. Their insecurity is not necessarily come from scientific basis. Therefore, it is important to communicate with inhabits of evacuation zone about the low dose exposure and the health effects. We have researched risk communication via support of mental and health care in planned evacuation zone (especially Iitate): it should be at such kind of the huge nuclear plant accidents.

In this page, we report the results of our research.

Narration of the Risks of Radiation [PDF (Japanese)]

Background and outline

This information book has three interviews with researcher who have taken action for risk communication in evacuation area since the accident at Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant. It could be said that the cause of the problem is the lack of expectation for huge nuclear plant accident. Before the accident, there are few guidelines and little mental preparation for such kind of huge nuclear plant accident. This book is organized to consider for a future guideline. The three interviewees have different background and task in distressed area. They tried to communicate with inhabits of evacuation zone in respective roles. They also keep thinking how to communicate with the inhabitants about the risk we have. We hope our experience help all people who try to communicate at such huge accident in future through this information book.

Framework and process

This book is deliverable of the Grand-in-Aid for Scientific Research provided by the JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency).

Interviewers in the book are O.Sakura(The University of Tokyo information science division), N.Mizushima (The University of Tokyo information science division), N.Sakata (The University of Tokyo Hospital).

Workshop for the understanding of radiation [Japanese Government Internet TV (Japanese)]

These days, some information which is not on scientific base has been spreaded. We hold workshop to understand radiation and provide scientific information.