The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
2011/04/02
Press Release
---Measurement of Radiation at Elementary Schools (Report)
---Radiation Monitoring Results (Table)
---Letter to the governor of Fukushima
Atomkraft - nein, danke
"Given that there is little time until school entrance ceremonies, investigations must be started most urgently in order to secure the safety and peace of mind of the children."
Issued by:
The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
37-1 Watari-aza-Shichishanomiya, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture,
Japan
Representative: Seiichi Nakate, Mobile phone: 080-1678-5562 (Japanese Only)
(For inquiries in English, contact Kazumasa Aoki: 090-7245-7761)
March 31, 2011
Press Release
The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
37-1 Watari-aza-Shichishanomiya, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Representative: Seiichi Nakate, Mobile phone: 080-1678-5562 (Japanese Only)
(For inquiries in English, contact Kazumasa Aoki: 090-7245-7761
Measurement of radiation level in Fukushima
Please check the link for the results of the study.
http://fukurou.txt-nifty.com/fukurou/2011/03/post-8785.html
We are a group of citizens engaged in activities toward recovery from the earthquake and toward minimizing any further damage as soon as possible from this current disaster brought about by the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake and the subsequent Tokyo Electric Nuclear Power Plant accidents. These we have designated as a nuclear-earthquake disaster.
We have conducted an urgent, simplified study, âFukushima Prefecture Elementary Schoolyard Ground-Level Radiation Sampling Studyâ and today provided the report to the Fukushima Prefecture Governor and the Board of Education.
The results of the study indicate that a radiation-contaminated danger zone is developing in the childrenâs environment much faster than we anticipated. We express our view that in order to secure the safety and peace of mind of the children, it is necessary to urgently investigate the degree of radioactive contamination of schools, particularly of schoolyards, as well as of movement of radiation within the communities and districts, and to take immediate countermeasures.
We have also requested that the prefectural government direct the municipalities to not rush into conducting school entrance ceremonies without being able to consider the impact of this contamination.
Further, in order to make the results of this study widely known among the citizens of the prefecture, we have held a press conference with the hope of enlisting the assistance of the media. I ask for your cooperation in this matter.
It is unlikely that development of danger zones will be limited to the locations investigated in this study.
As we are a small citizenâs group, we lack manpower and are asking for volunteers to assist.
This document was composed based on material from the Fukushima Conference for Recovery from
the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster. Kazumasa Aoki (Fukuro-no-Kai / Radiation Measurement Project)
Ostersonntag in Shiba-Park, Tokyo (24.4.2011): "Nie wieder ein AKW-Wedbeben!", "Beendet jetzt die Atomkraft": 4.500 Teilnehmer folgten dem Ruf des Tokyo-Netzwerkes. Anschließend Demonstration zum Wirtschaftsministerium und zur Tepco-Zentrale.
Der Shiba-Park ist überfüllt. Viele der 4.500 Teilnehmer sind zum ersten Mal dabei.
Der Sprecher aus Fukushima: Kultusministerium, Wirtschaftsministerium und Tepco sind alle in Tokyo. Tokyo ist jetzt zum Problem geworden. Nur gemeinsam können wir den Kindern in Fukushima helfen.
Die Fukuro-no-kai von Fukushima protestiert gegen die vom Kulturminsterium festgelegten Höchstwerte für Kinder.
Die Fukuro-no-kai von Fukushima dankt allen, die sie unterstützen.
March 31, 2011
To: Governor of Fukushima Prefecture
From: The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
37-1 Watari-aza-Shichishanomiya, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Representative: Seiichi Nakate, Mobile phone: 080-1678-5562 (Japanese Only)
Report on the radiation "Ground Level Sampling Study" in Fukushima Prefecture elementary school yards
You have been working night and day to address the disaster following the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake as well as the nuclear-earthquake disaster accompanying the Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accidents. We citizens of the prefecture would also like to work with the prefecture with the belief in our ability to recover and with hope in our hearts as we encourage each other in our communities and workplaces.
For the benefit of the children, who are the future of Fukushima, we have urgently conducted the referenced study.
The conclusion is that we now know that, in order to secure the safety and peace of mind of the children, investigation is urgently needed on the degree of radioactive contamination of schools -- particularly of schoolyards -- as well as of movement of radiation within the communities and districts.
Immediate measures must also be taken.
It is believed that a radiation-contaminated danger zone is developing in the childrenâs environment much faster than we are anticipating. For the municipalities to rush into conducting their school entrance ceremonies without being able to consider the impact of this contamination could lead to a regrettable error. We ask you to take immediate note of the report and direct the municipalities accordingly.
This document has been composed based on material from the Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster. Kazumasa Aoki (Fukuro-no-Kai / Radiation Measurement Project)
31 March 2011
Report by: Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster Measurement of Radiation at Elementary Schools
Objective of the Study
We are a group of citizens engaged in activities toward recovery from the earthquake and toward minimizing any further damage as soon as possible from this current disaster brought about by the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake and the subsequent Tokyo Electric Nuclear Power Plant accidents, which we have designated as a nuclear-earthquake disaster.âDisaster preventionâ must be implemented with the âworst-case scenarioâ in mind. The failure do so is a major cause of this current nuclear-earthquake disaster. Now is the time that we must urgently move with determination and take new measures and make preparations based on a worst-case situation. "Recovery," meanwhile, must be made with the belief in the "best-case scenario." Without that it will not be possible for the citizens of the prefecture to recover without losing hope.
For both of those, deepening understanding of the facts is essential for this nuclearearthquake disaster. We believe what is needed is proactive and fruitful action that is free of the past custom of qualitative debate about "safety" and "crisis."
It is well known that the younger the age of the person, the more easily radiation can adversely impact their health. For this reason we felt the most urgent matter was to understand the condition of radioactive contamination in schools that are preparing for school entrance ceremonies, particularly of school yards where children play and do sports. A ground level radiation dose sampling study was conducted.
Study methodology
Study date: March 29 ~ 30, 2011
Study sites: Elementary schoolyards in Fukushima city and Kawamata-machi
Measurement method: a portable radiation reader (Geiger Counter) was place at 10 ~ 20 cm above ground.
Radiation dose in elementary schoolyards within Fukushima city
Results of ground-level sampling study:
http://fukurou.txt-nifty.com/fukurou/
Views of the Fukushima Conference
for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
The study results were obtained by use of basic/rudimentary sampling methods and the analysis period was short, therefore insufficient to reach a definitive conclusion. Based on the results which indicate a particular trend, however, and information from other material, we express the following views:
1. From information made public by Fukushima Prefecture, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Cabinet Office, the Japan Meteorological Agency, and Tokyo Electric Power, the radiation dose measured in this study is radiation that escaped into the atmosphere in the Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident and has fallen to the ground mainly through rain and snow, etc.
2. The difference in measurements between schools is thought to derive from possibly significant differences in the amount of radioactive substances that had fallen due to impact of topology, altitude, or weather; due to the subsequent movement of the radioactive matter; or both.
3. From the significant difference in measurements between the detection points, it is speculated that the radioactive matter that had fallen to the surface may be pooling. It is possible that the radioactive substances moving along the ground surface are creating areas of particularly high radiation dose â a so called âradiation pool (a small hotspot).â
4. When taking into consideration the tendency of younger people to be more susceptible to damage to their health from radiation, the significant individual differences in behavior patterns at schools, and the impact of internal exposure, further careful investigation is needed on the current state of contamination as well as the state of radiation movement. Depending on the results, cleaning and removal and other local decontamination should be expected.
5. Given that there is little time until school entrance ceremonies, investigations must be started most urgently in order to secure the safety and peace of mind of the children. Continued investigations should be expected depending on the future state of the accidents and movement of the radioactive material.
The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
37-1 Watari-aza-Shichishanomiya, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
(Representative: Seiichi Nakate)