One year later.
Months after the nuclear accident, rescue workers found several elderly people dead at
home in the no-go zone. All of them had starved to death after being left behind during the
rushed evacuation. They found one old lady curled up dead in her futon, clutching a piece
of paper to her chest.
Dear Sayaka,
I’m very sorry we will never see each other again. I was so looking forward to traveling
to Kyushu in the summer to attend my granddaughter’s sports carnival. Please tell Rika
grandma is very sorry she could not make it, and give her a big hug for me.
I will miss you both very much and am saddened I will not be around to see Rika grow
up. Please live your lives to the fullest every day, as you never know when it may suddenly
be snatched away from you. The destruction and death the earthquake and tsunami have
wrought on this area is unimaginable and has made me realize that every second of
every day is precious to us and should not be wasted on negative thoughts; be positive
and enjoy what this wonderful world has to offer. Don’t waste it on needless arguments
or complaints. Don’t let your dreams be washed away by others’ negative opinions;
stand strong and your dreams will come true. Allow yourself to be cloaked in the true
magic of the world.
To my darling Rika,
I would like you to do a few things for your grandmother while she’s away.
Every morning when you wake, I would like you to thank Mother Earth for what she has
given you. Just say thanks for the warm sun in spring, or the rain in June, or the snow in
winter; thank her for whatever you want, and thank her as many times as you want. And
when you go to the mountains or the sea, breathe the air in deeply and taste its
fragrance. Try to look at the stars and the moon every night and watch as many sunrises
and sunsets as you can.
Could you do these things for your grandma?
I won’t be seeing you for a long time, so please don’t stop doing these things when you
grow older.
Love,
Grandma
PS: Don’t eat so many chocolates; they will make you fat.
**
Kenichi placed the folder on Suzuki’s desk.
“Is it finished?” asked Suzuki.
“I have a few little bits to add, but basically it’s finished.”
Suzuki stared down at the folder for short while and then asked, “What have you
added?”
“I’ve combined the two reports I gave you before—the one predicting the killer
tsunami and the other that went into details about the defects of the Mark 1 BWR reactors.
I have also included a new report about how the Japanese government and TEPCO have
downplayed and withheld important information about the nuclear accident. It includes the
spread of radiation and the effects it will have on people.
Suzuki rubbed his hands over the stubs of brittle hair on his bald head. “You
know what this means, don’t you? Both you and I will lose our jobs and pensions.”
“Yes,” replied Kenichi.
“Who do you intend to give it to?”
“The international media.”
Suzuki’s mind wandered momentarily to the white sandy beaches of Hawaii,
where his dream of retirement had all but been lost. And then he refocused on Kenichi.
“Tell me what you have uncovered.”
Kenichi picked up the file and opened it. “I will skip the section that explains in
detail how the prime minister’s interference was seen as a major cause of the accident, as
you already know the details. Instead, I will start with the cover-ups. Our government is
responsible for withholding crucial information during and after the accident and is still
doing so. The citizens—not only of Japan but of the entire world—should be given
access.” Kenichi paused and turned the page. “The Number Four reactor is a ticking time
bomb. The reactor building has been so severely damaged that it is barely standing. The
spent fuel pool, which is located thirty meters above the ground, is holding 1,035 spent
fuel rods. These rods are not in any containment vessel but open to the air and are still
releasing radiation. If the fuel pool runs dry of water and the spent fuel rods catch on fire,
it will release fifty times the amount of radiation released by the Chernobyl reactor. The
plant will become so contaminated that it will become uninhabitable, and we will have no
choice but to abandon the plant. This will, in turn, lead to the failure of the cooling
systems for the other spent fuel pools in Reactors One, Two, and Three and also the
common spent fuel pool, which all together hold around 11,400 fuel rods. If these catch
fire, it will cause a global catastrophe, releasing so much radiation into the atmosphere that
Japan would become unlivable—as well as most of the Northern Hemisphere. Engineers
have just completed a survey of the Number Four reactor building, and the results indicate
that the building stands a zero chance of surviving a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. The
possibility of a magnitude 6.5 earthquake has been raised due to the discovery of a fault
line just south of the plant that has become active since the March 11 earthquake.” Kenichi
looked at Suzuki.
Suzuki rubbed his brow in frustration. “Continue.”
“This is no longer just a Japanese problem but a global one. We need the
international community’s help. Although the head office has drawn up plans to construct
a crane building over the remains of Unit Four, with a crane big enough to lift the one
hundred-ton canister necessary for storing the fuel rods, they estimate it will take three to
four years. The possibility of a magnitude 7 quake hitting during this time is extremely
high.”
Suzuki leaned back in his chair and sighed. “I have requested the project be
moved forward and completed as quickly as possible, but all I get is closed ears from the
Tokyo office. It seems that everyone is oblivious to the risk of a global catastrophe that
could change the very way we live. I have repeatedly called for an international team to be
formed to deal with the fuel pool in Reactor Four.” He stopped and fixed his eyes on
Kenichi. “Do you have more to add?”
Kenichi nodded. “For months after the accident, the government repeatedly
refused to admit there had been a meltdown, even though they were fully aware that it had
happened two days after the tsunami. They kept the disaster level at Level 5 for weeks
after the accident before raising it to a Level 7. This again allowed people in the
surrounding areas to believe the accident was not so severe, exposing them to high levels
of radiation. The government decided that exposing hundreds of thousands of people to
unacceptably high doses of radiation was better than having a mass exodus from the
surrounding areas. These unscrupulous men in Tokyo took it upon themselves to play
God with people’s lives. The CEO of TEPCO did not once visit the Daiichi plant during
or any time soon after the crisis.” He paused and sweat trickled down his forehead. “The
Japanese government, in conjunction with the American government, deliberately hid
information from the public. The Americans and Canadians shut down all their radiation
monitoring stations on the west coast just a week after the accident. They said that there
was no radiation reaching the coast; therefore, they didn’t need to keep monitoring. This
was while independent laboratories and universities were showing massive amounts of
radiation hitting the west coast. Just five days after the accident, xenon and krypton were
measured at 40,000 times above the normal level on the west coast.” His voice was loaded
with anger. “A report recently released in the US said this.” He took out a sheet of paper
and handed it to his boss.
Suzuki bent forward, his chin on his hands, and started to read.
MEDICAL JOURNAL ARTICLE: 14,000 US DEATHS TIED TO FUKUSHIMA
REACTOR DISASTER FALLOUT
‘Impact Seen As Roughly Comparable to Radiation-Related Deaths After Chernobyl;
Infants Are Hardest Hit, With Continuing Research Showing Even Higher Possible
Death Count.’
WASHINGTON, DC – December 19, 2011. An estimated 14,000 excess deaths in the
United States are linked to the radioactive fallout from the disaster at the Fukushima
nuclear reactors in Japan, according to a major news article in the December 2011 edition
of the International Journal of Health Services.
This is the first peer-reviewed study
published in a medical journal documenting the health hazards of Fukushima.
Authors Joseph Mangano and Janette Sherman note that their estimate of 14,000 excess
US deaths in the fourteen weeks after the Fukushima meltdowns is comparable to the
16,500 excess deaths in the seventeen weeks after the Chernobyl meltdown in 1986. The
rise in reported deaths after Fukushima was largest among US infants under age one. The
2010-2011 increase for infant deaths in the spring was 1.8 percent, compared to a
decrease of 8.37 percent in the preceding fourteen weeks.
The IJHS article will be published Tuesday and will be available online as of eleven a.m.
EST at http://www.radiation.org.
Just six days after the disastrous meltdowns struck the four reactors at Fukushima on
March 11, scientists detected the plume of toxic fallout had arrived over American
shores. Subsequent measurements by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
found levels of radiation in air, water, and milk hundreds of times above normal across
the US. The highest detected levels of Iodine-131 in precipitation in the US were as
follows (normal is about 2 picocuries I-131 per liter of water): Boise, ID (390); Kansas
City, MO (200); Salt Lake City, UT (190); Jacksonville, FL (150); Olympia, WA (125);
and Boston, MA (92) …’
Suzuki stopped and looked up at Suzuki. His breathing was hard, and he fought to control
his temper. “My God! What have we done? Fourteen thousand deaths in America alone.
How many more in Japan and other countries will there be?”
Kenichi’s face burned red. “The Japanese government’s medical establishment
has not released the annual death rates for Fukushima in the areas around the plant for
months!” he roared.
“Calm down,” said Suzuki.
Kenichi took a few deep breaths to quell his anger. “May I continue?”
Suzuki nodded.
“There seems to be a concerted effort by the nuclear industry—the NRC
(Nuclear Regulatory Commission), IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), JAEA
(Japan Atomic Energy Agency), and the NISA (The Japanese Nuclear Regulatory
Commission)—to deliberately downplay what happened at Fukushima. There is a
deliberate worldwide push by these and other agencies to downplay the effects of low-
level radiation exposure. A recent report, called BEIR V, cites that long periods of low-
level radiation exposure are far more dangerous than a short high dose of exposure. Its
research found that children and young women were more at risk of cancer than men or
elderly people. It reported that young girls and infants were the most vulnerable to
radiation exposure and had a five to ten times more chance of developing cancer.”
Kenichi took a deep breath and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Our
government has raised the allowable annual dosage from 1 mSv a year to 20 mSv a year.
A report found that the mortality rate increased significantly among workers at nuclear
plants who were exposed to 4 mSv per year, just one-fifth of the level set for Fukushima.
The radiation in Fukushima will primarily kill young women and children.” Kenichi
stopped and thought of his own two children. Both had just been tested for thyroid
cancer, and lumps had been found in both of their necks. He cleared his throat. “One
thousand out of 3,000 children tested for thyroid cancer in Itate village, Fukushima, thirty-
nine kilometers from the Daiichi plant, and have lumps in their thyroids—one-third—and
not even a year has gone by. The NRC estimates that Fukushima released 200% as much
radioactive iodine as Chernobyl.”
Suzuki laid his face in his hands and moaned. “What have we done?”
“Shall I continue?” asked Kenichi.
Suzuki nodded without looking up.
“The radiation is spreading!”
“What do you mean?” asked Suzuki.
“Recent data shows that cesium fallout equals 4,023 Hiroshima bombs. That
cesium is being washed off the mountains in Fukushima and into the rivers. Four main
rivers for drinking water originate in Fukushima or drain water from Fukushima. Naka
and Kuji Rivers that feed into Ibaraki Prefecture, the Abukuma River that supplies Sendai,
and the Arakawa River that provides a large portion of Tokyo’s water. Cesium has been
detected in all these rivers. The cesium then spreads along these rivers, contaminating
farmland further downstream—sometimes hundreds of kilometers away. Cesium,
strontium, and cobalt, as well as other radioactive particles, have been found along the
rivers where they hadn’t been found a few months ago. Eventually, these particles flow
into the ocean and the marine life is contaminated. Fish recently caught forty kilometers
off the coast of Fukushima were found to have 38,000 becquerels of cesium per kilo of
meat. The government safety level is 50 becquerels. Cesium was recently found in the fish
in the Sea of Japan, which was previously thought to be safe.” Kenichi paused and turned
the page. “In one city, around fifty kilometers from here, they found the radiation level of
the sludge at the bottom of the pond in the center of the city to be 300,000 times higher
than normal.”
“What?” exclaimed Suzuki.
“Yes, 300,000 becquerels per kilogram. The tributaries that flow through the
pond originate higher up in the mountains where contaminated soil is washed into them.”
“Are you sure of the figure? It seems exceedingly high,” said Suzuki.
“I’m sure,” replied Kenichi, turning the page. “There is also evidence that the
underground water tables have been contaminated, some of which travel for thousands of
kilometers underground.” Kenichi paused and looked at Suzuki. “It gets worse,” he said.
Suzuki rolled his eyes. “What could be worse?”
“A scientific study recently found that the flowers of the male cedar tree in
Fukushima have extremely high levels of cesium, and when spring comes, it will be
released with the pollen into the air. This will increase the level of cesium in the air by ten
to a hundred times. Fukushima’s mountains are covered with cedar trees as well as the
rest of Japan; they estimate that Fukushima Prefecture alone has 250 million cedar trees.”
“Are you sure?” asked Suzuki.
“Yes, and let me quote what was published in the Japanese media. The Japan
Times reported,
‘Extremely high radiation of more than 250,000 becquerels per kilogram have
been detected in the male flowers of cedar trees…’
NHK, the national television station reported,
‘The agency reports this is not a great health hazard, as it is only about ten times
what a person would be exposed to from background radiation in Tokyo’s Shinjuku
ward.’”
“Has the government ordered a health warning?” asked Suzuki.
“No! They are saying there is nothing to worry about. There is no health hazard.”
Suzuki sat there with a stunned look on his face. “Nothing? There’s no health
warning?” he asked again.
Kenichi shook his head. “And this will happen for the next 200 years or so—the
trees sucking up the cesium from the soil and releasing it with the pollen into the air.” He
stopped momentarily as a shot of contempt ran through him. “There is more.”
“Go on,” said Suzuki.
“The government has decided to burn material that is contaminated with
radiation.”
“Burn it?” he said, sitting up straight. “That’ll send it back up into the atmosphere
and it’ll spread farther.”
“That’s right,” said Kenichi. “They should bury it in a regulated depository and
leave it for 300 years. Our country’s solution is very different from that of other
countries. We will dilute contaminated material 1,000 to 1 with clean material and then
burn them. However, this causes two problems—some is released into the air and some
remains as ash.”
“They should bury the ash,” said Suzuki.
“Yes, they should. But instead they are dumping some of it in Tokyo Bay as
landfill.”
“I thought the dumping of radioactive waste into the ocean was prohibited by the
London Convention,” said Suzuki.
“It is, but our government seems to think that dumping it into Tokyo Bay as
landfill is not in violation of the international treaty.”
“That’s outrageous. People in the surrounding area will be unnecessarily
exposed,” said Suzuki. “How many tonnes of debris were generated by the tsunami?”
“Twenty-five million tonnes.”
“Where do they plan to burn such vast amounts?” asked Suzuki.
“It’s impossible to burn it all in the tsunami hit areas, so they have requested
other prefectures accept some of debris.”
“What? Accept it and burn it?” Suzuki asked with a look of disbelief on his face.
“That’s right, further spreading the radiation throughout Japan.”
Suzuki shook his head slowly. “That’s insanity. They need to contain it, not
spread it. What prefectures have agreed to this?”
“Not many because of opposition from the citizens groups. Although Tokyo was
the first to accept contaminated material.”
Suzuki shook his head again. “How much more is in the report?”
Kenichi leafed through the report. “They have decided to reopen some of the
towns and villages within the twenty- to thirty-kilometer evacuation zone.”
Suzuki stood up and motioned for the report, and Kenichi handed it to him.
“Kawauchi village, that’s located just twenty-three kilometers from here. Does the
government realize that radiation is still escaping from the damaged reactors—10 million
becquerels per hour of radioactive cesium? The accident is far from contained.” Suzuki’s
temper flared and he had difficulty controlling his voice. “That…make-believe…statement
TEPCO and the government published in December about the reactors achieving cold
shutdown is absolutely absurd. Cold shutdown is when a reactor is safely put into
shutdown with its fuel rods intact and the cooling systems operational.” He stopped and
took a few gasps of air to cool his temper. “Does the government have any idea what is
going on? They seem to be like ostriches with their heads stuck in the ground:
everything’s OK if we can’t see it.” Blood gushed into his face, and he slammed his fist
on the desk. “I’m going to hit the next government official who says, ‘ It’s OK! There’s
nothing to worry about!’”
Kenichi flinched. He had never seen his boss so angered, but he liked what he
was hearing. “They say they have decontaminated the area.”
Suzuki wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand, gave the report
back to Kenichi, and sat down. “How did they do that?” he asked flatly. The physical
outburst of hitting the desk had calmed Suzuki’s rage.
Kenichi picked up the file and flicked it open. “They have removed five to ten
centimeters of topsoil from schools, parks, public areas, and routes children take to
school. Also they have washed the insides of public offices, schools, and hospitals and
are planning to wash the exterior of every house in the village with high pressure water.”
“So where does the runoff go?” asked Suzuki.
Kenichi shrugged. “Into the rivers I guess.”
“And the contaminated soil?”
Kenichi turned a page and studied the report. “They’re still stored in the village—
some in cement casing but most in vinyl sacks. It seems the government is finding it
difficult to find a place to store the contaminated soil, as no one wants it anywhere near
them. An area near Satomi village, Ibaraki prefecture has just been approved for the
construction of a disposal site for the contaminated soil and debris from the Daiichi plant;
thus moving it to around 120 km from Tokyo.”
“The whole thing is ridiculous. Don’t they understand that when the wind blows
contaminated soil will be carried from the surrounding area? It’ll cover the decontaminated
areas, and the dust will be inhaled into the villagers’ lungs.”
Suzuki let out a long sigh. “Has anyone said they will return to the village?”
Kenichi studied the report for a few seconds and then said, “The village had a
population of 3,000 before the accident. One hundred and sixty people have already
returned. Fourteen percent say they will return in April 2013, and another 14 percent say
they will return after three years, depending on the radiation level. Sixty-eight percent said
they have no intention of returning.”
Suzuki leaned back in his chair. “Anything else in the report?”
“Much more,” he replied, turning a page.
“Go on. Let’s hear it!”
Kenichi cleared his throat. “There was a case a few months ago of a primary
school in another prefecture that gave their students green tea powder to gargle. The tea is
given every year, as it is supposed to protect the children against influenza. The problem
is the leaves that were used to make the tea powder had been tested and found to be
contaminated. But the school and local governments wanted to show everyone their
products were safe for consumption. They chose profit over the safety of the children.”
“Fools!” cursed Suzuki.
Kenichi nodded. “A nuclear worker, whose job it is supervising the construction
of a new facility to extract radioactive materials such as cesium and strontium from the
contaminated water used to cool the plant’s crippled reactors, is rumored to have posted
on the web that they are leaking highly radioactive water into the ocean. He said that they
have 250,000 tonnes of radioactive water stored at the plant and it is impossible to store
any more.” He stopped and eyed Suzuki.
“Does the head office know about this?”
Kenichi nodded slowly.
“Why haven’t we been informed?”
Kenichi shrugged his shoulders. “They said it was only a rumor.”
“Do you know what this rumor actually stated?” asked Suzuki.
“Yes, he posted the following: “Everyone there knows that the amount of water
is huge but does not speak about it. Anyone who works there understands that nothing
can be done except to leak the water! Everyone criticizes North Korea for its missile
launch. But what about Japanese morality? The contamination will spread all over the
world, reaching to Kamchatka, Hawaii, and the US soon.”
He paused and looked up. “At the end, he said, You know, in Japan, there is
‘honne’ (honest feeling) and ‘tatemae’ (polite-face). Our tatemae is that we are doing our
utmost to stop the leakage of contamination, and our honne is that we are dumping
massive amounts of contaminated water into the ocean.” Kenichi stopped and turned a
few pages. “A large a