Disaster Victims Rattled by Prime Minister Abe’s Utterance By JUNICHI FUJIMOTO
March 29, 2013
Junichi Fujimoto was born in 1958. He is a journalist. After working for newspapers and magazines, he became a freelance journalist. Since 2003, he writes a series of political articles published under the heading of “Nagata-cho Waido-sho” for the daily newspaper “Tokyo Sports”. Among other books, he wrote “Nagata-cho Kitan (Curious Incidents at Nagata-cho)”(Fusosha Publishing). His blog is: http://fujimoto-junichi.blogspot.jp/
On the 24th, while visiting Koriyama City, one of the disaster-affected areas in Fukushima Prefecture, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said before media crews that “It’s the government’s task to curb rumors. I will initiate appropriate policies and put them into execution.”
Assuming an attitude which stresses the need for curbing the damage caused by the nuclear disaster is all right, but it is almost impossible to repress “rumors” in an unchanged situation of radioactive leaks. The consumers’ mindset is complex. It is not enough to just add to the ongoing scientific debate. The most important thing is that those who are supposed to ensure safety namely politicians and the administration prove to be reliable.
Far from that, about the restarting of nuclear power plants, the same day Prime Minister Abe said: “once more I had the occasion to be reminded of the damage caused by the disaster and its consequences. Bearing this in mind, I would like to make decisions based upon safety premises.” He went on saying that, “if there is no regular and cheap electricity supply, the effort for recovery is going to be difficult.”It appears as if the restarting of nuclear power plants is the sine qua non of the disaster recovery support. As has been witnessed before, again Prime Minister Abe has harmed the population with such a gratuitous utterance.
On the 25th , as to the treatment reserved to the Japan Nuclear Safety Commission member, Etsuko Akiba, who has been receiving funds from Electric Companies, the Chef Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga said that there’s no need for her to resign since ”there’s no hindrance that a JAEC member work as a consultant for an NPO.” Even when pleading that safety will be assured, politicians or the administration can hardly persuade the public in their plan to restart nuclear power plants with such a stance. People who have been spreading rumors and fears about radioactivity are certainly rejoicing.
In April, Prime Minister Abe established the “Council for Hometown Promotion” (tentative) composed of members of private bodies involved in reconstruction activities and local communities. Under Prime Minister Abe’s previous cabinet was enacted the Basic Education Law which aimed at “nurturing the love for our country and our local community”. As of the school year 2013-14, judo, kendo, and dance classes became compulsory. One can hardly resist jokingly asking if such a move aims at introducing the love of punishment in schools?
Nice expressions like the love for the country or for one’s hometown can be lined up, but a compulsory love will hardly resonate in people’s hearts. At least, isn’t the “love” supposed to soothe people, mothers and their children who fear radiation in disaster-affected regions that is the most in need?
Excerpt from the blog “Fujimoto Junichi ga ‘Seiji wo Yomitoku”
(Translated from Japanese by Willy Lukebana Toko)
※Top Page Photo：National Diet Building（Wikimedia Commons より)
