Dear journalists and editors,
A Fukushima survivor today presents evidence to the UN Commission for Human
Rights of human rights abuses by the Japanese government. This comes just days
after
citizens won the biggest class action against TEPCO - the utility that
operated the Fukushima nuclear power plant 6 years ago. Press release, photos -
including a protest outside the commission - are below.
Best regards,
Tristan
-----
Fukushima survivor submits evidence to UN over Japanese
government human rights abuses
Geneva, 12 October 2017 - Fukushima
survivor Mitsuko Sonoda will testify today on the ongoing human rights abuses of
Fukushima victims and the ever-present risk nuclear power plants pose to the
communities that live near them at the United Nations Human Rights Council. She
is presenting evidence at the pre-session for Japan’s Universal Periodic Review
- an assessment of every nation by the United Nations Commission for Human
Rights.
Ms. Mitsuko Sonoda was forced her to flee her home in order to
protect her then 10-year-old son in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster in
Fukushima. Since then, she and other mothers have been standing up to fight for
themselves and their children.
“I want to tell the world we haven’t had
our human rights respected since the disaster. I don’t want this to happen to
anyone else in any other countries,” said Mitsuko Sonoda. “I know so many
mothers who have been suffering and struggling as a result of the nuclear
disaster, because the Japanese government and TEPCO won’t admit to their
responsibilities.”
Despite residents’ opposition and the fact that there
are areas in Fukushima Prefecture that remain too contaminated for people to
safely live [1], the Japanese government has moved forward with lifting
evacuation orders and pushing for nuclear restarts.[2] Evacuees from
contaminated areas that were not under a mandatory evacuation order lost
housing support in March 2017 [3]. In March 2018, former residents from those
areas will lose what remains of their compensation.
Since the Fukushima
nuclear accident, the Japanese government and global nuclear interest
organisations such as the IAEA have sought to understate the impacts of the
disaster on the nuclear industry at the expense of its victims [4].
“The
Japanese Government’s resettlement policies not only fail to meet obligations
under multiple human rights treaties, but also clearly violate Japan’s own
domestic law regarding the treatment of people impacted by the nuclear
disaster,” said Kendra Ulrich, Senior Global Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace
Japan.
“Although most Fukushima nuclear evacuees meet the criteria for
consideration as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the Japanese government
has refused to acknowledge them as such and ignored international frameworks for
their protection.”[5]
Mitsuko Sonoda speaks today not only on behalf of
herself, but for all those impacted by the Fukushima nuclear accident and the
Japanese government’s response to it. Global nuclear interests have been
involved in influencing the Japanese government’s resettlement policies and what
happens to Fukushima impacted peoples has implications for all those who are
living near nuclear reactors the world over.
People like Jinseop Lee, who
lives in Gijang, South Korea, which has eight nuclear power plants within a 10km
radius. Mr. Lee and his family have serious health problems and they worry about
the nuclear reactors nearby. “We want to debunk the myth that nuclear power
plants are 'safe',” said Mr. Lee. “Local people don’t really know what nuclear
power plants are, so nuclear operators cause and use the conflicts among the
local people to create a myth of safety. Nuclear phaseout must be achieved in
our generation.”
Greenpeace Japan is calling on the Japanese government
to rectify the issues with its troubled nuclear reconstruction policy and to
respect Fukushima survivors’ treaty-protected human rights, including ensuring
accurate and transparent information is accessible, survivors have the ability
to fully participate in policy decision-making that affects their resettlement
and health, and adequate continued compensation so people may freely choose
whether they will remain evacuated or return to their former homes.
[ENDS]
Notes to Editors:Photos can be found
here.
[1]
“
No
Return to Normal”, 2017
[2
Japan’s
regulator grants safety approval to TEPCO’s first reactor restart see also:
The
Official Report of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Investigation Commission;
The National Diet of Japan.
[3]
Fukushima
evacuees face 'forced' return as subsidies withdrawn[4]
The
IAEA Fukushima Daiichi Accident Summary Report: A preliminary
analysis[5]
Returning
home after Fukushima: Displacement from a nuclear disaster and international
guidelines for internally displaced personsMedia
Contacts:Chisato Jono, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Japan:
chisat...@greenpeace.org,
Mobile:
+81 80(6558) 4446, +41 77(9590) 537 (Switzerland until 13
October)
Kendra Ulrich, Senior Global Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace
Japan:
kendra...@greenpeace.org
Mobile:
+81 90 (6478) 5408Greenpeace International Press Desk,
pressd...@greenpeace.org,
phone:
+31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)
--
Tristan Tremschnig
Communications Hub Manager | Asia
Pacific
Ecological North West
Line * St. Petersburg, Russia