I had to take some time off from reading about Fukushima things. However, after a 6.1 jolt in the bay where my town sits, I'm ready again to keep current on the stressful news and conflicts coming from Fukushima and the government's handling of the problem.
I've been reading the Facebook stati of the new JETs, I was shocked that they were shocked that they were feeling earthquakes. I surely thought that the subject of aftershocks and radiation concerns would be high on the lists of subjects talked about in the various orientations. However, when I asked about it, one girl answered that nobody mentioned almost daily aftershocks. I'm not surprised as the JET Program is sponsored by the Japanese government. But not only that, I had read this article about Japanese government hiring private contractors to cleanse the internet of bad Fukushima radiation news. The article mentions that certain blogs and tweeters in Japanese have already had their service interrupted.
What does this have to do with Fukushima, radiation concerns, Hamaoka nuclear plant concerns, contaminated beef, rice, tea, seafood, vegetables from Northern Japan? Well, it has to do with lies that preserve the appearance of tranquility, while later you find out that things are not entirely how they were presented to you. And since the government is not doing enough to protect its people, it means that everyone needs to be aware of what's going on.
Some of my favorite childhood memories are playing in the waves in Southern California beaches. One of the biggest reasons that I loved living in Shizuoka, was the proximity to beach parties. However, I have barely stuck but a foot in the beach that's a 10 minute walk from my house. A friend of mine said to me "radiation in the sea, that's so March!". Ya, he's a funny guy, and he's cool with going in the water. Perhaps it's my own fault for having too many activist friends who consistently post news stories, videos, and translations of twitter accounts from Fukushima victims. Perhaps the daily reminders of how the problems from March 11th are affecting my opinions and actions during daily life too much.
But, i know it's not only me. At Fuji Rock, Kazuyoshi Saito performed his anti-nuclear song "Zutto Uso Datta", not once, but twice, just to make his point more clear. Zutto Uso Datta.
There are Youtube videos with pleas from the local people in Fukushima who are reporting the conditions of their daily lifes, and are seeking support from both the national and international communities. In this one, a mother talks about how the children are overheated in the classrooms without air-conditioning, and the school does not let them open the window.If you'd like to read a closer explanation of the video, please read the article Distressed Fukushima Citizens Issue Global Appeal to Support Evacuation Plea
I was a little weary of this video that has been passed around my friends on Facebook. I didn't pass it on, because I felt there wasn't enough background information to fully understand the context of this conversation. I felt it was sensational, and a bit extreme. However, everyone is able to make their own judgments about what they watch and read.
UPDATE:Aug. 4
Prof. Kodama Angry about Japanese Gov.'s Gross Negligence (Part 1)
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