Monday, July 25, 2011

Japan's Decision to Let its Citizens Die


Perhaps the most poignant illustration of the Japanese government’s decisionality to allow the death of Japans citizenry is illustrated in a video of a July 19 meeting held by government officials with Fukushima citizens (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVuGwc9dlhQ).

In the video, a spokesperson for the people of Fukushima repeatedly asks, “As other people do, people in Fukushima have a right to avoid the radiation exposure and live a healthy life, too. Don’t you think so?”

The government official, Akira Satoh, Director of the Local Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters, responds, “The government has tried to reduce the radiation exposure dose as much as it can.”

The spokesperson presses, “So, are you saying that they don’t? they have that right, don’t they?” The government official responds, “I don’t know if they have that right.”

The Fukushima spokesperson then queries, “Do you mean that there is a difference in the radiation exposure standards between fukushima prefecture and other prefectures?” Mr. Satoh, the director, responds, “What I am saying is, the government has tried to reduce the radication [sic] exposure dose as much as it can.”

The audience reacts, disgruntled by the evasiveness and their spokesperson again presses, “The government isn’t applying a different standard to people in fukushima, is it?” Mr. Satoh concludes tersely, “I have already said all I could say.”

The government officials then left amidst audience members crying out that they want their children’s urine tested for radioactivity. The audience demanded also to know why the Soviets were able to evacuate over 200,000 children within 2 weeks of the disaster yet Japan, a “free society” fails to protect its citizenry. There were no answers from the departing officials.



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