nuclear-news

Anxiety over radiation causes young Japanese to emigrate

Foreigners tended to assume Japan had bounced back from the triple disaster, and in some areas that was true. But many Japanese now had, for the first time, a deep distrust of their government. The extent of the radiation release from the Fukushima plant, and the barrage of significant aftershocks, have been sources of stress for the Japanese

 a woman in her early 40s, said she wanted to take her family to Australia or New Zealand because of the danger of radiation from the Fukushima disaster and the prospect of another quake.

 some radiation-conscious and well-researched New Lifers have even questioned Australia as a destination because it has a nuclear reactor

Quake, nuke, economy fears chase Japanese overseas BY: RICK WALLACE, TOKYO CORRESPONDENT  The Australian November 20, 2012  NEW figures reveal the number of Japanese leaving their homeland for a life abroad has more than tripled in the wake of last year’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident. The number of Japanese living abroad jumped by more than 40,000 in the year to October last year, according to the latest Ministry of Foreign Affairs figures – more than three times the normal rate of growth.

Next year the number is likely to climb further, as travel industry
research indicates passport issuance is growing sharply.

Worries about radiation, predictions of another devastating quake and
diminishing opportunities in Japan’s economically depressed and
rapidly ageing society are driving young families and singles and
wealthy retirees abroad.

In insular and conservative Japan, this increase is attracting attention……
Many ….. were motivated by radiation or earthquake worries or had
more general concerns about the future of Japan….. people tend to
want to live in a place where you can feel that the future is going to
be better than the past…..
all love Japan a lot, but they have come to the conclusion it’s better
for them to leave.”

Foreigners tended to assume Japan had bounced back from the triple disaster, and in some areas that was true. But many Japanese now had, for the first time, a deep distrust of their government.

The extent of the radiation release from the Fukushima plant, and the barrage of significant aftershocks, have been sources of stress for the Japanese, while despair at the nation’s dysfunctional politics and
economic weakness permeates the community.

The analogy of a sinking ship springs easily to mind when you consider
coastal land in many towns on the Tohoku coast has subsided as much as
1.5m following the magnitude 9 quake and tsunami.

Although it accounts for just 2 per cent of the world’s land mass,
Japan experiences more than 10 per cent of its earthquakes. One
prospective emigrant, who spoke to The Australian after attending an
AER World seminar, said he and his family were worried about
predictions of another massive quake and had decided to leave Japan.

“I feel for the first time that Japan is not safe any more,” he said……
Another attendee, a woman in her early 40s, said she wanted to take her family to Australia or New Zealand because of the danger of radiation from the Fukushima disaster and the prospect of another quake.

A Japanese garden designer by trade, she also declined to give her
name, citing the risk of discrimination among her peer group about her
“abandoning” her home country. “I can’t talk about my desire to move
because rumours will just spread around so easily,” she said.

“And we can’t openly talk about the nuclear disaster – just among
close friends really. But I have started taking action and if it goes
smoothly we will be leaving.”

According to Mr Omori, some radiation-conscious and well-researched New Lifers have even questioned Australia as a destination because it has a nuclear reactor – the tiny (in world terms) research reactor at
Lucas Heights in southern Sydney…..
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/quake-nuke-economy-fears-chase-japanese-overseas/story-e6frg6so-1226519907016

November 21, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics, social effects