A Voice from Fukushima at the UN

A girl in grade 7:

30 October 2012

After the accident at the nuclear power plants, as I watched TV and heard someone talking about it, I became a little bit worried that I might become ill in 10 years or so, but wasn’t very cautious.

But, now I’ve learnt and I have 3 things I am worried about.

No.1. I’m worried if I can have a healthy baby like a normal woman when I grow up and get married. My mum looks after me very well. She asks my school to keep me indoors during PE lessons. As much as she can, she buys food from far way places in Japan and abroad. She is so thoughtful. But, I think I already have a bit of radiation inside of my body. So, maybe my body is more polluted than a normal person’s. I think of the possibility of my baby to be born with some defects. If I’m not lucky enough, maybe, my womb is damaged, and I might not be able to have a baby at all. So, I’m ready for giving up having a baby when I get old.

No.2. I’m worried about what will happen to Fukushima in the future. I love my mum and dad very much. They live in Fukushima. My friends, Grandma and Grandpa live in Fukushima, too. I really want all of us to move to somewhere else far away from here, but we can’t. My Mum is so kind that she sends me to the rest and recuperation programmes, but many of my friends don’t go because their mums don’t allow them. I’m worried about my health. I am worried even more about the health of my friends’ and that of the people who are important to me. I’m worried the most about my mum. She’s been trying very hard to keep me safe. Recently, I had a dream where people in Fukushima die in a few years because of radiation. This scares me a lot. These scary thoughts keep me awake at night. I hope this dream won’t come true.

No.3. although the people in the government know we are suffering, but they don’t do anything. I’m passed feeling sad and now feel very angry about them. They don’t protect our lives. People in Fukushima are suffering because of the nuclear power plants making electricity for the people in Tokyo. And, I think it’s wrong the government doesn’t do anything to help us and pretend they don’t know anything about us. Not only the government, but the Fukushima local government also doesn’t do anything. I want to tell them, “you pretend you are a victim, but actually you are guilty too”.

Lastly, people from all over the world are thinking of us, but I say, they don’t know much about the danger of having nuclear power. I want to tell them about the danger of radiation and ask them never to repeat the same mistake.

I am grateful to the things I learnt. It helped me think through these things.

http://www.save-children-from-radiation.org/2013/01/23/letters-from-fukushima-children-read-at-un/