Japanese Government disengages its support to Fukushima victims

As the political class pushes for reactor restarts, their commitment towards Fukushima has turned to outright betrayal.

Starting in 2016 local governments will be forced to pay for part of the reconstruction costs.

Last week the central government announced they plan to reopen any area below 50 mSv/year for people to return by 2017. There have also been problems with animals forcing their way in or thieves ransacking homes.

The government also announced that they would terminate compensation payments for all evacuees except those from the “difficult to return zone” by 2018. There is no consideration being given to the prospect of these people having a functioning home to return to or not.

Asahi Shimbun made this comment about the issue:

“However, it is not clear whether radiation levels will drop as expected by March 2018. Even if evacuation orders remain in place because of delays in decontamination work, the compensation payments will still end in 2018 for the two zones, the sources said.”

Efforts to decontaminate many places in the evacuation zone has proven futile. Some areas defied decontamination attempts, others recontaminated as runoff from forests and other areas migrated back in. In previous years the government had said they would not do further follow up decontamination in many areas, telling residents to just accept living in the higher areas. The government statement that compensation payments would end even if decontamination work had not been completed brings the entire plan full circle.

The government has however decided to give businesses a one year extension on compensation payments.

Compounding all of this will be the individual situation of many evacuees. Towns that have reopened so far only saw a small number of residents return.

What will ultimately happen to these people as aid is taken away while the evacuation areas remain unsafe and there is no plan to rebuild their damaged homes remains to be seen. 

Sources :

Quake-hit Tohoku areas to share reconstruction costs starting next April

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/12/national/quake-hit-tohoku-areas-share-reconstruction-costs-starting-next-april/#.VVzInEZZNBS

LDP Wants To Reopen Much Of Evacuation Zone By 2017

http://www.fukuleaks.org/web/?p=14745

Fukushima may end free housing for voluntary nuclear evacuees in 2017

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/18/national/fukushima-may-end-free-accommodations-voluntary-nuclear-evacuees-2017/#.VVzIqEZZNBR

Ministry plans to end TEPCO compensation to 55,000 Fukushima evacuees in 2018

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201505190055

Survey: Large majority of Fukushima evacuees have family members with health problems

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201505190054

May 20, 2015 - Posted by dunrenard | Uncategorized