What we haven't been told
On the lack of clear information delivered by politicians and the media following the 3.11 Great East Disaster.
Embedded Files
Background image: Open-access photograph by Hajime NAKANO, showing a Japanese newspaper page photographed during his volunteer activities in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident. Source: Flickr. License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
We were lucky to interview Takako Itoh. Her testimony is not that of someone who experienced the disaster, but of someone who witnessed its effect through her family and friends experience, as well as through the media coverage at the time, about which she has strong opinions.
Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan
About Itoh-San:
About Itoh-San:
I am Takako Itoh. I was born on August 30, 1958, in Ōmagari City (now part of Daisen City). I grew up in Ōmagari City. I married and then moved to Kitashiobara Village in Fukushima Prefecture. My husband is from Fukushima Prefecture. I'm now 67 years old. My husband is 71. We live together in Akita.
[When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck], I was working on the 8th floor of the building. It shook very violently. And since it was the company building, back then, we had fingerprint authentication. I thought if the door did not open, I'd be in trouble, so I opened the door first. And then, the really big copier almost fell over, so I held onto it. And the earthquake was so big that everyone ended up crawling under desks and such. While we were doing that, the power went out, and it lasted quite a while. Because of the earthquake, everyone was at a loss, not knowing what to do. That was the reality. It was truly thanks to my years of experience that I could open the door and support the large printer that was about to fall over; younger people probably wouldn't understand, but we were taught to do those things immediately.
"It feels like we were lied to. That's what I thought, and I still think that."
On the mediatic and political response:
On the mediatic and political response:
"The information the government gave us about the nuclear plant, it really made me angry. Being lied to like that, when I wanted proper information. I still think they shouldn't hide things. My children lived in Sendai, and my friend went to Fukushima City. I heard that story a little while later: when they set up a radiation detector, the needle went off because the radiation was so high. They said it was even in their own house, in their garden. So, hiding information like that, we find it very hard to believe, especially in the information society we live in now. So then even in the areas hit by the Tohoku earthquake, they weren't told about it at first. And then, as time passed, it appeared that the nuclear plant had apparently had an accident. It really took a long time for it to become clear that this is what happened. You know, the news was saying something, but the government's official statements were saying something completely different. We think they were probably lying. The government didn't know anything either, and their response was incredibly slow, so it felt like the people on the ground were the ones really doing the work. You see it and think, their awareness is just different. Honestly, in this day and age, I just can't believe this kind of thing is actually happening. It feels like we were lied to. That's what I thought, and I still think that."
A message from Itoh-San to the younger generation:
"Something I can convey is not to hesitate to disagree. Everybody just agrees, just goes “Oh yeah” when someone says something. But that’s not progress. I don’t mind being disliked, so I’m saying things that show how I feel them, I express opposing views, and the critical thoughts I have day-to-day, even if it might go into the air. That’s something I’ve cultivated myself.
When I was in elementary school, my teacher told me "You guys will struggle once you enter society". Growing up in the middle of a rice field, right in the middle of the Senboku Plain, such a peaceful place, I thought, "What's the teacher talking about?" But after getting married and moving out of the prefecture, I really understand what he meant. The world isn't peaceful. That is why I changed."
If you want to read the full interview:
If you want to read the full interview:
More Information
・朝日新聞デジタル：米の放射線実測図、政府が放置 原発事故避難に生かさず - 東日本大震災 (Japanese)
・Japan sat on US data that showed radiation spread - Taipei Times (English)
・原子力発電所事故等により福島県から避難している児童生徒に対するいじめの状況等の確認に係るフォローアップ結果について（平成29年4月11日現在） (Japanese)
To Know More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRgXRSniTHg&t=12s&pp=ygUf5p2x5pel5pys5aSn6ZyH54G9IOadvuacrOWkp-iHow%3D%3D
The Reconstruction Minister issued orders to the prefectural governor in a condescending manner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuXW2pq014I&pp=ygUc5p2x5pel5pys5aSn6ZyH54G9IOiPhee3j-eQhg%3D%3D
Evacuees angrily accuses the Prime Minister of ignoring them and demands to learn more about the local situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvw4qQfv5Us&pp=ygUw5p2x5pel5pys5aSn6ZyH54G944CA6YG_6Zuj5rCR44G444Gu6Kq56KyX5Lit5YK30gcJCSkKAYcqIYzv
Division between Tsunami victims and nuclear power plant evacuees about money
Meet Our Team
Meet Our Team
From left to right on the picture:
Takako Itoh, our interviewee.
Itoh San's Husband, who was there during the interview, and was a precious help in adding information.
Lina Calvarin, a French AIU Exchange Student.
Kazuma Susaki, a Senior AIU Student.
Lee Friederich, our professor in JAS300, and the leader of this 3.11 First Person Narrative Project.
Direct Voice of Kazuma Susaki
It was very interesting for me to interview Itoh-san and learn about what happened when the earthquake struck the coast of Japan. Before the interview, I already knew about the government's response after the earthquake, so I didn't have a good impression of the Japanese government at the time. However, unlike me, who was living in Kanagawa prefecture, Itoh-san had a deep connection with the area devastated by the earthquake, tsunami, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. Therefore, during the interview, I strongly felt her negative emotion towards the government and media. Plus, it was also interesting to know about the connection between natural disasters and pachinko, as well as the division in Fukushima prefecture between those who received compensation after the nuclear accident and those who did not. Overall, I enjoyed interviewing Itoh-san, and I recommend that you read the entire interview transcript.
References
Nakano, H. (2012, March 25). Volunteer at Minamisoma (Fukushima pref.) [Photograph]. Flickr. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). https://www.flickr.com/photos/jetalone/6866822020/
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