C

What happened on that day?
No matter how hard I try to recall it, all that comes to mind is a vague memory of it
having been scary, maybe because I was still very young then. Eleven years have passed
since the Great East Japan Earthquake and TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Station Accident. We have grown, and are now senior high school students. Am I going tostay in Fukushima in the future? Or am I going to leave? I have no idea. No matter whichpath I take, I just hope the future of my hometown will be filled with happiness andcontinue to carry my fond memories.
I wanted to find out more about what happened, so I learned. I learned about thedisaster that occurred eleven years ago, the current revitalization efforts, and thechallenges and tasks that lie ahead of us. And, I pondered: what can we do? We will be
the leading actors in the next generation. I would like to share with you, mycontemporaries, what I learned.

O

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E

N

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Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ①

P3〜P4

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: present and future

P5〜P6

Continually increasing ALPS treated water

P7〜P8“Where is the decommissioning of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station headed? ”

P9“What is the future regarding radioactive waste?”

P10

A walk around Suttsu Town, Hokkaido

P11〜P12The issue of ﬁnal disposal of radioactive waste:
How do we deepen residentsʼ understanding?

P13〜P14“Nuclear Fuel Cycle” Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture

P15〜P16

Learning about decommissioning issues and what action to take for the future

P17〜P18

Checking things for oneself, and taking ownership of issues

P19〜P20

Feature “Fukushima in my thoughts”

P21〜P30

Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ②
Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ③
Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ④

Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ⑤

Your home town never leaves your heart, even when youʼre away.

Round Table Discussion:● Facing our distant futureParticipants of “Hamadori, FUKUSHIMA HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY”
List of
Participants● High School Students
Ms. MIKU OYAMA (Futaba Future High School)
Mr. TAIYO KUNII (Futaba Future High School)
Ms. SEIKA SAGAWA (Futaba Future High School)
Mr. YASUHIRO SAITO (Futaba Future High School)
Ms. MOMOKA YOSHIDA (Futaba Future High School)
Ms. YUMI YOSHIDA (Futaba Future High School)
Ms. SORA WATANABE (Futaba Future High School)
Mr. HARUKI MACHIDA (Iwaki Sakuragaoka High School)
Ms. KOHANE SATO (Shirakawa Asahi High School)
Ms. MOMOKA KATAYAMA (Shinchi High School)

P31〜P32

Understanding nuclear disasters What we learned over the past ﬁve years

Mr. SOYA OTA

P33

Keywords for us to envision the future

Mr. KASUMI SAKAI

P34

Editor’s postscript● University Students(Tohoku Gakuin University)(Akita University)

Five years of sensing future possibilities

Ms. YUI ITO（Miyagi University of Education）

Ms. SAKI KIYONOBU（Tohoku Fukushi University）● Advisor
Mr. HIDEKI OKUMOTO● Coordinator
Mr. TOMOSATO HIOKI● Coordinator
Mr. KAI YUZAWA

Ms. NATSUMI KUMANOYA (Shinchi High School)

1

2

Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ①

Learning and understanding
Fukushima’s challenges ①

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Station: present and future
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident totallychanged our life in Fukushima. What happened in March 2011?
More than 10 years have now passed. How is the decommissioning work progressing? The Japanese government and TEPCO areaiming to complete the decommissioning around 2051, 30 years
from now, but there are still many high radiation places at the nuclear power station where doses are harmful to the human body,and various decommissioning-related challenges continue.

Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station ●Fukushima Daini
Nuclear Power Station ●Fukushima Prefecture
Iwaki City

● Unit 3 Reactor Building of Fukushima Daiichi as ofDecember 2021

● Unit 3 Reactor Building at the time of the

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

What happened to
Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station in the Great East Japan Earthquake?
At 2:46pm on March 11,
2011, the Great East Japan
Earthquake occurred, with aseismic center offshore Sanriku,
and extremely severe shaking
with a maximum seismic intensity of 6+ was observed in
Fukushima Prefecture. Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which is located in an area
straddling Okuma Town andFutaba Town, lost its external
power source in the quake andwas hit by a tsunami of approximately 13m, which resulted in
the submergence of part of the
facility, including the emergency
3

power source.
At this time, there was
high-temperature fuel in thereactors, but it could no longer
be cooled down due to the lossof power caused by the tsunami
inundation. Out of the six units,
Units 1 to 3, which were in operation at the time, melted down.
The reactor buildings of Units 1,
3, and 4 experienced hydrogen
explosions. This was widely
recognized as one of the largest
nuclear power accidents, alongwith the Chernobyl Nuclear
Accident in 1986.

What have been theimpacts from the
Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station
Accident? What is thecurrent situation?
The government issued anevacuation order to prevent
residents from being exposed toradiation emitted from radioactive materials that leaked in the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station Accident. As
many as 160,000 people evacuated at one point. Evacuation

orders were issued to 11 municipalities, including Hamadori.
There were also areas in which
evacuation was recommended
based on the decisions by local
governments.
Over ten years
and nine months
have passed since
the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station
Accident (as ofDecember 2021).
Due to decontamination work, inwhich soil isremoved andbuildings are
washed, and theradiation level
naturally lowering ● A dome-shaped roof cover
explosion at the accident,
over time, theMany challenges continue
number of evacuation order areas
has decreased. According to thedata, the number of evacuees
has reduced to less than 40,000.
That being said, the area towhich entry is restricted inprinciple is as large as over halfof metropolitan Tokyo.

What is the current
situation at
Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station?
The workers had to wear amask covering the entire faceand protective gear in most partsof the nuclear power station
premises immediately after the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident, but theworkers can move around in
regular clothing now. This islargely thanks to radiation-reducing measures, such as “facing,” in which mortar is sprayedon the ground. The radiationlevel has decreased so muchthat the workers don’t even need
to wear protective gear approximately 100m from the reactor
buildings in which hydrogen
explosions occurred.

is installed on Unit 3, which caused the hydrogento prevent the scattering of radioactive materials.
toward decommissioning

So can we assume
that decommissioning has been making progress?
Challenges for the government, TEPCO, and private companies continue in their efforts
for decommissioning, throughwhich they ultimately aim todismantle the nuclear power
station. But what is considered
the hardest challenge is the work
to remove the melted down
nuclear fuel (debris) from thereactors.
It emits such high radiationthat it would certainly kill people
if they approach it, so working
nearby for a long time is difficult. Even electronic devices
used to survey the debris locations sometimes suffer malfunctions. Workers have been able toconfirm on camera objects thatappear to be debris in Unit 2,
but the technology to remove
them has not been developed
yet.

There are 30 years
left until 2051. Will
the decommissioning really finish?
The government and TEPCO
have not changed their goal ofcompleting the decommissioningin “30-40 years” after the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident in March of
2011. But some residents criticize that it is “not realistic.”
TEPCO has previously had toabandon starting the work to
remove debris within 2021,
which was the initial goal. Even
for a nuclear power station
which has not experienced an
accident in the firstplace, decommissioning is expected
to take approximately 30 years.
We must say theroad to decommissioning is long anddifficult.

In what state should
Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station be for us to be able
to say that decommissioning has been completed?
To cut a long story short, neither the government nor TEPCO
has a clear vision. This is because there are many uncertain
elements, such as establishing
the method to remove the debris, although they have established the goal of completing thedecommissioning by 2051.
Some residents wish all thebuildings to be removed to makea vacant lot. Though others have
opinions such as “the buildings
should be left as negative legacies to teach a moral lesson.”
The government and TEPCO
claim that discussions must be
held repeatedly in the future.
Young generations, including thecurrent high school students,
will face decommissioning for along time. They will play themain roles in debating how thedecommissioning of Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
should be handled, how thepremises should be used, andhow the future should look.

● In most areas of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station,

it is now possible to walk around without wearing protective clothing.

4

Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ②

Learning and understanding
Fukushima’s challenges ②

Continually increasing
ALPS treated water
At Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station,
the amount of treated water, which contains theradioactive material “Tritium”, is increasing every day. In April 2021, the Japanese government decided to dilute ALPS treated water (after purification) and discharge it into the ocean.
However, opposition from the fisheries industry
remains strong and the decision has not been
widely accepted. We have to deepen our understanding of the decision, the ALPS treatedwater processes, and the handling issues.

● Viewing Units 1-4 from a hill a short distance away, wearing normal clothes● At the entrance to the existing ALPS facility building

teristics as hydrogen. Tritium
is a radioactive material, but
its beta radiation is weak andcan be blocked with a sheet ofpaper. Tritium’s half-life is 12.3
years.

● Visit to Chemical Analysis Building in Fukushima
Daiichi on Nov. 14, 2021, holding a sample bottle ofactual ALPS treated water

What is treatedwater?
When rainwater or groundwater comes in contact withthe fuel debris inside the damaged reactor buildings, andwhen the fuel debris is cooledby water, this results in contaminated water. The contaminated water is treated throughmulti-nuclide removal equipment (the purification process
is called “ALPS”) so that theconcentrations of radioactive
materials other than “tritium”
satisfy regulatory standards forsafety. This water is termed“treated water”.
Tritium is present in everyday
drinking water, as well as
ALPS treated water, and isvery difficult to eliminate because it has the same charac5

Why must the treated water be discharged into theocean?
The amount of ALPS treatedwater is increasing and it isbeing stored in tanks at
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station. New tanks areconstantly being built, andthere are now more than one
thousand at the site. Soon,even if more tanks are built
there will be no space to put
them. There is also a need tosecure more work space toproceed with further decommissioning processes. Amidthese circumstances, the Japanese government decided todilute and discharge the ALPS
treated water into the ocean,given the fact that this was theprevious practice before theaccident occurred, and it isrelatively easy to monitor after
discharge because ocean currents are less likely to fluctuatethan the climate.

How is the discharge into theocean to be handled?
The Japanese government
regulation is less than 60,000
Bq/L for tritium discharged
into the environment. According to the government explanation, even if a person were to
drink two liters of the water
every day, it is believed thatthe tritium is unlikely to affecthuman health, as the amountwould be less than the annual
radiation impact from natural
exposure.
For the discharge from
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station, stricter handling will take place. TEPCO is
to dilute tritium with a large
volume of seawater (100 times
the volume to be diluted),
thereby reducing the concentration of radioactive substances to 1,500Bq/L, which is 1/40
that of the government regulations for discharge into theenvironment (60,000Bq/L). The
government and TEPCO aim tostart discharging the wateraround spring 2023. TEPCO’s
plan is to construct a discharge
facility and undersea tunnel,
and release the water 1km
away. Why is the tunnel need-ed? The reason is that if thewater is discharged near thesite, it may mix with watertaken in for dilution purposes
and re-enter the site.

How is the safety ofthe discharge to be
confirmed?
Tanks store 1.25 million tons
and the total amount of tritium
is close to 800 trillion Bq. The
tritium will be discharged overdecades. The government andTEPCO will enhance the monitoring scheme to check thatthe water discharged is sufficiently diluted until its tritium
concentration becomes well
below the regulatory standard.
They will also continue, andenhance, cooperation with the● Visit to tanks which store the ALPS treated waterInternational Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) through review
missions and monitoring projects, and with third party organizations, to monitor the tritium concentration.

Why are some people in opposition?
Since the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station Accident, seafood and agricultural
products in Fukushima Prefecture have been suffering from
"reputational damage" andproducts have been put on themarket cheaply due to unfounded rumors. Even if theocean discharge method isscientifically safe, fishermen in
Fukushima Prefecture are worried that it will lead to new

reputational damage and that
Fukushima seafood will be
avoided again by consumers
who do not know it is safe.
Furthermore, the government promised fishermen thatthe discharge would not takeplace without their understanding in 2015. However, the government published its Basic
Policy on the handling of ALPS
treated water without the fishermen’s understanding in April
2021, deepening the rift between them. Even after thedischarge starts, the government needs to continue its
efforts to gain widespread public understanding.

● Silt fence installed around water intake area of Units 1-4

6

Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ③

Learning and understanding
Fukushima’s challenges ③“Where is the decommissioning ofFukushima Daini Nuclear Power
Station headed?”

Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station ●Fukushima Daini
Nuclear Power Station ●Fukushima Prefecture

Iwaki City

Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station, which is owned by TEPCO, is located in an area that straddles the two towns of Naraha and Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture. In June 2021, over 10 years after
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident, decommissioning work started at all four units.
We take a look at the history up to decommissioning and the future issues.

Why didthey decideto decommission?

● Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station(photo taken before March 2011)

What is Fukushima
Daini Nuclear Power
Station?
The power station’s units started operation sequentially between 1982 and 1987. All four
units were in operation at thetime of the Great East Japan
Earthquake. Although no accident occurred, the power station
was in a critical condition at one
point when the nuclear reactors
could not be cooled down due tosevere quakes and damage fromthe tsunami. In July of 2019,
TEPCO officially decided todismantle and “decommission”
all four units, instead of operating them in the future. With theapproval of the national agency,
the company began the decommissioning work in June of2021.

In light of the
Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station Accident, which
forced residents of anumber of municipalities toevacuate, prefectural citizens
have also been looking at
Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station with a critical opinion. While the direction of
Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station had not been indicated for a long time after theaccident, the towns of Naraha
and Tomioka, which have notregained pre-accident population levels, have been demanding that decommissioning be
finalized soon “because thelack of direction has been impeding revitalization.” Theprefecture and the prefecturalassembly have also been making the appeal that “decommissioning is the collective will ofprefectural citizens.”
TEPCO had been delaying
the decision on decommissioning for reasons including national energy policy trends.
However, the company explained that “continuing thevague stance further will hinder revitalization” when it
communicated its policy to
decommission the reactors.

How will they decommission thereactors?
It is assumed that it will require over 40 years to decommission all four units. The
decommissioning process isdivided into four stages. In thefirst 10 years, they will conduct
contamination surveys and● Major roadmap steps towards the decommissioning of Fukushima Daini (all 4 units)

7● Temporary power source cable installation at
Fukushima Daini on March 13, 2011, two days
after the disasterdecontamination of reactor
buildings. They then plan toproceed by removing the peripheral facilities, such as thegeneration turbines, in thesecond stage (12 years), thereactors themselves in thethird stage (11 years), and thereactor buildings in the fourthstage (11 years). The required
cost is over 400 billion yen,which may increase further inthe future.

What are the issues concerning
decommissioning?
There are approximately
10,000 pieces of consumed
nuclear fuel, which is referred
to as “spent nuclear fuel,” on
the premises of Fukushima
Daini Nuclear Power Station.
Since they emit heat and harmful radiation, they are currently
stored in pools to keep themcool. The company plans tocool them down with air bykeeping the nuclear fuel inmetal containers, which areconsidered safer than pools in
the event of power outages andaccidents.
The towns of Naraha andTomioka are demanding thatthe nuclear fuel be taken outside of Fukushima Prefecture
for the safety and security ofresidents. While TEPCO has

promised that it will be taken
outside of the prefecture by theend of decommissioning, nofacility that would accept thenuclear fuel from Fukushima
Daini Nuclear Power Station
has been found within Japanso far. Local residents are concerned that the nuclear fuelwill stay there forever.

Are there only disadvantages to decommissioning?
There are also efforts to connect the decommissioning
work to the vitalization of thelocal area’s economy. Taking a
different perspective, decommissioning is a massive industry, on which over 400 billion
yen will be spent. The towns ofNaraha and Tomioka wish
local companies to be able toparticipate in the decommissioning project, and TEPCO isestablishing a system thatwould allow many companies
to be involved in the decommissioning work.

Will the decommissioning reallyprogress safely?
Before decommissioning at
Fukushima Daini, it was point-● Decontamination work for the decommissioning at
Unit 1, Fukushima Daini on July 6, 2021

ed out that the security of adoor leading to a "protectedarea", where access is restricted due to the handling of nuclear fuel, was inadequately
managed. This was an eventthat disappointed Fukushimaresidents again and raised theirdistrust. TEPCO repeatedly
states that “The decommissioning will proceed safely andsteadily”, but if such events
continue, it will be difficult for
TEPCO to regain people’s trust.
TEPCO has to strive to ensuretransparency in the decommissioning work and thoroughly
disclose information that residents can easily understand.
Furthermore, the governmentof Fukushima Prefecture andlocal governments such as
Naraha Town and Tomioka
Town, where Fukushima Dainiis located, should strengthen
their governance.

● Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station as of December 2021

8

Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ④

A walk around Suttsu Town, Hokkaido

Learning and understanding
Fukushima’s challenges ④“What is the future regarding
radioactive waste?”
Where will the final disposal site be for “radioactive waste” from nuclear power stations in Japan? This is a difficult challenge that has remainedsince the beginning of nuclear energy policy after World War II, when
nuclear power was promoted as a means of supplying reliable electricity
to rapidly-developing Japan. However, in October 2020, Suttsu Town
and Kamoenai Village in Hokkaido agreed to undergo literature surveys– the first step towards selecting final disposal candidate sites. Why aresuch surveys needed? How will they proceed? Fukushima’s high school
students investigated the nuclear waste issue.

What is radioactive
waste?
Radioactive waste is createdby removing uranium, plutonium, and other reusable substances from the nuclear fuelused in nuclear power stations,mixing the remaining liquid withglass, hardening it and pouring
it into metal containers. Its official name is “high-level radioactive waste.” There is a risk of it
emitting intensely strong radiation for a long time, which has
extremely severe effects on people’s bodies if approached. Since
Japan has used nuclear power
plants for a long time, it is expected that a great amount ofradioactive waste will continue
to be produced in the future.

What is final disposal?
Final disposal is the method
for ultimately disposing of radioactive waste. The governmenthas been promoting research forthe technology to enclose radioactive waste in bedrock deeper
than 300 meters underground.
This is called “geological disposal” and it is a method for keeping the waste away from the9living environment of people
over tens of thousands of years.
A number of methods had
been considered regarding thefinal disposal of radioactive
waste, including launching it
into space on a rocket or burying it under Antarctic ice. However, as a result of international
discussions regarding the certainty of disposal and opinions
such as “waste should be disposed of in one’s own country,”geological disposal is considered
to be the optimal method.

How will they proceed with the survey?
To choose the final disposal
site, they will conduct the survey over a long period of approximately 20 years, dividing it

Kamoenai Village

Hokkaido

A walk aroundSuttsu Town, Hokkaido●Sapporo●Tomari Nuclear
Power Plant
Suttsu Town

Suttsu Town is a peaceful port town along the bay, with approximately 2,800 residents. It is locatedmid-way between Hakodate City and Otaru City. Historical buildings such as Nishin Goten (herring
castle) still remain in Suttsu Town from its prosperous herring fishing days. While the town has maintained its traditional fishery industry, it has recently pioneered new fields for regional development,such as basil production – the only facility of its kind in Hokkaido. In the energy industry too, Suttsu
Town is taking advantage of the area’s strong winds, which have plagued residents, to install wind
power generators. The town is making best use of local resources to promote its regional development.

into three steps in order to ensure that the candidate sites areindeed safe.
What Suttsu Town and Kamoenai Village accepted is
known as a “literature survey.”
At this first stage, aspects suchas active fault distribution arestudied using written materials.
The second stage is called a“summary survey,” where holes
will actually be dug to study thegeological features and bedrock.
After this, they will proceed tothe detailed survey, which willbe the third and final stage.
Upon accepting a literature
survey, the government pays up
to 2 billion yen. The literature
survey began in November 2020
for Suttsu Town and Kamoenai
Village, and is expected to end
within 2022.

● Suttsu Bay: Beautiful bow-shaped
coastline. Suttsu Town offers
abundant nature for its residents● We saw many rotating wind power
generators and were impressed bytheir huge size when seen close up

Step-by-step survey
Literature survey

Summary survey

Detailed survey

Study using publishedmaterials and data

Study including geologicalboring survey

Study via construction of anunderground survey facility● Nishin Goten (herring castle), a symbol of Suttsu Town, which prospered withherring fishing. It used to house fishing facilities and serve as a residence forthe head fisherman. It is now a renovated restaurant where visitors can enjoy
delicious “soba” (buckwheat noodles).

10The issue of final disposal of radioactive waste: How do we deepen residents’ understanding?

The issue of final disposal of radioactive waste:
How do we deepen residents’ understanding?
High School Students interview Suttsu Town Mayor

High-level radioactive waste produced from nuclear power
stations throughout the country must be eventually disposed ofsomewhere in Japan at some point. There is also spent nuclear
fuel with intense radioactivity at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi
and Daini Nuclear Power Stations. These sites are close to us, as
students in Fukushima Prefecture, rather than somebody else’s
problem. What were the reasons that Suttsu Town in Hokkaido
applied for the literature survey for the final disposal site selection? How will they gain the understanding of residents who oppose the plan? We visited Suttsu Town and asked questions to
the Mayor, Mr. Haruo Kataoka, who faces the most important issue in national nuclear policy.

Q

What were your thoughts
behind deciding to apply
for the literature survey
despite opposition from someresidents?

🅐

We have used nuclear
power for over half acentury throughout Japanand we cannot pretend that theissue of spent nuclear fuel disposal doesn’t affect us. If weprolong facing the issue, it willcause problems for future gener-

ations. When we accepted theliterature survey, the press pointed out that it was “out of a desire
for money.” We don’t deny that.
The younger generations from
Suttsu move to Sapporo or Tokyo
after they graduate from highschool, so part of the idea wasthat we want to utilize the subsidy
to invest in creating working opportunities. However, more thananything we applied for the survey because we wanted to help
with the problem of radioactive

Suttsu Town Mayor, Mr. Haruo Kataoka

waste, despite being fully awarethat people will criticize us.
In the town mayor election held in October, you
won over the candidate
opposing the survey, but the votedifference was only 235. How doyou regard the result?

Q🅐

I regard this seriously, as
the result was that 45% ofvoters did not support me.
Furthermore, it does not meanthat the 55% of the people who
voted for me welcome the survey.
They have concerns. The reality
is, knowledge regarding the safety of final disposal is not yet sufficient in Suttsu Town. I think it isnecessary to establish opportunities for us to listen to explanations from both pro-survey andanti-survey groups as we proceed.

Q

How will you seek theunderstanding of residents
who oppose the plan?

🅐I have established several opportunities for dialogue with residents.
Some people just said “I opposeit” and left the room. That won’t
deepen our dialogue. They needto state what kind of concerns
they have if they oppose thesurvey. We have to be patient
and repeatedly hold discussions,listening to specialists’ opinions,so that we can resolve their concerns.

● Holding discussions with the mayor

sion-making processes?

🅐

In Japan, we have a badhabit of those in positionsof responsibility postponing painful decisions. They
should have made efforts todeepen the understanding of thefishing industry from an earlystage regarding why the treatedwater has to be disposed ofquickly. Although it is late in theprocess, I would like the government to provide sufficient explanations.

Q

The literature survey willend within this year.
Please tell us about theoutlook toward the summary
survey in the second stage.

🅐

The final disposal sites forradioactive waste havebeen decided in Sweden
and Finland. We would also liketo communicate such examples.
We hope to continue having
dialogue and develop a town thatis attractive for young people, as
well as face up to an importantnational issue. Before we proceed to the summary survey, we
will conduct a residents’ poll andrespect respondents’ opinions.

Q● High school students asked frank questions

11● There is a signboard in the town showing an opposing opinion,"We don’t need nuclear waste in our children’s future."

Some have expressed
criticism that the government decided on thepolicy of releasing treated watercontaining radioactive tritiumfrom TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station into theocean without gaining the understanding of the fishing industry.
How do you view such deci-● A peaceful town now wrestling with the pros and cons of accepting the literature survey

12Learning and understanding Fukushima’s challenges ⑤

Learning and understanding
Fukushima’s challenges ⑤“Nuclear Fuel Cycle”
Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture
The “Nuclear Fuel Cycle” is a policy oftaking the spent fuel from a nuclear power
station and reusing it in a constant cycle.
Japan is deficient in natural resources andthe nuclear fuel cycle is thought to represent a nuclear policy that can support thecountry's energy supply efforts. However,many obstacles remain. Should we proceed along this path, or take a step backand reconsider? Opinion is divided.
● Obuchi Lake Town in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture● Rokkasho Village
Aomori Prefecture

plutonium is taken from spent
nuclear fuel at nuclear power
stations, mixed with uranium
to make MOX fuel, and reusedat nuclear power stations.
MOX means “Mixed Oxide,”and refers to mixing plutonium and uranium. The aim is
to break away from relying on
uranium fuel imports so thatthe country can secure its own
energy resources by continuing to use nuclear fuels. Now
that the realization of a carbon
neutral society has become aninternational trend, some callfor the use of MOX fuel in nuclear power stations because it
does not emit carbon dioxide.

双葉郡 ●● The reprocessing plant is in preparation for operation

Tell me how the“Nuclear Fuel Cycle”
works.
In the 1950s, shortly afterWorld War II, the Japanese
government announced thisas an energy policy. The government and major electric
power companies have beenpromoting the use of plutonium in thermal reactors. In
the nuclear fuel cycle process,13● Diagram of the nuclear fuel cycle, which underpins nuclear power generation

has not been decided yet.
and development,
Especially regarding Fukushibut there was alma Daiichi Nuclear Power
most no operational
Station, where the accident
activity to show for
occurred, a nuclear policy ofthis.
ficial said, "discussions on the
Finally, let's lookdestination will start only afterat the role of theinvestigating the extremely
reprocessing plant.
small damage to the fuel rods
It is an importantand confirming that they are
facility in the nu● High school students received an explanation of nuclear fuel cycle
processes at JNFL’s Rokkasho visitors Center.
sound."
clear fuel cycle thatextracts plutonium
So, what will hapand uranium from spent fuelWill implementapen with the nureceived from nuclear powertion of the nuclear
clear fuel cycle instations nationwide. The planfuel cycle proceed
future?
is to build this in Rokkasho
as envisaged?
Village, Aomori Prefecture,“We should get rid of it as
but the schedule, which origIt is said that the realizationsoon
as possible.” “We should
inally targeted completion ofof the nuclear fuel cycle cancontinue with it.” The nuclear
the facility in 1997, has been
be achieved by successfully
fuel cycle was one of the impostponed more than 20 times
operating the following faciliportant issues in the Liberal
due to various difficulties.
ties: a "reprocessing plant" that
Democratic Party’s leadership
However, the plant is now
extracts plutonium, an existing
election (September 2021) in(as of December 2021) schedreactor with MOX fuel known
Japan, which is closely related
uled for commissioning during
as “Plu Thermal”, and a "fastto the future of Japan's energy
the first half of FY 2022. The
breeder reactor" that uses thepolicy.
facility will also have the adMOX fuel. So, what is the curAs a result, the ruling party
vantage of enabling a reducrent situation in terms of thesehasleaned toward restartingtion in the amount of high-levthree facilities?
nuclear power stations, but
el radioactive waste.
First, with regard to “Plupeople should know the nucleThermal”, power companies inar fuel cycle has both advanHow is this related
Japan have already operated
tages and disadvantages.
to the Fukushifour units and are aiming toSince the Fukushima Daiichi
ma Daiichi andoperate at least twelve units by
NuclearPower Station AcciFukushima Daini Nucle2030.
dent, utilization of renewable
ar Power Stations?
Next, a fast breeder reactor
energy and hydrogen energy
is a reactor at a nuclear powhas increased, but these also
As already stated, the reproer station that uses MOX fuelhave advantages and disadvancessing plant is a key facility
to generate more plutonium
tages. We would like everyonein the realization of a nuclear
than it consumes while generto think about the future of ourfuel cycle. In general, a plant
ating electricity. It was called
energy.
accepts "sound" (that is,the "dream reactor." Research
undamaged) spent nuand development was carried
clear fuel from nuclear
out in a prototype fast breedpower stations in norer reactor called "Monju" inmal operation. In otherFukui Prefecture, but various
words, for Fukushima
incidents occurred, such as a
Daiichi and Fukushima
sodium leak accident in 1995,
Daini Nuclear Powerand the government decided
Stations, which are
to decommission the reactor inalready undergoing2016. During this period, tax
decommissioning, theirrevenue of over 1 trillion yen
spent fuel destination
was invested in the research● High school students view a fuel rod model up close
14

Learning about decommissioning issues and what action to take for the future

Learning about decommissioning issues and what action to take for the future
Fukushima Prefecture HamadoriHigh School Student Report

I learned many things that I would never learn at
school, like terms that I didn’t know but that areimportant in understanding what decommissioning is about, and what it was actually like when
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
Accident occurred.

Think about things from new
perspectives. There are things
only the young can do.
Look at the broader picture. Doingso may allow one to broaden
one’s thinking and consider novel
ideas that can help with revitalization.

Lessons learned

It is important to always have “doubts”. Throughthem, one’s own thinking will also deepen. I would
like to develop the ability to distinguish what is true
and what is not.

Squarely take on any challenges needed to face the unprecedented decommissioning project, which will last for a long periodof time. I would like to maintain a proactive attitude in life.
Do not run from accountability. We are still young. We don’t
have much life experience. But I’d like you all to live your lives
earnestly.

Some ingenuity is required whenasking questions to draw out what
people actually think about decommissioning. We have to hear not just the“official stance” but what people reallythink in order for revitalization to move
forward.
The issues generated by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
Accident do not just affect Fukushima.
Broadly seeking the understanding ofpeople throughout Japan is important,and the government and local residents
should put effort into this.

Conflicts are sure tooccur when trying toresolve issues concerning revitalization. We
should move forward
presenting rationales
and reasons for our
opinions, instead of
criticizing each other.

15

Visit to Suttsu Town,

Nuclear power station accidents arerare across the world, so we need tomake use of the lessons learned
when they do occur. Otherwise,
similar mistakes may be repeated in
the future.

Rokkasho Village, and Fukushima Daiichi
What I learned from the lecture
sessions and site visits

It is important to use easy-to-understandexplanations, tailored to different age groups.
Some of the terms used in explanations anddocuments about decommissioning are difficult
for children who will take on the future challenges.

Fukushima has overcome challenges in revitalization slowly but steadily. I would like to study in detailwhat the background circumstances were and what
was going through the minds of the people who
made the decisions, and discuss whether things
have been done correctly or not.

I would like people from the national government and TEPCO to come to schools and haveface-to-face talks with the younger generation.

When the earthquake disaster occurred, we wereyoung. What actually happened? An attitude andmindset of wanting to get to the truth is important.

My approachfrom now on

What can we do to help with revitalization? I want tocontinue to do what I can even while studying at highschool.

Various information about Fukushima
is being disseminated throughtraditional media and social media.
What is correct, and what is not?
I want to gain the knowledge toascertain that by myself.

Uneasiness about radiation is not a matter for
Fukushima only. Issues will remain for the future
generations as well. What can be done toassuage such uneasiness?
The memory of the earthquake disaster andFukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident
is steadily fading away. I will continue to seek areas
where I can help.

Issues encountered

Each person has his/her own sense of values.
Exchanging opinions frankly will lead to ideas thatone person alone could never come up with.

I want to convey information toothers in my own way, and I will
be careful not to be misled byfalse information.
I’d like to think outside the box,
offer many ideas, and state
unfettered thoughts.
I will express my opinions
unflinchingly. After all, one’s
sense of values varies fromperson to person.

Tell others of the unique attractionsof Fukushima, as seen through ourown eyes, using SNS.
Think of the future of my hometown
as my own issue from now on.
There will surely come a time when
we have to face the issue ofrevitalization.

What can I do?

We have so far learned only thequestions that have answers. We
will have to face the question ofrevitalization, which has no firmanswers, into the future.

16

Checking things for oneself, and taking ownership of issues

Checking things for oneself, and taking ownership of issues
Fukushima Prefecture HamadoriHigh School Student Report

It will take about ten years to remove fuel from thespent fuel pool (Units 1-6).

What I learned from thelecture sessions
and site visits

The hydrogen explosions that occurred at Unit 1
were so massive that they even destroyed theglass windows of the office building.
State of the art tools and technologies are being
used in decommissioning, such as robots and
X-ray imaging.

Instead of trying to close the issue by simply decommissioning the reactors, efforts are also being madeto ensure that relevant technologies remain in theregion.
Monitoring is also being conducted by a third-party(the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA).
The reason why the roof of Unit 3 is semi-cylindrical(to make it as light and tough as possible).
I learned about collaboration with local companies(e.g., ABLE Co., Ltd. carried out exhaust stackdisassembly work).

Lessons learned

Resident return rates are still low for Tomioka Town,
Okuma Town, etc.
Reducing the amount of on-site work is resulting in
reduced exposure to workers. Special designs havebeen devised, such as a plant cover for decommissioning, for this reason.
The nuclear power station is securely guarded.
The mechanism and importance of the impermeable
walls.

It made me think that we who
represent the coming generation haveto pass on information about thedamage caused by, and the effects of,
the Great East Japan Earthquake tofuture generations.
Negligence or conceit could result insomething that is extremely difficult torectify later.

There were so many tanks, as if thesite was fully surrounded by them.

Elimination of harmful rumors regarding Fukushima.
Assistance for residents to return
home.

Ascertaining correct information
without being misled by false information.

17

Deepening under-

Nothing is better than making efforts tominimize risk levels at all times.
We have to accurately learn correct
information.

standing about the release of treated water
Tritium is similar to hydrogen in structure, and difficult toremove. Therefore, we have no choice but to release it
into the ocean.
Diluted treated water is to be released 1 km off the coastof Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. An undersea
tunnel is to be used.
Seawater from off the coast of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station is to be used to dilute the treated water.
Muons are measured to ascertain the location of fueldebris.

To avoid exposure, objects are
pre-built elsewhere before
installation at the site.

Rainfall increases the amount of water to be treated andexamined. Therefore, 140 tons of water is treated per day,calculating the daily rate from the annual amount.

Samples are inspected during the
ALPS treatment procedure.

The monitored nuclides (62 + 2) are tested and sometests take up to 1 month depending on the nuclide.

Interestingly, people can enter quite a lot of places inFukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in normal, light
clothing.
The safety of ALPS treated water has been reconfirmed.

So few people take the treatedwater issue seriously (little interest
in nuclear power station issues).

The progress of the decommissioning
work is hardly communicated to people,
even to local residents.

I felt that the memory of the earthquake
disaster has faded away further after ten
years.

Issues encountered

The amount of contaminatedwater is reduced by preventing the
inflow of rainwater through surface
paving work at Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station andpumping out underground waterusing sub-drains.

Note: The student's comment "62 + 2" means 62 radionuclides plus tritium and C-14.

My approachfrom now on

To protect the future of Fukushima, I will take action todisseminate correct information on issues concerning
Fukushima and nuclear power stations so that as many
people in Japan as possible will become aware of them.
I will urge larger, more influential organizations to disseminate such information.
It is important not to let memories of the earthquake
disaster fade away, and make younger generations awareof it.

There is a need to separate reality
from emotions.
The importance of community-based
approaches.

The safety of ALPS treated water.

We ourselves need to havecorrect information, and relay it
across a wider range ofgenerations.
Instead of passing the buckonto each other, we must relay
the reality to people as issues
every person needs to think
about.
I want to speak using concrete“evidence” so that people will
not make light of what I say andtreat it as a story by a merehigh school student.

This issue is often considered an issue for Fukushima
only, but I want to tell people that it is a national issue forJapan.
Online information sharing is fine, but I saw
something like “The government isbrainwashing high school students...” on
Twitter, etc., so we have to present things
in a way that people don’t think about it likethat..

What can I do?

We should have people watch the film
“Fukushima 50”, which depicts the extremely difficult situation faced by those who
responded to the disaster in its immediate
aftermath, so they can learn what
happened and the actions taken to date.

18

Feature / “Fukushima in my thoughts”

Feature“Fukushima in my thoughts”

Your home town never leaves your heart,
even when you’re away.
I was a second year elementary school student
at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
While I was on my way back from school, asevere quake with a seismic intensity of 6+
struck. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Station Accident occurred, and we evacuatedvoluntarily. However, I was still little and wasn’t
sure what was happening.
If it had not been for the quake, I don’t think I
would have known where the nuclear power
station was in Fukushima Prefecture and whatkind of facility it was, even now. Unlike the residents of Futaba County, who are still forced tolive in evacuation, I was able to regain my former lifestyle at an early stage. Since I did notface the effects of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident over a long period, I
didn’t feel the motivation to contribute to revitalization in Fukushima, or the desire to continue living in Fukushima Prefecture. That was
until I participated in the training program,“Hamadori, Fukushima HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY 2019,” organized by an NPO, Happy Road
Net, in Hirono Town, when I was in my second
year of high school.
◇
I participated in the training program because
my high school teacher recommended it. I visited England as part of my training, and I observed the Sellafield nuclear site, which is a

Yui Ito: First Year student,
Miyagi University of Education
19

nuclear power-related complex that underwent a
nuclear reactor fire in the past. I deepened myunderstanding of its decommissioning plan,
which will require over 100 years. I continued
learning about the tasks involved in Fukushima’s
revitalization after I returned to Japan. As I continued my studies, my feelings kept changing.
The road to overcoming the issues of radioactive waste disposal and nuclear power station
decommissioning, which Fukushima Prefecture
is facing right now, is long and hard. Children
who have not even been born yet may have to
face serious issues regarding revitalization someday, not to mention those of us who are currently university students and high school students.
“I am from Fukushima. Can I turn away fromthese issues?” When I thought about what I
could do for my hometown, I decided that I
wanted to learn about disaster prevention anddisaster education and that I will utilize myknowledge in future town development. This is
why I decided to study at Miyagi University of
Education, which is a leading university for research in this field.
◇
I participated again in the training program,which started in the summer of 2021, as a facilitator to assist the high school students in theirresearch. The theme was “the issue of radioactive waste disposal.” We visited Rokkasho village
and Suttsu town. Rokkasho village is located in
Aomori Prefecture, and will be a key area in the
nuclear fuel cycle. Suttsu town is in Hokkaido. It
has applied for a survey to be a final disposal
candidate site for radioactive waste.
Something in particular left a strong impression on me during the program. When a question “If Hamadori (coastal area in the east of
Fukushima Prefecture) became a final disposalsite candidate, would you support the decision
or not?” was asked in a group discussion, I was
surprised by the opinions of the participatinghigh school students, because I was the only one
with an opposing opinion. Some of these highschool students experienced great suffering fromthe Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
Accident – how could they remain so calm? I
had doubts.
“Maybe they still can’t see this as their own● Fukushima Prefecture Hamadori

problem?” or “Are they being swayed by otherpeople, rather than having their own opinions?”or maybe “Are they just stating opinions thatwould be approved of by adults?” When I kept
making such conjectures regarding their minds,
I remembered a TV program.
◇In the TV program, an author participating
asked a broadcaster “What would you think if
someone tells you that they are burying radioactive waste in your yard?” The broadcaster haddifficulties answering, saying “Oh, I have a smallchild, so....” Before this question was asked, thisbroadcaster was conveying a legitimate message
to many viewers, saying “This problem is an
issue for Japan. It is important that each andevery one of us faces it with a sense of ownership.” Then the broadcaster turned around andsaid “Don’t bury it in my yard.” It felt inconsistent.
However, when I think about myself, can I
criticize this broadcaster? Am I not the sameright now? I asked myself.
“I want not only Fukushima residents but also
all Japanese citizens to be aware of the issues
regarding the nuclear power station as something that affects them.” This is what I always
think, but part of me still doesn’t want the waste
to be buried in my own yard. I fully realized that
I still hold a detached position.
What can I do to make many people, including myself, consider the challenges of Fukushima as something that affects themselves? Issues
that Fukushima faces are hard to visualize, anddecommissioning also involves a great deal of
specialized terminology, making it difficult tounderstand. To be frank, it’s hard to approach.
When we held a discussion in one of my univer-sity classes on the theme of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident, many of myfellow students also said “I do want to learn
about it, but it’s a difficult subject and hard tounderstand.”
When we look at the SDGs, they target global
society. Information is transmitted in a very
easily understandable manner regarding what
could happen around us if the goals aren’t met,
and the positive and negative aspects of theireffects on our daily lives. It feels as if many people have a sense of ownership. I think that thebuilding of an environment in which we candiscuss and consider the issues without resistance was behind the rapid dissemination of theword “SDGs.” Is there any way to remove thehurdles regarding the issues of Fukushima sothat more people can learn and think aboutthem?
◇
What we need is for young people from
Fukushima, like ourselves, to communicate.
Young people are able to state their own feelings
and thoughts without speculation. I think thehurdles would be drastically lowered, even fordifficult issues, if young people just mention thesubject. I think we would also be able to communicate with more real and genuine voices.
The issues of Fukushima cannot be solved by
the adult generation alone. They will deeply
affect our future lives. Even if people move awayfrom Fukushima or aren’t from Fukushima, it isstill a matter that concerns us all. I hope that avariety of people will feel a sense of ownershipand that a wide range of generations, fromyoung people to adults, will cooperate with eachother to create the Fukushima of the future.

20

Round Table Discussion : Facing our distant future

Round Table Discussion:

Facing our distant futureParticipants of “Hamadori, FUKUSHIMA HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY”

The five-year training program
started with lessons on“What is revitalization?”『Hamadori, FUKUSHIMAHIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY』〈 2017 - 2018 〉

Visited Belarus,
which suffered theserious effects of theChernobyl accident〈 2019 〉

Visited the UK,
which experienced anuclear reactor fire in
the 1950s〈 2020 〉

Online dialogue withpeople in Minamata City,
Kumamoto Prefecture,
who suffered due torumors〈 2021 〉
Visited Rokkasho Village, Aomori
Prefecture, which plays a key rolein national nuclear fuel cycle
policy, and Suttsu Town,
Hokkaido, which is divided overthe question of accepting a survey
for final disposal.

21

Participants:
Soya Ota, Third Year Student, Tohoku Gakuin University
Izumi Sakai, Second Year Student, Akita University
Saki Kiyonobu, First Year student, Tohoku Fukushi University
Yui Ito, First Year Student, Miyagi University of Education
Sora Watanabe, Third Grade Student, Futaba Future High School
Reina Arakawa, Third Grade Student, Futaba Future High School
Yumiko Nishimoto, Moderator, NPO Happy Road Net President

Nishimoto: In the recent
House of Representatives
election (votes cast andcounted on October 31,2021), one of the issues wasenergy policies, including
measures to tackle decarbonization and the handlingof nuclear power stations.
The outlook of the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party isfor nuclear power plants tobe utilized in the future,claiming that they are “necessary” for decarbonization.
I wish to hear your thoughtson this.
Ota: Despite the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Station Accident, I think that
nuclear power stations willcontinue to be necessary in

the future. Realization of adecarbonized society will
become the global trend,
and I expect that thermal
power plant operations will
be restricted in the future. I
think that what we need is toeffectively utilize spent nuclear fuel.
Ito: Indeed, many countries have stated their intention to reduce greenhousegas emissions to net zero by
2050. I’m not sure if Japan
can really make this happen
without nuclear power stations.
Sakai: Japan has very few
fossil fuel resources in thefirst place. During the training, I learned that the na-

tional standards on nuclear
power station operation havebecome very strict since the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station Accident. I
think that the operation of
nuclear power stations thathave cleared such strict
standards is necessary, considering future energy supplies.
Arakawa: When we conducted field work in the Futaba District for a schoolclass, I witnessed the factthat the amount of renewable energy facilities has been
increasing. But land suitablefor establishing facilities islimited, and renewable energy generation is affected by
the weather. I doubt that thisalone would be sufficient to
supply electricity for Japan.
We must consider the necessity of nuclear power stations in a positive manner.
Kiyonobu: Until recently, I
was absolutely against restarting nuclear power stations, as they have made us
suffer so greatly. But as I
continued learning about ourenergy situation, I have also
learned the reality that wehave no choice but to rely
on nuclear power stations.

Watanabe: If any of the
major nuclear power stationsin Japan experiences an accident, damage to the surrounding areas will be great.
So why not build small nuclear power stations where
safety oversight will be easier?
Nishimoto: Since the lackof anti-terrorism measuresand the issue of neglecting
the seismometer failure at
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station Unit 3 cameto light one after another,residents’ confidence in nuclear power stations has
been shaken again. What are
your thoughts on these scandals?
Watanabe: After experiencing a major accident, I
thought for sure that both
the government and TEPCO
were more determined toprevent the recurrence ofsuch an accident, so I wasdisappointed to hear about
issues such as the lack ofanti-terrorism measures. I
want people on-site to always
have a sense of urgency.
Ito: I don’t think there is a
generation facility for which
we can definitely say “it canbe operated with 100% safety,” regardless of the type.

Kasumi Sakai Born in Minamisoma City,
Participated in Belarus Training Program(2018)

We need to check on a regular basis how to respond in
the case of an emergency sothat the surrounding areas
are not affected, and continue drills and training.

Arakawa: Indeed, Japan isprone to earthquakes, andno one knows when we will
be hit by another great
quake. I want people toabandon the idea of “absolute safety” and be thoroughly prepared.
Sakai: The Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident occurred because the emergency powersource was lost due to thetsunami. I want them to sincerely reflect on the anti-terrorism measures and seismometer issues andovercome their mistakes.

22

Round Table Discussion : Facing our distant future

dent, give us your honest
opinions on how the government, TEPCO, and the media have responded to theaffected areas.

Sora Watanabe Born in Iwaki City,

Participated in Training Programs in Suttsu
Town, Hokkaido and Rokkasho Village,
Aomori Prefecture (2021)

Ota: When I visited Belarus in 2017 for the training, I
thought it was a beautiful
and tranquil country. Then,the world saw reports on the
Belarus authorities arresting
those criticizing the government, which surprised mevery much. Japan is said tobe the most peaceful country
in the world, but we don’tknow what kind of threats
we will have to face becauseof the situation overseas in
the future. This is just an
off-chance example, but I
want them to thoroughly
establish a method to respond to technologies thatcan be used to bomb nuclear
power stations in Japan in a
pinpointed manner.
Nishimoto: Now that overten years and nine months
have passed since the quake
and the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station Acci23

Kiyonobu: I exchanged
opinions with people fromthe government and TEPCO
during my training, but I hada strong impression that they
only discussed what wasadvantageous for them, including the example of theenergy policy. Many of their
responses did not answer thequestions, and some highschool students lost theirconfidence and wondered if
the problem was the way
they asked the questions.
But this was not the case. I
want the people concernedto respond with sincerity.
Sakai: Indeed, it did feel
as if they were trying to conceal negative aspects, suchas their mistakes. But thesethings are what our generation wants to know so thatthey can teach a moral lesson for the future. Speaking
evasively on the truth andtaking the stance of trying toconceal what is disadvantageous to them makes thempoor adult role models.
Watanabe: I also had thesame impression. They were

trying hard to play up theirpast achievements. We areasking these questions because they are importantwhen we consider the future,
so I want them to be straightwith us.
Ito: The distance between
the government/TEPCO andresidents is considerable.
There were also times when
I felt that they were being“condescending” during thelectures. I want people fromthe government and TEPCO
to make efforts to reduce thedistance by having more
opportunities such as school
visits and holding face-toface dialogs with students,
rather than only giving us
one-way explanations.
Arakawa: The way the
media transmits informationis also an issue. When I visited Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, people
from TEPCO were complaining that “they only report thenegative aspects, eventhough the decommissioning
is making progress.” It is truethat you can walk aroundmany areas on the premises
without wearing protective
gear. I want the media toreport the reality, including
the fact that the decommissioning is making progress.

Nishimoto: Even for a nuclear power station which
has not experienced an accident in the first place, decommissioning takes approximately 30 years. However,TEPCO has not changed its
goal of completing the decommissioning of Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2051, which is in 30
years’ time. Do you think
this is possible?
Ota: I honestly cannot
believe that they can achieve
decommissioning within
another 30 years. Our young
generation will continue toface the issue of decommissioning. Without their honest
opinions, we can’t visualize
the future of our home.
Kiyonobu: First of all, we
don’t know how long it willtake to establish the technology for the fuel debris,which is said to be the hardest aspect. I want them toshow how long each decommissioning task is expected
to take based on realism,
rather than wishful thinking.
Sakai: But I also think it isimportant to adhere to thestance of achieving the goal
without fail. Some residents
are moving toward revitalization, believing in that.

Watanabe: Residents wish
for the swift completion of
decommissioning, but taking
another perspective, couldn’t
we also say that the longer ittakes to decommission, themore jobs and employment
opportunities there will be
for the local people?
Ito: I think that is correct.
If we can establish the technology to extract debris,that’s something we can beproud of and show thewhole world. Researchers
will come to Japan fromoverseas. I am not that insistent on decommissioning
being completed quickly.
The most important point isthat it is completely safely
and thoroughly, while contributing to the area’s economy.
Nishimoto: The air radiation dose level in areas
where people have lived,
excluding the Difficult-to-Return Zones, is less than 0.1
microsievert. But some residents within and outside of
Fukushima feel concerned.
What kind of activities can
we promote to dispel thenegative image of the affected areas?
Sakai: I remember thatthey were proactively pro-Soya Ota Born in Soma City,
Participated in Belarus Training Program(2017)

moting efforts such as thedissemination of glass badges (personal dosimeters) andthyroid tests when I was
little, but this is not so muchthe case anymore. Part of itis probably the fact that theenvironment has become
safe, but I also feel a senseof discomfort. Belarus was
still conducting regular tests
on residents even 30 years
after the accident. The measure of safety is different foreach resident, so I wantthem to distribute glass● High school students interact with Belarusian
students through calligraphy

24

Round Table Discussion : Facing our distant future

glass badges, I expect thatthey would show safe levels.
If we were to make suchdata from glass badges wornby many children widely
available, it would provide astrong basis for the fact thatthe radiation levels of affected areas are safe.

Reina Arakawa Born in Hirono City,

Participated in Online Training Program withpeople in Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture (2020)

badges to those who desire
one.
Ota: Now that over ten
years and nine months havepassed since the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident, decontamination has progressed all over
the area, and the radiationlevel has definitely reduced.
If children were to wear

Kiyonobu: It is importantthat those who have concerns about the affected areas actually see the current
situation. I myself witnessed
everyday life beginning toreturn to the affected areas
as I participated in cleaning
activities for National Route
6 and summits on disasterprevention. I’d like to see
the proactive hosting ofhands-on learning opportunities and have many people
visit the areas.

Nishimoto: Opinions are
divided on releasing thetreated water into the ocean.
What are your thoughts?
Kiyonobu: When I learned
that the government had
decided on the policy torelease it into the ocean, I
frankly became enraged,
wondering “What are they
thinking?” After that, I had
an opportunity to attend a● Treated water storage tanks at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear

lecture from the person in
charge in the government.
We kept asking questions
about our doubts, and I
learned that standards must
be strictly cleared when releasing the water and that it
was safe.

● Visit to TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center to deepen our understanding of the current
decommissioning progress

25

Arakawa: I think seeing
more and more tanks being
built to store treated water
will give Japanese people
the impression that “reconstruction is not happening inthese areas” more than anything.
Ito: I also feel that wehave no choice but to release it into the ocean. The
amount of treated water will

Power Station

continue to increase in the
future. If storage tanks are
no longer needed, it will also
prove that reconstruction ismaking progress.
Sakai: It is not the casethat water harmful to peopleor the environment is being
released. I also feel that wehave no choice but to re-lease it into the ocean. The
distance between people
from the government/TEPCO
and residents is considerable
in the first place, so I think it
is important for companies
with understanding of therelease to communicate intheir own words to people
around them, including theiremployees, that it is safe.
Ota: When we visited
Suttsu Town in Hokkaido,
where surveys are being
held to select the final disposal site for radioactive
waste, the mayor was struggling, saying “people against
the idea would not understand, even if we demonstrate to them the basis for
its safety.” I too think wehave no choice but to release the water into theocean, as we are starting to
run out of places to build
storage tanks. The opinionsof opposing people are also
important, but they shouldcome up with countermeasures rather than simply opposing the current plan.
Nishimoto: Some people
are concerned about harmful rumors spreading because of the water being
released into the ocean.
How can we narrow the gap
between those accepting the

Saki Kiyonobu Born in Soma City,

Regular participant in activities such as
clean-up work for National Route 6

release and those opposingit?
Ito: Water containing tritium was released even before
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident, and overseas nuclear
power stations have released
water with much higher concentration levels than thewater to be released into theocean from Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. We need to patiently
explain these facts.
Kiyonobu: But I don’t
think we can completely
remove harmful rumors inany case. For example, I
might like a certain celebrity,
but others may not. We eachhave different senses. If wefocus too much on the opinions of those opposing purchases of Fukushima products, we will be unable to26

Round Table Discussion : Facing our distant future

Yui Ito Born in Iwaki City, Participated in
UK Training Program (2019)move forward with the revitalization work.
Sakai: I wonder how many
harmful rumors there currently are. It also feels as if
the strength of the words on
the part of the opposing people is overpowering those
who don’t mind. When
thinking about the issue ofrecurring harmful rumors,even if 99 people agree withthe release, as long as one● Thinking about the future with Belarusian students

27

person is opposing it theserumors would have an effect.
We should further communicate safety matters and otheraspects to those who support
Fukushima products.

schools teaching their parents and grandparents. Thiskind of knowledge dissemination was completely the
opposite of that in Japan,
and it was very useful.

Watanabe: But I don’t
want them to give up on
continuing to convey themessage of safety to people
who oppose the plan. I also
have the impression that themedia is instigating harmful
rumors about things that
may not even happen. Isn’t
that the true issue causing
such rumors?

Arakawa: Indeed, if theyounger generation, without
constraints or preconceptions, learns about the properties of tritium and understands the safety themselves,
I think it will be an effective
method of promoting deeper
understanding if they canthen create opportunities to
explain their findings tofriends or discuss the matterwith those close to them,such as their parents at
home.

Ota: I also can’t help but
think that we have no choice
but to wait for time to pass
before such rumors disappear. In Belarus, though,knowledge was spreading
through children who
learned about radiation in

Nishimoto: No one has
been able to picture the future of Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station after
decommissioning. What is
the ideal future?
Sakai: I think we should
keep the buildings – with
their safety secured, needless to say – to serve as anegative legacy and teach amoral lesson that such adisaster should never be
repeated. I think that visitors
will come from all over theworld, leading to the rejuvenation of the area.

Watanabe: The Atomic
Bomb Dome has remained in
Hiroshima. I can feel theirstrong determination toteach a moral lesson to later
generations, without shying
away from the painful past.
Ito: Indeed, the idea of
keeping them is not bad. But
I also think that the feelingthat “decommissioning iscomplete” may be diluted if
the buildings are still there.
Kiyonobu: What will they
do about the maintenancecosts if we kept the buildings?
Sakai: That’s something
we must think about, butthere’s something more thanthe maintenance costs that
we need to consider. If weturn the land into a vacantlot, we will lose the opportunity to directly witness thesite where the tragic Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Station Accident happened.
Isn’t that truly a great loss?
Arakawa: I too think itshould be turned into a vacant lot. I think it will pain
those around the nuclear
power station every timethey see the buildings. My
friend is using Minecraft (avideo game where you build

buildings withblocks) to try torecreate what Futaba County used
to look like. Even
if we don’t leave
the nuclear power
station buildings
themselves, I thinksuch approaches
are also useful.
Ota: I agree with● Deepening our understanding through a special site visit to theChemical Analysis Building in Fukushima Daiichi
Sakai-san. I think
Nishimoto: “Voting rights
it is important toat 18 years old” is now inleave the buildings, like hiseffect, and the younger gentorical remains, so people
eration has obtained thewill never forget the Fukushright to cast a vote on poliima Daiichi Nuclear Powertics, including on the future
Station Accident. But I doof our energy policy. But thealso fully understand local
voter turnout was low for
people wanting the buildings
18-19 years old and earlygone. The younger genera20s, at under 30%, in thetion must have repeated,recent Lower House electhorough discussions to detion. How can we raise thetermine the ideal future foryoung voter turnout?
the site.

● Learning about the current situation at Fukushima Daiichi through a lecture at its new main office building28

Round Table Discussion : Facing our distant future

generation still has little interest in politics in the firstplace. I think the administration and schools both needto promote efforts to raise
their interest level.

Ota: My vote may only beworth one out of tens of
thousands, or even hundredsof thousands, but I do havethe awareness that a votecan bring great change tothe future of the younger
generation and the whole ofJapan. But despite my boldwords, I didn’t vote in the
recent Lower House election.
I feel ashamed.
Ito: But I do understandyour feelings. My resident
card is back at home, and I
couldn’t vote in the election
in October 2020 for reasons
including being busy withclasses. I think there aremany students in the same
situation. I am certain thatthe voter turnout would
drastically increase if there
is a system to vote on smart29

phones. Now that digitaltechnologies are well established, I think this is easily
achievable. The government
encourages young people tovote, yet they don’t establish
such an environment. I can’t
help but have the suspicion
that there are political parties and politicians who will
suffer if the voter turnout
increases among the younger
generation.
Arakawa: I didn’t have theright to vote in the Lower
House election, but myfriends who went to votesaid, when I asked for theiropinions, that they weren’t
sure who to vote for andtherefore voted without paying a lot of attention. The
policies of each candidate
are unclear, and the younger

Kiyonobu: I also havefriends who said “I will votefor whomever my parents
choose.” They are only influenced by their parents anddon’t even know what policies candidates have. Still,they complain when problems occur in national politics. This isn’t right. I hope
we can have the willingness
to voluntarily learn about
politics and be proactively
involved.
Sakai: If the voter turnout
among the younger generation doesn’t improve,
wouldn’t politicians focus
only on policies for those in
60s through 70s, with theirhigher voter turnout? They
should continue proactively
utilizing influencers on SNS
and other platforms whostrongly and sincerely believein the importance of voting,and continually appeal toyoung people in a mannerthat will truly convince themthat “voting is cool.”

Nishimoto: I’m concernedthat memories of the quake
and the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station Accident will increasingly fadeaway in the future. What caneveryone do to prevent this?
Ota: First of all, I wantmany people to be interested. In order for this to happen, we must research theauthenticity of informationand truly understand it, instead of being affected solely
by information transmitted
by the government, TEPCO,
and the media. And I wish tocommunicate what I learn topeople close to me first.
Watanabe: I think you areabsolutely right. It is important to directly listen to residents who continue facing
reconstruction issues until
we can be fully convincedthat this is the right way togo, and to communicate
information in our own
words.

Kiyonobu: I aim to become a teacher. The road todecommissioning completionis long. Even the generation
after ours may have to be
involved. I hope to gain
knowledge so I can give accurate explanations whenchildren have questions
about reconstruction efforts
after the quake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident.
Arakawa: I too am aiming
to become an elementary
school teacher. I hope tocontinue making efforts
so that young
people cansee reconstruction as an issue
that is close tothem.

Ito: I think it is still important to teach knowledge
about the quake and the
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station Accident in
the field of education. We
had opportunities to learn
about disaster prevention
when I was in elementary
school, but I believe theyhardly discussed the nuclear
power disaster. I feel that
there are many aspects that
we must make efforts in sothat we can prevent people
from forgetting about thepast.

Sakai: We are not celebrities with influence in theworld, but I wish to communicate what I learn to as
many of my friends as possible so that they will be interested. It is important to act.

● High school students learning about the 100-year plan decommissioning work at the site
30

Understanding nuclear disasters What we learned over the past five years

Understanding nuclear disasters
Some things can only be learned by seeing with one’s own eyes.

The training project for high school students that started in 2017 ended in 2021. Through the passage oflearning, we met people with various senses of values, communicated with them, and broadened our own
views.
People from different countries have different views on revitalization. Even in Japan, what residents thinkvaries widely once you step into another prefecture. Looking at our hometown, some returned there, andothers decided to live in a new place.
Therefore, we hope to find answers that people agree to while respecting each other, and envisage a future
where everybody can live happily. Here, we look back on our training using photographs.

What we learned over the past five years
2019
Visited theUK(Sellafield, London)

Aomori Prefecture
Rokkasho Village

2017
VisitedBelarus
LatvijaВіцебская
вобласць

Россия
Lietuva● Мінск

PolskaМагілёўская
вобласць

Мінская
вобласць

Гродзенская
вобласць

Гомельская
вобласць

Брэсцкая
вобласць

●Гомель

Хойнікі ●Україна
Polesie StateRadioecologicalReserve●Чернобыльская
атомная
электростанция
имени В.И.Ленина

2018
VisitedBelarus

2020
Visited theFutaba District,
Fukushima Prefecture

2021
VisitedSuttsu Town,
Hokkaido

Suttsu Town

Hokkaido●Sapporo

31

32

Keywords for us to envision the future

Editor’s postscriptM

1
2

Repeated dialog

Take ownership of issues

E

S

S

A

G

E

NPO Happy Road Net
President: Yumiko Nishimoto

Every person has their own views and values. When discussing revitalization issues, some willagree with suggested solutions and others will disagree. I would like both sides to explain theirreasons, discuss the issues, and understand each other to slowly but steadily put together tangible
revitalization plans. Denying each other will not bring anything good to the table.

In my opinion, adults are gravely responsible for not having been able to prevent the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident. But the road to decommissioning is long and uncertain, andit has become a cross-generational issue involving us, the younger generations. Everybody needs tolearn about problems concerning decommissioning and raise their voice in their own way. That will
drive us toward the creation of a better future.

Five years of sensing
future possibilities

I would like to help develop future leaders who can take on the challenge of the long, tough,and unprecedented path toward revitalization. This training project started in 2017 with thatthought in mind. And now, in 2021, thanks to the cooperation and support of many people,
this project that has spanned ﬁve years has been successfully completed. I would like toextend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those involved.
High school students participated in this training project with high aspirations, and thequestion “What I can do to help with revitalization?” in their mind. However, almost every

3
4
5
6

Think how best to be understoodCommunicating sounds easy, but is diﬃcult in reality. We can say that information has beencommunicated only when the people receiving that information have understood it correctly. SNS
has become prevalent among us, and it has become easy to deliver our opinions to the world
instantaneously. I would like to disseminate information standing in the shoes of the target audience,taking into account age and other factors.

Do not let memories fade away

year, I witnessed some of them becoming bewildered by the content of the training. Lecturers
requested the students to state their own thoughts on the issues Fukushima is facing, andtasked them with a lot of homework to do between lectures. Some questions were highly
technical and diﬃcult to answer even for adults, including myself.
But through their stresses and struggles, the students gained knowledge and abilities thatwill help them to pioneer the future. Watching their steady development thrilled me withexpectation. I clearly remember feeling that maybe they would easily overcome thechallenges and tasks that lay ahead. After ﬁve years of this training project I honestly believe

Memories of the earthquake disaster and lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station Accident must be passed down from generation to generation, in the hope that they
will save someoneʼs life when a similar disaster occurs sometime, somewhere in the future. We, theyounger generation, were very young when the earthquake disaster occurred, so I would like to learn
more about “that day”.

that “Nothing is impossible”.

Continue to take on challenges

to take every opportunity to help support the development of high school students.

The path that leads to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be found. We had tochange some sessions that we originally planned to do overseas or outside the prefecture.
Even so, I believe that there are things that cannot be taught in schools, and wish to continue

The decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is a venture into uncharted
territory. Precisely for that reason, there is a possibility that new world-class technology will emerge
in Fukushima. In the life we are to live, we surely will face failures. Still, I would like to rise up, facethings head on, and turn situations into a positive to create something new.

Letʼs set oﬀ on a journey of learning

Seeing is believing. It is important to check things by seeing them with oneʼs own eyes. Only byjourneying out of our hometown may we learn something new. We may also encounter things thatchallenge our previous convictions.
Letʼs broaden our horizons.

Planning and Publishing

NPO Happy Road Net
President: Yumiko Nishimoto

Editorial staff
Mr. Yusuke Hemmi

33

2-1-5 Koyodai, Hirono-machi, Futaba-gun, Fukushima 979-0407, Japan
Tel: (+81) 240-23-6172 Fax: (+81) 240-23-6171
Email: office@happyroad.net

Mr. Ryuichi Sakurai

Mr. Kenji Hibi

Mr. Mark Christy
34