■2016.4.10
The International Forum on the Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station

Communication with Communities
toward Decommissioning ofFukushima Daiichi NPS

Symbols in Fukushima: Zelkova, Narcissus Flycatcher, Rhododendron(from the Fukushima Prefecture HP)

Yuko Sakita
Journalist, Environmental Counselor
Chief Director, NPO GENKI Net for Creating a Sustainable Society
２０１６ YUKO SAKITA

1Past Experiences in Communication made by Sakita<Philosophy> Be responsible for environmental burdens in our life and community
as a citizen and NGO, and make contributions to creating a sustainable society.

<Key to Materialization> “Co-creation” through “Cooperation”
among Diverse Entities
Waste and CO2in Life

ChemicalSubstancesin LifeCarry out through partnership withcitizens, businesses and government
Public Leaning Center on
Environment, DesignatedManagers (Cooperation withMunicipalities)
Multi-Stakeholder Meeting
aimed at 3R（Cooperation withBusinesses and Government)
Asia 3R Promotion Citizen’s
Network (Cooperation with
Ministry of the Environment)

High-level
Radioactive
Waste

Contamination byRadioactive
Materials inFukushima

Create nation-wide
Informationstations for
Sharing amonglearning together.
Experts, NGOand Government
Regional Workshop on“Geological Disposal ofHigh-level RadioactiveWaste” (Program of the Agency
for Natural Resources andEnergy)

２０１６ YUKO SAKITA“Study Meetingon
EnvironmentalRestoration”
2About the NPO GENKI Net for Creating a Sustainable Society
Since 1995, having fostered a partnership to solve waste
problems, and since 2001, supported individual regional
environmental activities nationwide◆Awarded with the “GENKI Grand Prix”
for the Ecological Town Created byCitizens* Establishing a loose network with about 500 groups applied* A nationwide network participated by leaders of regional
environmental activities* Learning together with nationwide groups of creating
ecological towns through “Eco-Tour”◆”Regional Workshop on Geological
Disposal of Radioactive Waste”* Since 2007, having carried out regional WS on highlevel radioactive waste* By 2016, planning to have more than 90 dialogues
with about 500 regional leaders nationwide(Program of the Agency for Natural Resources and3
２０１６ YUKO SAKITAEnergy)

Post-Accident Approach at Fukushima Daiichi NPS“Study Meeting on Environmental Restoration”(2011 todate)◆Study meetings have been continuously held 40 times in about 5 years, since thefirst meeting held on June 3, 2011
・Hoping to environmentally restore from the contamination by radioactive materials
as quickly as possible, the stakeholders involved in taking actions, such as
specialists in the field of environment, waste and nuclear, persons in charge fromthe government agencies, businesses, municipalities, and NGOs, have called foreach other to exchange views based on the latest information obtained.
 400 persons have registered, and around 50 members participate in the meeting
each time.
◆The subject in view exchanges is considered among the participants in line withthe progression of decontamination, etc.
Ex. “Review of Estimated Contaminants based on the Air Dose Map and theScenario of Environmental Restoration”, “Scenario of Disposal of Waste and Soils
Contaminated by Radioactive Materials”, “View Exchanges on Decontamination
Guideline, Tentative Storage, and Intermediate Storage”, “How to Utilize theResults of Environmental Dynamic Study for Environmental Restoration”, “How toMake Communication with Residents in Favor of Their Future”, and others◆Co-Leader・Sakita, and Mr. Yuichi Moriguchi, Professor of School of Engineering, The
２０１６ YUKO SAKITA
University of Tokyo4

“Feelings” of People in Fukushima Have Been Changing “with Time”“Regional Dialogue Forum toward Promotion of Decontamination” held by
the Atomic Energy Society in Fukushima Pref. (2012 – 2013), fromExperiences in Facilitation
2011.3.11
Tsunami driven by the Great East Japan Earthquake caused the accident at thenuclear power station. “Collapse of Safety Myth”“Distrust of Operators, Experts, and the Government” who have not correctly told
the people about the risk of radiation; “Unsuppressed Anger and Sorrow”
Uneasiness and discontent have instantaneously spread among the people,including refugees, by use of ICT.
Some specialists inciting anxiety came onstage through the mass media.
People felt “bewildered” due to the amplified anxiety in the society andincreasingly suffered from various rumors against Fukushima.

Establishment of “visualized confidence” aiming to reconstruct confidence
Confidence in specialists who inform “excessive risks and acceptable risks”
Desire for reconstruction of life and communities toward restoration, steppingup from decontamination and environmental recovery
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“Feelings” vary depending on the difference in Radiation Dose by Region (2015, Sakita)

Reconstruction

Environment
Restoration

Decontamination

Annual additional exposure doseshould be less than 1 mSV for alonger period.

Annual additional exposure doseshould be less than 20 mSV inseveral years.

Annual additional
exposure dose is over
20 mSV

Area resuming daily living

Area preparing for return

Area still in evacuation

Current State

Living with family is ongoing.
Some young generations are voluntarily evacuating.

Under evacuation, or going home only in thedaytime to prepare for return.

Living in tentative houses, etc.
at an evacuation site.

Decontamination

Under implementation of the plan developed bymunicipalities. Some areas have finished.

Decontamination directed by the government.
Original houses are habitable or not; rooms arealso decontaminated or not.

Decontamination directed by
the government. Planning infuture.

Goal

How far decontamination should be done. Some
communities are seeking for a way of restoration.

Reassurance shall be ensured to return for safe
living even under 20 mSV.

How many years later canthey return? Any target?

Learning
about
Radiation

Briefings for decontamination and temporarystorage sites, and schools. Arrangement of advisors.
Experience in measurement.

Briefings for decontamination and temporarystorage sites. Places available for learning,questioning, and communication.

Briefings at evacuation sites,etc.

Wellness

Wellness in future. Grasp annual exposure dose.
Desire for Inviting relatives and friends.

Anxious about the future wellness. Effects onchildren and young generations.

Anxious about the future
wellness.

Food

Quantify the dose on food and internal exposure
dose. Annoyed by rumors from outside theprefecture.

When returning, safe foodstuff can be obtainedor not.

Life with a wealth of grasses
can be resumed or not.

Life

Ordinary daily living, gradually. How about
agriculture/forestry/fishery? Develop a living
environment for children.

How about job/school/hospital /shops?
Agriculture and forestry? Relevance tocompensation?

How jobs and new living
should be created?

RegionResume regional voluntary activities such ascleaning, festivals, residents’ association, etc.

Create a foothold to reconstruct communities.
Also, different views between generations.

Can the communities bereconstructed?

Informa-tion,Coopera-tion

Information issued by municipalities for theresidents. Create a foothold for regional
cooperation/ collaboration.

Are consulting or communication services
available to access across-the-board
information?

How can the reconstruction
plan by municipalities belinked?

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■Communication with Local Communities toward the Decommissioning of the Fukushima
Daiichi NPS

Establishing a humane mechanism ofdialogue and participation by residents,
aiming at the post-accident
environmental restoration andreconstruction in Fukushima
1st Step in Communication
・Providing a comprehensive “information” including risks
2nd Step・Establishing a foothold of not just one-way “dialogue”
3rd Step
・Supporting voluntary efforts to materialize “Participation andCo-creation”
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FromFukushima
Prefecture HP

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About Decontamination Information Plaza
source: “Decontamination Information Plaza” http://josen-plaza.env.go.jp/
Under joint operation by Fukushima Pref. and Ministry of the Environment, it opened
as a base to provide latest information for decontamination and radiation, near theFukushima Station in January, 2012.

“Convey information from person to person”, “Talk together with each other”,“Support persons by persons”
Provide a variety of information on decontamination and radiation, and dispatch
specialists to meetings in cities, towns, and villages, as well as to schools so as
to promote communication among regions.
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Roles of Decontamination Information Plaza
source: “Decontamination Information Plaza” http://josen-plaza.env.go.jp/

Providing information on
decontamination andradiation

Exhibition using touch panels, large
monitors, films and models to provide thelatest information on decontamination andradiation is carried out in a user-friendlyway.
Individual visitors can consult with resident
staffs on their day-to-day issues.

Dispatch of specialists
Portable exhibitions
Specialists with expertise and a wealth ofexperiences on decontamination andradiation are dispatched to meetings incities, towns, villages, and to schools. Also,
to tell more people of the latest data,
portable exhibitions using panels andmodels as well as on-site seminars atschools are provided.

Communication among Regions
A communication field is provided; it includesseminars and workshops to learn together
about decontamination and radiation,
exhibitions introducing activities on
decontamination andrestoration, and a user-friendly saloon.
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Communication among Communities
source: “Decontamination Information Plaza” http://josen-plaza.env.go.jp/

What is the “Positive Cafe”?

A meeting held by those who work on the reconstruction of Fukushima,including decontamination and anxiety about radiation, aimed at theexchange of information and sharing experiences

In the midst of decontamination carried out by the government and municipalities, the local
people have voluntarily performed the activities on decontamination and monitoring ofradiation, and held study meetings on radiation.
Under such conditions, the “Positive Café” has started in 2013, aiming to accelerate thereconstruction of Fukushima, together with those who cope with the mitigation of anxiety
about radiation in each community, etc.
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History of Positive Cafe in 2013source: “Decontamination Information Plaza”

FiscalYear2013

Enhancing of actions against radiation and dose
reduction activities as a community program
1st Positive Cafe

2nd Positive Cafe

3rd Positive Cafe

“Positive Cafe” was inaugurated to share prior cases and exchange information,by interacting with those who have made efforts to mitigate anxiety about
radiation in the community, etc.
People engaged in various activities toward the reconstruction of Fukushima,such as dose measurement and dose reduction activities, have interacted witheach other through specific cases.
In the 1st and 2nd meetings, people coping with dose measurement and dosereduction, etc. introduced several cases. In the 3rd meeting, specialists engaged
in the measurement of farmlands and the persons from groups supporting
refugees participated to provide
the relevant information.
11２０１６ YUKO SAKITA

History of Positive Cafe in 2014source: “Decontamination Information Plaza”

FiscalYear
2014

Countermeasures against the anxiety about radiation in theNakadori area and practices, considering the viewpoints ofrefugees outside the prefecture, etc.
1st Positive Cafe

Experience in measuringpersonal dose in a study
meeting

Workshop on meal
(experience on duplicate diet), etc.

Based on the previous linkage, information was shared on the current situationand the measures to mitigate anxiety about radiation in the Nakadori area.
Firstly, a meeting was held to organize issues, then, based on the current situation
shared there and the opinions obtained from participants who returned to
Fukushima from outside due to evacuation, activities of “measuring” and “knowing”
such as events to learn about radiation using a picture-card show, experiences on
duplicate diet using local foodstuff, experiences in measuring personal dose wereperformed through the linkage with various participating groups and organizations.
To share information on such experiences with many people, the “Positive Cafe”
aiming to think over our future was held in February, 2015. Many people withinterest took part in it.
12２０１６ YUKO SAKITA

History of Positive Cafe in 2015
source: “Decontamination Information Plaza”

FiscalYear
2015

Linkage with the regions centered around
Hamadori, to share information
Positive Cafe @ Iwaki

Positive Cafe @ Minami-Soma

Positive Cafe in Hamadori“Positive Cafe” focused on the activities in Nakadori in the previous years. This year,
however, “Positive Cafe” was held in Hamadori area such ax Iwaki in August, in Minami
Soma in October, and in Naraha in December.
Information was shared concerning the anxiety about radiation, uneasiness in the postdecontamination living, and efforts toward reconstruction of Fukushima by the residents innorthern and southern areas of Hamadori, and considerations were given on mitigating theanxiety and solving the problems, through view exchanges with those who act for thesematters in Nakadori.
On February 11, the “Positive Cafe” 2016, aiming to think over our future” was held as in theprevious year, and information was shared with many residents of the prefecture.
※ For the scene on February 11, see the HP of “Decontamination Information Plaza” at http://josenplaza.env.go.jp/
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２０１６ YUKO SAKITA

FiscalYear
2015

Hamadori is in the vicinity of Fukushima Daiichi NPS.
Major opinions obtained in the area with various people, suchas those who still in evacuation, returned, or started a newliving there, are as follows:* August: Held in Iwaki. Workshop focused on “Now and Future”* October: Held in Minami Soma. Exchange of views on “what is now missed, and what to beachieved in the future” was held under the subject of “Industries, Network, Family, and Heart”.
* December: Held in Naraha. Exchange of views regarding the measures to be taken washeld under the subjects of “How to convey information”, “Accept diversity”, “Newly living
together”.
【Summary at Positive Cafe ＠ Minami Soma】
 To mitigate anxiety about radiation, partners to share sympathy are required; thus,
establishing confidential relationship is particularly important (without confidential
relationship, feelings and thoughts of the others would not be accepted, nor mutual
understandings would be developed).
Sharing through more conversations is needed also in the family.
 To eliminate anxiety about radiation and develop mutual relationship (a network), more
opportunities to share information, express views, and interact with each other arerequired.
 To restore industries from radioactive contamination, persons engaged in attractive jobs
are needed. Fostering of personnel is also required to restore the countryside areas andleisure activities; transmission of information from communities is required for that
purpose.
Source: “Decontamination Information Plaza” (responsible for organization: Sakita)

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Lastly, from Experiences in Dialogue in Fukushima◆Decommissioning would be impossible without co-existence of regional
mutualism and regional reconstruction.
・Decommissioning is one of the important options to those who consider
returning from an evacuation site.
・How to live with decommissioning? Do decommissioning with pride.
・Fostering of gratitude and respect to the communities having borne risks todate◆Decreasing and aging population is an issue annoying the Japanesesociety. Regional reconstruction in Futaba will be a model of regional
revitalization not only in Fukushima, but also nationwide.
・Mutualism with local communities starts with “building of life infrastructure”.
・Be a base of human resource training for decommissioning engineers, aswell as a learning site for local youths.
・Create regional vision and regional industries, looking at the future beyond
decommissioning.
◆Then, aim at “a learning site of the world” recovering from the severe
accident.
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