Fukushima: Life and the Transnationality of Radioactive Contamination 生命と国境を越える放射能汚染
Date
2013
Authors
Broinowski, Adam
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
On-line journal ISSN 1557-4660
http://japanfocus.org/site/view/1103#
Abstract
When Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) was torn apart by several explosions, whether due to
technical failings in correspondence with the earthquakes, tsunami or a combination of both, it not only
dispersed radioactive contaminant but also exposed the bonds connecting people’s lives with nuclear
power. Over the two and a half years since then, the corruption, inadequacies and mendacities at the
centre of the sovereign power structure that has prevailed in Japan since 1945 have become ever more
visible. This essay first introduces the foundations of this structure, exploring how the long-standing
relationship between Government and major private electric utilities in Japan informs the present crisis,
noting in particular the ramifications of decisions being made within this structure at the individual
level in present and projected effects to human health. Following consideration of the effects of
radiation on human health, the discussion then turns to visual and local testimonies of the effects of
other radiological events – Hanford, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Iraq – so as to offer a
comparative assessment of the Fukushima disaster. While mindful of the difficulty in arriving at an
absolutely conclusive position on these conditions, enough evidence has now accumulated to make a
realistic assessment of the human health impact, and to discern how public understanding has been,
and continues to be, confused. Finally, given that the Fukushima disaster is distinguishable from other
radiological events in scale and type of contamination, this essay argues that far-reaching change is
called-for in the current legal standards and institutional responses which have been governed thus far by mid twentieth century power relations.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Collections
Source
The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
Type
Journal article
Book Title
Entity type
Access Statement
Open Access
Open Access
Open Access
License Rights
Articles at The Asia-Pacific Journal are published under a Creative Commons license. Permission is granted to forward electronically to others and to post Asia-Pacific Journal texts for non-commercial purposes following Creative Commons guidelines, provided they are reproduced intact and the source indicated and linked. To publish Asia-Pacific Journal texts in electronic, printed or other forms, including course use, contact us at info.japanfocus@gmail.com.
DOI
Restricted until
Downloads
File
Description