Dear Supporters,
March 11th is a solemn day of remembrance for the people of Japan who suffered a horrible 9.0 earthquake, devastating tsunami, and triple nuclear meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi. Today marks the thirteenth year of the ongoing nuclear disaster, which is still far from over and in many ways worse than perhaps most people could have possibly imagined when it began.
How to recap the last year? Some key points to be aware of:
*Ocean dumping of 1.3 million tons of radioactive wastewater continues amid reports that 70% of the “treated” water contains more than permitted cesium, strontium, iodine (plus tritium, carbon 14 which can’t be filtered). "It is essential that we treat (filter) the water in those tanks a second time." ~ Tatsujiro Suzuki, vice director of the Research Center for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, Nagasaki University
*As in the Ukraine and beyond due to Chernobyl, wild food in Japan is found to have much higher than allowed cesium in mushrooms and field greens due to Fukushima.
*Fukushima Prefecture food including seafood banned by some countries is being purchased by the U.S. military and provided to service members in Japan.
*TEPCO leaked 5.5 tons of highly radioactive water at Fukushima in February. Two workers hospitalized, untold amounts of radiation released into the environment.
*Japan facing litigation as over 160 citizens, fishers ask for injunction to halt dumping, Article 4 London Convention is tested: does it apply to pipelines or barrels?
*Numerous Pacific Islands strongly condemn Japan’s actions including the Pacific Island Forum. Their requests have been repeatedly denied.
*Engineers and scientists strongly advise against ocean dumping and offered TEPCO and Japan's government alternatives; their efforts were repeatedly refused.
John Laforge of Nukewatch wrote an excellent update for Counterpunch including an update on the lawsuit to stop Japan's ocean dumping is here.
My opinion piece for Truthout on the redistribution of banned Fukushima seafood is here.
Please share the information with your networks, and I'll be sharing more actions you can take in the near future.
~ Kimberly Roberson, Fukushima Fallout Awareness Network
Twitter X ~ @FFAN4u
Instagram ~ @FukushimaFalloutAware