HRN has submitted a video oral statement to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council about the lack of transparency by the government of Japan regarding several risk issues related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The full text of the statement is below the video.
Oral Statement on Risk Information Portals & Fukushima
The goal of risk information portals must be to protect the public and facilitate participation, but 13 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, citizens and the 30,000 remaining evacuees still need clear and unbiased risk information.
The Japanese government’s portal on its discharge of ALPS-treated water into the ocean does not make risk information easily accessible, and the water is being dumped without public consent or explanation to Pacific Islanders, violating the London Convention.
Accidents to workers involving high-dose radiation exposure happen repeatedly at the plant, with a culture of secrecy, including on the number of workers who have been refused compensation.
Radioactive waste is being buried in farmland and under roads with no public traceability. The government also plans to move contaminated soil all over Japan, including Tokyo, ignoring local authorities’ opposition; and without clear information or a legal framework, putting residents at risk.
We urge the government to share risk information transparently, engage with the public in decision-making, and listen to the voices of Fukushima nuclear victims.
Thank you