March 3, 2016
Item 3: Clustered interactive dialogue with:
1. The Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the safe, clean, healthy and sustainable development, and
2. The Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living and on the right to non-discrimination in this context.
Persisting and Emerging Fundamental Human Rights Issues for People Affected by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station Accident”
In the wake of the Tohoku earthquake in 2011, a tragic nuclear accident occurred at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station. However, the response of the government of Japan has been insufficient to protect the right to housing of the people affected by that disaster. Many people currently still live in highly contaminated area due to excessive radiation in government-based evacuation zones. There is a lack of sufficient evacuation support or compensation, which in practice forces poor people to remain in contaminated areas. In March 2017, the government will terminate housing support for evacuees in non-designated areas, and this will result in evacuees returning to contaminated areas. The Japanese government has also failed to implement the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Mr Anand Grover, on this issue. Therefore, Human Rights Now urges the Japanese government to reform all relevant policies based on the UN recommendations with a victim-based and human rights-based approach. It urges the government to revise its decision to terminate housing support for evacuees from non-designated areas. Evacuees need to be protected as internally displaced persons, and the government must provide all necessary support in order to ensure their right to housing. Human Rights Now further requests that the Human Rights Council continuously monitor the human rights situation of the victims, and it calls for the special rapporteur on adequate housing to conduct an official visit to Japan and prevent further violations.
