The Asia-Pacific Journal | Focus Volume 11 | Issue 41 | Number 3 | Oct 13, 2013

Fukushima: Life and the Transnationality of Radioactive Contamination 生命と国境を越える放射能汚染

Adam Broinowski

has now accumulated to make a realistic assessment of the human health impact, and to Japanese translationavailable discern how public understanding has been, (http://besobernow-yuima.blogspot.j and continues to be, confused. Finally, given p/2013/12/japanfocus.html) 生命と that the Fukushima disaster is distinguishable from other radiological events in scale and type 国境を越える放射能汚染 of contamination, this essay argues that far- reaching change is called-for in the current

legal standards and institutional responses When Fukushima 1 Plant (NPP) which have been governed thus far by mid was torn apart by several explosions, whether twentieth century power relations. due to technical failings in correspondence with the , or a combination I The Priorities of Sovereign Power of both, it not only dispersed radioactive Over nearly 70 years of the ‘postwar system’, contaminant but also exposed the bonds nuclear power has steadily become connecting people’s lives with nuclear power. synonymous with the political order in Japan Over the two and a half years since then, the and deeply integrated it within its international corruption, inadequacies and mendacities at institutional frame. Its introduction into Japan the centre of the sovereign power structure by a consortium of young politicians and that has prevailed in Japan since 1945 have become ever more visible. This essay first captains of industry (via the 1953-4 Eisenhower introduces the foundations of this structure, Atoms for Peace campaign) helped to solidify exploring how the long-standing relationship bilateral political and corporate relations between Government and major private electric between the US and Japan, within the wider utilities in Japan informs the present crisis, geopolitical re-formation. As part of the noting in particular the ramifications ofreconstitution of interlocking zaibatsu- decisions being made within this structure at government relations from 1949 on, with the the individual level in present and projected base value of a successful democracy in ‘free effects to human health. FollowingAsia’ commensurate with continuous consideration of the effects of radiation on construction and centralized energy production human health, the discussion then turns to (or ‘plutonium economy’) in all aspects of the visual and local testimonies of the effects of nation (the signature LDP policy ofdoken 2 other radiological events – Hanford, Hiroshima kokka or ‘construction state’), the destruction and Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Iraq – so as to of the natural environment was seen as a offer a comparative assessment of thenecessary contingency in the essential practice Fukushima disaster. While mindful of the of resource extraction, production and difficulty in arriving at an absolutely conclusive construction for optimizing economic growth position on these conditions, enough evidence and containing political tensions.

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Following the formation of the US Atomic the owner of radioactive matter released from Energy Commission (AEC 1954) and Japan the Fukushima Daiichi NPP. It claimed the Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA 1955), the materials were ‘res nullius’ (mushubutsu) – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) things belonging to no one, like mist or fish – was established in 1957. Article 2 of its and that it was owned by those whose land foundational mandate referred to theupon which it fell. In this case the radiation promotion of ‘safe, responsible development of levels were equivalent to those in the uranium resources’ and the mission toChernobyl exclusion zone (Cs137 235,000 ‘accelerate and enlarge the contribution of bq/kg, Sr90 98 bq/kg). On the other hand, while atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity apparently not of their concern, TEPCO lawyers world wide’. Just as Japan eagerly committed counter-examined the technical accuracy of itself to the ‘peaceful use of nuclear power’, so government dosimetry and their understanding too did signatory nations to the nuclear club of radiation effects, using the oft-cited pro- agree to the IAEA assuming the role of key nuclear argument that 10 mSv of natural promoter of the nuclear industry worldwide. In radiation is to be found in inhabited parts of the 1959, the WHO agreed to the IAEA taking world with no ill health effects. Although the primary responsibility for reporting the health district court maintained the right of companies effects of nuclear radiation despite the heavy to file complaints, they held that the onus of concentration of IAEA expertise in nuclear decontamination rested on local and federal physics (28 May 1959, WHO WHA 12-40). governments, and absolved TEPCO of the duty Along with establishing radiation safety and to compensate the golf company.3 environmental protection standards, the IAEA and other radiation protection authorities have Although both TEPCO and the central consistently downplayed events and evidence Government had received adequate and pathologised health concerns for low dose forewarnings of the risk in 2008, both radiation as ‘radiophobia’, which itmaintained for more than a year after the characterised as more hazardous than radiation disaster that the tsunami and earthquakes were itself. Their understanding of and response to an ‘unforeseeable force of nature’ and ‘beyond the ongoing disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear prediction’. They refused liability for damage Power Plant (NPP) is no exception. caused from radioactive contaminant released beyond their respective private or national As a sovereign industry, controlled by powerful borders. Apparently, their position is supported forces in society, came by The London Convention on the Prevention of to influence foreign policy, national security Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and and transnational ties. The insouciant over- Other Matters (1972) that limits liability to confidence displayed by Tokyo Electric Power released into the sea from Company managers (TEPCO) in the first two ships and not land-based sources.4 However, years of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, was the 1996 Protocol to the 1972 Convention an expression of the long-held technicalcodifies the ‘precautionary approach’ and the monopoly over nuclear power plants enjoyed by ‘polluter pays’ principle. Rather than prohibit a the Federation of Electric Power Companies of certain list of hazardous materials, this Japan. In a 2012 court action by Sunfield Protocol shifts the Convention to include waste Nihonmatsu Golf Course for compensation over discharged from land as well by stating that losses incurred due to forced closure as a result anything not included on the said list, of which of high radiation levels, TEPCO argued that as contaminant from nuclear reactors is not a a private contractor its responsibilities to the part, cannot be discharged into the ocean and public were limited and that it was no longer must be managed on land. The case can be

2 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 made that precautionary measures were has been granted immunity from either raw insufficient and that the polluter was negligent capitalist logic or due democratic process, in refusing to adequately store the materials. while being encouraged to manage a portfolio that promises to provide returns in the broader In this sense, TEPCO and the Government have effort to maintain the buoyancy of the nuclear operated in tandem. While the nationalindustry. In this sense, the reality of molten government took financial control of the utility, radioactive metal sitting beneath the ruined setting up a permanent government fund of 1 plant is abstracted into a financial liability that trillion yen (which includes public taxes and is ‘contained’ to prevent any loss of confidence international donations) to protect the utility on the part of prospective investors. Neoliberal (offset costs) from insolvency and collapse,5 free market principles permit state intervention TEPCO managers continue to own and run the where there is opportunity for financial benefit, plant, assuming ultimate authority on nuclear- but otherwise adhere to strict economic related operational issues including human and imperative. Moreover, the issues are not environmental health. A key functional problem restricted to Japan. Since the earliest days of underlying this position is that TEPCO is bound the disaster, all three administrations have to recoup the costs it has incurred during the proactively canvassed prospective buyers for clean-up. At the same time, the Government its nuclear technology exports. Confirmed can shift responsibility to TEPCO for the buyers include Vietnam, Turkey, Saudi Arabia disaster when it is expedient to do so. and the UAE, while negotiations with other central European and Asian buyers continue.6 TEPCO is a major representative of a sovereign Further, anticipating local obstruction, industry, which is regarded as too important to and have acquired or are acquiring be allowed to collapse, existing in this sense nuclear plants overseas (UK) to expand their beyond society. While technical problems posed nuclear power operations.7 by engineering operations, health safety limits, radiation detection methods, safety procedures While ceding responsibility to corporate and financial management have dominated entities such as TEPCO allows the Government public discourse, serious considerations of to limit its accountability, the toxicity of the responsibility and ultimate causation have been materials handled by these corporations in either marginalised or rejected by the courts. terms of their long-term waste and propensity Protecting its share price and profitability to penetrate the biosphere is far greater than remains the ultimate priority of TEPCO qua the short-term economic gain they return corporation, resulting in the curtailing of its through their use. The importance attributed to disaster operations on the basis ofTEPCO as part of a transnational industry considerations of cost-effectiveness. This leads overrides the core international principles of to slipshod safety procedures, includingfair trading and avoiding transnational random and inadequate ocean and land-based pollution. The fact that adequate prior warning measurements and hastily assembled and or consultation is not offered to those who are carelessly monitored temporary storageor will be affected, shows that both the state facilities (over 1000 tanks containing roughly and corporation have reneged upon their 380,000 tonnes of highly contaminated water). responsibility to protect the rights of the civilian. Instead, they privilege the corporation Even as it has failed and failed again, however, as a sovereign asset. This sort of corporate TEPCO has been bailed out by the Government welfare at the expense of public health and well so that it can continue to operate as a business. being suggests the degree of interests shared Regarded as ‘too big to fail’, the corporation by state and corporate managers and the

3 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 professional fluidity between them. This has throughout the Kantō area, and further into the been further aided by a distorted scaleocean. established in the late 1950s for weighing the dangers posed by radioactive contamination against the political and economic benefits of nuclear power.

Despite the seismic volatility of the archipelago, the concentrated investment, research, planning, construction and operation of the 54 nuclear reactors in Japan by the utilities, government, and cooperating international organisations that make up the transnational ‘nuclear village’ and its monolithic supply chain, suggests why radiation-related industries and agencies are being protected from liability for damage or cost overruns. ‘I absolutely assure that health problems have not been a problem until now and will Prime Minister Abe’s statement in Japan on 4 not be a problem in the future’ – PM Abe September 2013, followed by his performance Shinzo, IOC speech, 7 September 2013. as part of a final pitch to win the Olympics for Tokyo at the IOC meeting in Buenos Aires three days later, was intended to display decisive As contractors continue with ‘decontamination’ resolve toward the crisis. However, theprojects, the initial strategy adopted by TEPCO discrepancy between representation and reality to cool the melted fuel with constant hydration could not have been clearer. Abe assured the and filtering of contaminated water stored in nation, and then the Olympic panel and an tanks (with the Advanced Liquid Processing international audience that ‘the [Fukushima] System provided by French nuclear technology situation is under control. It has never done specialist company ) has been constantly and will never do any damage to Tokyo’. He hampered by problems. It has also been the guaranteed, with a pledge of 47 billion yen (US target of criticism by Gregory Jaczko, former $500 million) toward the plant, that hishead of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as government would stop the radiation-well as groups such as Greenpeace and contaminated water leaks from the Fukushima Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), for (NPP) so that ‘there would its inability to thoroughly remove radioactive be no problem at all in 2020’. In turn, Takeda isotopes.9 An initial offer of zeolite absorbent Tsunekazu, the leader of the IOC bid claimed from Rosatom, the Russian nuclear power that life in Tokyo where people believed that corporation, in the first few months after the the air and water quality was safe would explosions, repeated in August 2013, was continue as normal, as in most cities ‘like Paris, rebuffed by TEPCO, presumably to favour its London and New York’, and that ‘Fukushima’ arrangement with AREVA.10 However, unless posed no risk to a ‘great and safe Games’.8 significant amounts of forested land is cleared Contrary to their belief that contaminated and prepared at the site, contaminated water water had been contained within the 0.3km and soil storage is expected to reach the port housing of the NPP, ionising radiation had maximum space available by November 2013. been dispersed (and was continuing to spread) The adoption of the decontamination method

4 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 without planning the logistics for permanent with regard to the hazard of radiation, a certain storage facilities at the NPP, suggests that portion of the population has been factored in eventual discharge of contaminated water into as part of the ‘costs’ of maintaining nuclear the ocean or air has been and remains power in Japan. anticipated by TEPCO.11 As techniques of persuasion and confusion II Human requirements for safety versus continue to be insinuated into public economic health consciousness (‘Look forward with optimism!’; ‘Ganbare Nippon!’; ‘Kizuna!’), the popular Beyond the concerns of contamination from nationalist drive to restore Japan to its glory melted radioactive fuel, public trust in the days of the Meiji era, or to the Kishi Government has also been a casualty of the administrative initiatives of the late 1950s, has Fukushima disaster. The Noda government (2 made claims by affected citizens for September 2011 – 26 December 2012)compensated evacuation and health care more equivocated over the plan by the Kandifficult. Redoubling its effort to stamp out administration to shut down nuclear power in ‘baseless rumours’ (fūhyō), the Abe government Japan, and that plan was then emphatically has pressed evacuees to return to their former revoked by the Abe government fromresidences. Despite a municipal government December 2012. Instead, the latter, at least campaign to encourage residents to prioritise initially, vowed to export, restart andfamily, community and the land (thekizuna accelerate nuclear power-related production, project), along with staged apologies, reverting to and consolidating the LDPpromotional drives for Fukushima produce, construction-state formula to boost economic distribution of free dosimetry meters to growth. potential returnees, decontamination and construction programs, and even miracle cures The post facto raising of safety limits for for cancer,14 the public are also being told to radiation exposure on 19 April 2011 (from 1 to make their own decisions regarding the risks of 20mSv) and reduction of the evacuation zone to radiation exposure. However, the ability of less than 30 km from the NPP, driven by an those citizens from the mandatory or voluntary unapologetic ‘logic’ of optimal growth, ignored evacuation zones (160,000 in total) to make the passage of radioactive concentrations such decisions has been handicapped by the beyond the official concentric circlesauthorities’ screening information. The same is emanating from the crippled plant. These were true for those who have remained behind. They to denote the 20km mandatory exclusion zone have been deprived of necessary detail and (greater than 50mSv) and the 30km voluntary treatment concerning radiation levels in food, 12 exclusion zone (20-50mSv). The continued water and air, for sufficient protection against dispersal of radioactive contaminant from the damage from myriad types of radionuclides.15 stricken and leaking NPP, waste incineration, the relaxation of food testing and re-circulation While sophisticated detection of radioactive of irradiated fish from the Fukushima coast matter is obviously essential (across the (Sōma, Iwaki), and re-use of contaminated gamma-beta-alpha range in water, soil, air, areas by fast food chains for cheap food organic and inorganic matter), the over- production, for example,13 contributes to the emphasis on a national ‘can-do’ positivity and creation of a surplus population of humans and on an economic solution by the Abe other living beings through thegovernment distracts from realistic bioaccumulation of radioactive materials. This assessments and appropriate responses to the means that due to institutional policies adopted complex problems at Fukushima.

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Decontamination for example, can cause example. As people ingest radioactive materials serious damage to the lived environment,16 and (hot metal particles) dispersed from the there is little guarantee that mobile radioactive reactors as a by-product of a stressed sovereign particles will not re-contaminate cleaned areas. industry, their health has been and is being Despite the US Atomic Energy Commision sacrificed in exchange for the protection and (AEC) having known since 1955 from its expansion of sovereign life. disastrous nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands that radioactive material does III An outline of radiation effects not dissipate but moves in scattered pockets and streams in sea water,17 in 2013 the While the public are being served variants of Japanese government and TEPCO continue to misinformation concerning radiation, from the use a dispersal as decontamination method, universal common of natural background both on land and into the Pacific ocean. The radiation for the creation of planetary life, to use of decontamination instead of evacuation comparative doses of radiation in aircraft, X- and entombment of the reactors, has meant the rays, CAT scans and bananas (natural award of significant contracts to construction background potassium K40 radiation in companies to perform tasks whose truebananas is 0.0117 Bq/kg) to psychosocial effectiveness are disputed. At the same time, prescriptions of happiness (Dr Yamashita general confusion prevails concerning the Shunichi, Fukushima Medical University), it is effects of radioactive materials, how they generally agreed that, prior to 1945, the human spread and how to protect against them.18 body had evolved to correct mutations from natural radiation exposure over time. The subsequent creation of this surplusAnthropogenic radioactive materials however, population in addition to those affected by the which have been produced by nuclear bombs or initial disaster is symptomatic of a crisis of late power plants cannot be balanced so easily, capitalism. In the same way that medical whether internally or externally exposed to the treatment of HIV and cancer now favours a human body. When man-made uranium managerial over a curative approach which products enter the food chain, depending on benefits the pharmaceutical industry through the radionuclide the additional and unnatural long-term course prescriptions, monitoring and burden of radioactive ionisation takes a long decontamination programs in Fukushima tend time to stabilise in the environment (generally to defer the recognition of reality as part of the 100,000 years). prescription. Similarly, the chronic illness caused by low-level radiation exposure leaves Where once it was believed thathibakusha the person alive but in a permanentlysuffered illness only from the direct external debilitated state. The concerted attempt to flash and thermal wave from the atomic bombs assuage public anxiety seems to be aimed at over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it only gradually gradually normalising radiation as part of became known that the chroniceffects such as everyday life – studied or transformed into fatigue, cardiac abnormalities, various cancers, industrial production in some way, but not leukaemias, alopecia, skin lesions and rashes accurately diagnosed and sufficiently treated. were also due to low-dose internal radiation As the sovereign appetite for power increases exposures.19 The US-led Atomic Bomb Casualty in lieu of trans-national market competition, Commission (ABCC) longitudinal studies on projected external threats and national policy , used by the Atomic Energy transformation, stress fractures in the social Commission to establish the international and environmental fabric are developing of formula for radiation exposure and safety which the Fukushima disaster is just one standards, calculated the risk of cancer in

6 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 direct proportion to the dose received (linear kills the affected cells or alters their no threshold model). It concluded that any biochemistry. This creates the conditions for exposure below 100mSv/year (1 mSv = 1 X- disorders and diseases, mutation/genomic ray), particularly internal exposure, would be instability, and cancers and leukaemias.25 When negligible to human health. This calculation did reproductive organs are so embedded, the not allow distinctions for gender, age,damage to the sex cells therein is reproduced physiological differences, diet, period ofin the next generation. When embedded in the exposure and ecological particularities in soft tissue of an embryo the activity of these distribution. It also disregarded all non-cancer, products can impair birth, and cause defects non-genetic, or non-fatal illnesses as being (teratogenic defects). Even when these radiation-induced (auto-immune disease,products are excreted they remain active and fertility impairment or birth defects, orcan continue to cause damage when re- combination with other carcinogens). Although absorbed by living beings. some authorities now recognize that this measurement understates risk by between 100 Despite tight institutional control over national and 1000 times, this model formulated by the health statistics and health diagnoses at International Committee for Radiationmedical centres in affected areas, at the time of Protection (ICRP) continues to informwriting 43 children measured from Fukushima international radiation policyprefecture have been diagnosed with thyroid (IAEA/UNSCEAR/WHO), and has been applied cancer, or are suspected of it. 18 were in calibrations for radiation emergencies at diagnosed with thyroid cancer from 210,000 Windscale, Sellafield, Three Mile Island,children tested in Fukushima, up from 12 Chernobyl, Fukushima, and elsewhere.20 Even reported on 5 June 2013, and 25 other cases when the external dose rate is below the are suspected of developing into full-blown stipulated action level (external dose rate limit cancers.26 Although the Fukushima Medical for sheltering is 100μSvh-1), radioactive University has yet to release all its thyroid test particles may still be present in the air or water data, the Eighth Health and pose risk of ingestion. In fact, on 27 May Management Survey between April and August 2012, the UN Special Rapporteur on2012 showed 43% of 42,060 children tested Fukushima Anand Grover released a report presenting abnormal nodules and enlarged which was sharply critical of the approach cysts on their thyroids.27 This may be an taken by Japanese authorities, and pointed out underestimate given that the tests skimmed that much had been learned about low dose over small cysts (1-2mm), but is still a higher radiation effects from the .21 rate compared to the same illnesses in the Chernobyl vicinity after that disaster.28 In Although there is evidence that the danger has addition, Caesium has been detected in 70% of 22 been understood ever since the early 1940s, 85 children measured in the Ibaraki Prefecture in vitro and in vivo studies over the past 20 Cooperative Association study,29 and there have years have confirmed that uranium products, been numerous instances of symptoms typical when ingested in micro-particles, can be of radiation poisoning, such as regular, genotoxic (damaging DNA), cytotoxicprolonged, enduring and aggravated anaemia, (damaging cells) and mutagenic(mutation rashes, lethargy, uncontrolled nose-bleeding, 24 inducing) to living beings. They then embed in dizziness, nausea and headaches.30 the cells, soft tissues, organs, blood and bones, and continue to emit regular low doses of Conclusions by the WHO and UNSCEAR that radiation in specific areas as they decay the releases from Fukushima were much lower (ionisation). The ‘heat’ from these emissions than those of Chernobyl and that there will be

7 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 only a small absolute increase in health effects It is instructive to refer to other sites of mass seem excessively optimistic. Firstly, the exact radiation exposures as comparators to the amount of radioactive material released from Fukushima disaster. For example, in 1998 and the Fukushima NPP is unknown because the in 2003, a Japanese documentary team led by corium (melted fuel) are yet to be located and Kamanaka Hitomi visited Iraq (Basra, Fallujah) cannot be measured, and the release of to trace the effects of radioactive materials contamination has not yet been contained. The dispersed during the first Gulf War of 1991 amount of Cs 137 alone released from the (Hibakusha: sekai no owari ni, 2003). initial explosions (roughly 3.8 x 1017 Bq) warranted a Level 7 International Nuclear The documentary showed reports from medical Event Scale (INES) code, while the estimated doctors and affected families from 1998 amount of all radioactive materialsonward of spikes in infant and child leukaemias subsequently released into the air and sea over (acute myeloid leukaemias specific to nuclear the following two years is 44.9 terabecqerels radiation) and serious birth defects in Basra (TBq). Secondly, Government health estimates and Fallujah, and cases suspected in other have been scaled against the entirelocations. They traced the source to depleted 31 population. Given that the differenturanium munitions (DU) used by US and UK metabolisms of pregnant women, children and forces in Operation Desert Storm during the adults have been exposed to radioactive first Iraq War (1990–1991). DU is a uranium contamination in excess of 250mSvy, whether product derived from enrichment processing of accumulated or singular doses (the Chernobyl uranium ore, which concentrates the isotope mandatory evacuation level was 5 mSvy, the uranium 235 for use in nuclear bombs or voluntary evacuation level was 1mSvy, and the nuclear power reactors. The mixture of present European limit for nuclear plant radioactive waste from this is comprised mostly workers is 5mSvy), it seems clear that the risks of U238 (others are Thorium and Proactinium) from Fukushima are being downplayed by the which has a radioactive half-life of 4.5 billion Government and the IAEA-affiliated radiation years. In both the first and second (Operation 33 protection institutions. From August 2013, the Enduring Freedom, 2003) Iraq Wars, A-10 South Korean government responded by Warthog aircraft and armoured ground units implementing selective bans on fish and food (Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles) products from prefectures in Tōhoku, while the deployed rounds coated in solid uranium (4,500 US Food and Drug Administration added new grams), which dispersed 300 and 500 tonnes products to its import alert list revised from respectively of powderised DU into the local July 2013 (Import Alert 99-33) and Russia’s fields and water-ways.35 Rosselkhoznadzor maintained its ban of imports from selected companies selling produce from 8 prefectures. The position adopted by TEPCO and the Government warrants a prima facie case of criminal negligence, and more broadly, points to the need for a review of international law concerning transboundary pollution to more effectively address the consequences of the Fukushima disaster and anticipate the dangers posed by similar events in the future.

IV Iraq, US, Japan: Hibakusha

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‘Approximately 2000 tonnes of DU’ - radiation from the bomb and uranium in the screenshot from Kamanaka Hitomi (dir.), fallout’, while the rate of illness was also much ‘Hibakusha: Sekai no owari ni’ (Group higher.40 Many Iraqi women have been advised Gendai Films, 2003) to not give birth to more children.

In addition, several studies have found that Under pressure from the UK and US30% of the 800,000 US military personnel who governments and in contravention of its served in Operation Desert Storm later mandate in denying the risk from DU, the WHO developed chronic illnesses from ingested DU delayed the release of its own commissioned fragments and the children of these veterans report (2004) which cautions that inhalation of have also shown spikes in deformities. Loosely dust containing DU would affect the long-term termed ‘Gulf War Illness’, these effects include health of Iraq’s civilian population in the form chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, of birth defects, congenital malformations and autonomic dysfunction and nervous system 36 cancers. The publication of a joint WHO-Iraqi damage.42 As the plutonium for the Nagasaki Ministry of Health Report covering 10,800 bomb was being produced in 1944-45 at the households to measure the rate of congenital Hanford reactor, large plumes of aerosolized defects in Iraq due for release in November uranium products were released (550,000 2012 was also delayed, and only the first Curies). People living near the Hanford reactor ‘provisional’ part of its three parts has so far were exposed to dispersed material through been made public. The anonymous authors absorption over a prolonged period. From conclude that there is no evidence for an talking with one family, Hida learned that in unusually high rate of congenital defects in 1949 secret government tests (only revealed in Iraq.37 The former Assistant Secretary General 1984) had found a five-fold increase in cancers of the United Nations Hans von Sponeck also in communities near the plant and factories in stated that the ‘US government restricted WHO Hanford and Rocky Flats.43 This is supported by surveys from southern Iraq where depleted the ‘Petkau Effect’ observed by Abram Petkau uranium had been used and caused serious in 1972, which finds that regular low level health and environmental dangers’.38 radiation exposure can be more damaging over time than a one-off high dose of radiation. This In January and February 2012, 11 researchers was confirmed from investigations by visited 711 houses (4,800 individuals) in Burlakova et al. in the early 1990s which Fallujah to survey for details of cancers, birth observed changes at the cellular level in 39 outcomes and infant mortality. The study, animals and humans after irradiation akin to entitled ‘Cancer, Infant Mortality and Birth the aging process.44 Sex-Ratio in Fallujah, Iraq 2005-2009’, concluded that anecdotal evidence of a sharp Given that as early as 1941, as part of US rise in cancer and congenital birth defects was military research into radiological warfare correct. Infant mortality (80 per 1,000 births) (1941-1974), uranium products had been found was much higher in Iraq than Egypt (19), to be seriously harmful when ingested Jordan (17) and Kuwait (9.7). They found a 38- (dependent upon contact time, particle fold increase in leukaemia, a ten-fold increase solubility, half-life, rate of elimination), the in female breast cancer and significantresults from Hanford, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, increases in lymphoma and brain tumours in Basra and Fallujah among other sites where adults. They report that the types of cancers uranium products have been used and were ‘similar to [those found] in Hiroshima dispersed suggest criminal negligence and/or survivors who were exposed to ionisingcrimes against humanity through the use of

9 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 weapons of mass destruction (chemical,Left: Soft bug (Miridae) from Gösgen, biological or otherwise) on two counts: the use Switzerland ; Right: Scorpion fly (Panorpis of such weapons against civilians orCommunis) from Reuenthal, Switzerland © combatants; and the degradation of theCornelia Hesse-Honegger environment in the failure to protect individual entitlement to adequate conditions of life Her research suggests that the official ‘low including health and well-being. The ecological dose event’ category for Chernobyl, and its distribution and re-mobilisation of fine DU estimate of 28-32 deaths from acute radiation further afield is also of serious concern. As and 15 subsequent deaths from thyroid cancer those living in primary affected areas have is mistaken and should be re-calculated.47 Of most obviously experienced, exposure to NPP the 16,000 bugs collected until 2007, she found emissions downwind or downstream also gain a 30% increase in severe deformities (missing heightened susceptibility to cancer and non- feeler sections, malformed wings, asymmetric cancer related illnesses. body segments, ulcers, black spots, altered pigmentation), 10 times higher than the 1-3% V Local testimonies norm. Rather than concentric circles used to measure the distance from the hypocenter as in Dr Hida’s thesis and the ‘downwinder’ theory the model used for Hiroshima, she found 45 may not be far-fetched. Cornelia Hesse- topography, wind direction and hydrology as Honneger, a Swiss scientific artist, has over 20 determinants in radiation distribution. years collected and drawn ‘true leaf bugs’ (Heteroptera) from around fallout areas and In 2000, only after thousands of scientific the peripheries of nuclear power plants. studies conducted in the affected regions Characterised by their remaining within their around Chernobyl over the 1990s did the UN habitat, Hesse-Honegger describes these bugs Secretary General Kofi Annan announce that as ‘bio-indicators’ (early warnings) because radiation dispersed from Chernobyl (100 times they are sensitive to radiation and develop the amount from the atomic bombs in much more rapidly than mice and humans.46 Hiroshima and Nagasaki) had caused chronic Her field-work sites include Chernobyl,illness in 7 million more people, and the 48 Switzerland (Aargau), Sweden, France (La premature deaths of 3 million children. This Hague), Germany (Gundremmingen), Sellafield contrasted starkly with IAEA recommendations (Cumbria), Pennsylvania (Three Mile Island) (and the consensus of ‘radioprotection and the Nevada desert. authorities’) that families continue life as normal in contaminated areas and that their illnesses were psychosocial.

Takeda Shimpei is one artist who has attempted to counter the prevailing narrative and to perceive more clearly the presence of radioactive contamination in everyday life in the Tōhoku area since the reactor meltdowns. Fukushima-born and New York based, in contrast to mainstream symbolic images and information used to represent ‘3.11’, Takeda sought to make an alternative and ‘direct record’ of the ‘worst man-made nuclear accident in history’.

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In ‘Trace’, which received its Japan debut at when ingested (through air, water or food) the Fukushima Biennale 2012, he collected soil continue to burn within the body. As these samples from 12 different locations of historical materials continue to circulate in the and cultural value while traveling in the biosphere, given the deep geological time of Tōhoku-Kantō area with hip-hop activist Shingo uranium products, the danger is that through Annen and architect Keisuke Hiei (temples, repetition of the message that ‘all is safe’, shrines, battle sites, ruins, a hospital). Takeda radiation monitoring could become like used an ‘auto-radiographic’ process in which he weather readings, announced and accepted as exposed the soil samples to photo-sensitive a fact of life. In choosing not to separate and materials in a light-sealed box over 1 month quantify the radiation amount and particle (gelatin silver halide film). The ionisingtype, Takeda seems to have rejected reliance products scattered on the soil permanently on radiation monitoring as an end in itself, and imprinted the film as decay continued. By the erroneous, arbitrarily determined, radiation minimising his interference in this way, like dose limits. Alive to the possibility that such Hesse-Honegger, Takeda has devised an measurements may be easily manipulated to accessible way to record and display the represent a fictitious reality, the focus of chemical and radiological reactions inherent to ‘Trace’ is on manifesting radiation as the soil’s active ingredients (mass-time-heat). undeniable materiality.

In addition, scientific studies on animals affected by distributed radioactive contamination in local areas in Tōhoku are also beginning to appear. The ornithologists Timothy Mousseau and Anders Møller, whose work on cataracts in birds in areas with high levels of ionising radiation (10 uSvh) around Chernobyl is well known, extended their studies to swallows surrounding the Fukushima NPP and found that these birds have nearly vanished, while those that survive have ‘smaller heads and low breeding rates’.49

Macaques, horses, mice and moss show similar effects. Wild macaques, which eat leaf buds from the surrounding forests, show high levels of Cs137 in their muscle tissues (10,000-25,000 Takeda Shimpei, Nihonmatsu Castle soil bq/kg March 2011; 500-1,500 bq/kg June 2011; sample, Fukushima prefecture, ‘Trace’ 2,000 bq/kg Dec-Mar 2012).50 Some have been (2012). fitted with GPS devices and dosimeters by Fukushima University researchers so as to This work also demands interpretation as a collect and map levels as they comb the visual representation. Setting aside purely mountain forests in the no-entry zone of aesthetic considerations, the concrete scientific southern Minami-Soma. Of the 15 horses born form of Takeda’s work is strategically aimed at at the Hosokawa ranch 20kms from the reactor exposing the politicised conditions of life amid in 2013, 14 lived between 1 week and 1 radioactive contamination. Takeda’s images month.51 4 adult horses also collapsed and reflect the burning particles in the soil, which eventually perished. The horses were

11 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 diagnosed with liver failure (lack of red blood into the ocean.55 Aoyama Michio, Japan cell production). Fieldmice in their 52nd Meteorological Agency scientist, at the IAEA generation since the disaster sampled in early 2013 Scientific Forum reported 60 billion Bq of 2012 from a forest 30 km from the NPP1 Cs137 and Sr-90 being released directly into (Kawauchi-mura forest, Ibaraki-ken) stillthe Pacific ocean from the NPP on a daily basis showed genetic mutations 100 times the (900 billion Bq respectively per month). This control and very high Cs137 levels (3100 bq), was even greater than a recent estimate by as did earthworms, leaves and soil from the Kanda Jōta, an oceanographer at Tokyo same area.52 People are still growing rice in University of Marine Science and Technology, these areas, and are also returning to them. In who calculated that the NPP is leaking 0.3 Tbq early July 2013, moss on the roof of a building (300 billion Bq) of Cs137 per month.56 Aoyama in Fukushima city 50kms from the NPP included the amount of water vacuumed from returned extremely high Cs137 concentration the port by Units 5 and 6 to cool the reactors, 53 (1,785,216 Bq/Kg). subsequently discharged north of the site.57

Contrary to assurances from the nuclear industry, tritiated water 3(H2O, or ‘heavy water’) binds to the DNA and can cause great damage to life. There is no method yet discovered to remove Tritium once it has bonded with water.58 In addition the total release from the reactors into the permeated basements has been revised upward to 276 PetaBq Cs-137 (40 percent of the reactor core inventory), and Strontium-90 from 23 to 33 PBq (4.4 to 6.3 percent of the reactor core inventory). This is roughly triple the total amount released into the air from the Chernobyl accident.59

Despite all this, local government recently A dead horse at the Hosokawa ranch, 2013 opened the public beach at Iwaki-shi (40 km from the NPP) for swimming, claiming that radiation levels are below the detectable limit (omitting the specific amounts or types of radiation they had tested).60 This was decided In July 2013, the groundwater flowing beneath knowing of high Cs137 concentrations in the NPP recorded the highest readings yet seaweeds, crustaceans and fish along the measured, a rise of 9000% since the beginning Tōhoku coast, and of TEPCO dumping of 3 of the disaster (900 million Bq/m of all radioactive matter into the ocean. βparticles- Sr, Cs, Tr, Pu). On 22 July, one day after the LDP and New Komeito won the This is also of concern given the known effects national election, TEPCO operators admitted to since 2011 on ocean wildlife further afield, a daily discharge of 300 tonnes of irradiated including ringed seals and walruses along the water into the sea (since upgraded to 400 Bering Straits, the Arctic coastlines of Russia, tonnes),54 and the leak of an additional 24 the Arctic wildlife sanctuary, Alaska and British billion Bq of tritiated water from storage tanks Columbia. Necroscopies of the seals have

12 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 shown fluid on the lungs, white spots on the contaminated animals and plants emerging liver, and abnormal brain growths. Indigenous from local residents as well as scientific studies people living in British Columbia who rely on confirm such damage. Although context Skeena River sockeye salmon have alsospecific, these diverse cases indicate a common reported dramatically reduced numbers and ill- experience that transcends nationality and health of the fish returning from their ocean- cultural particularity – a radioactive going maturational phase to spawn up-river. transnationality. The symptoms these animals are displaying in the form of bleeding lesions, alopecia,The obfuscation of the transnational nuclear psoriasis, internal growths and lethargyindustry on questions of radiation is indicate diseases consistent with radiation presumably motivated by the sheer scale and exposure which affects the autoimmune, intensive long-term investment in the nuclear lymphatic and endocrine systems. As the seals production chain (uranium mining, nuclear in these areas eat the ocean-going herring, power plant technology, national electricity tuna, greenling and salmon, their carcasses are production, military weapons production and then eaten by polar bears and birds.61 Further, use, decommissioning and nuclear waste large numbers of dead starfish have collected storage) in which executives, politicians and in the shallows and on the beaches ofbureaucrats are deeply embedded. Vancouver Island. On 12 September 2013, a local diver witnessed large numbers ofWhile funds for new military hardware, sunflower starfish (Pycnopodia helianthoides), technological innovation, public works and that feeds mostly on sea urchins and snails, in public relations operations seem to be readily various stages of disintegration on the sea available to the Abe administration, it shrinks floor. As he described, ‘the arms just detach, from the costs required to return the water, and the central disc falls apart. It seems to food and air to a ‘safe’ legal radiation limit (1 63 happen rapidly, and not just dead animals mSvy). Despite being an advanced industrial undergoing decomposition, … The bottom from nation, its government seems incapable of about 20 to 50 feet [6 to 15 meters] was taking appropriate measures to protect people absolutely littered with arms, oral discs, tube – closing all schools which measure above 1 feet, gonads and gills.’62 mSvy in affected areas, assisting all citizens that wish to be evacuated from areas within a If estimates are correct regarding increases in 80km radius from the NPP with sufficient caesium levels in the entire Pacific Ocean well subventions for their moving, living and beyond the peak level during the nuclear schooling costs, preventing the consumption of weapons tests, these are preliminary findings contaminated foods nationally and of degradation of the ecosystem at a far greater internationally, providing a nationalised course scale than has been anticipated. of medical treatment commensurate with the actual danger posed by the toxicity of radiation VI In sum exposure, and storing radiation contaminated materials.64 Abstract data is difficult to decode and easily manipulated for the untrained reader, but the Even if they are less clear on the structural and visual testimonies of radioactive contamination scientific reasons for it, many people in Japan by Kamanaka Hibakusha( ), Hesse-Honegger seem to be well aware of the falsity of Abe’s (Heteroptera) and Takeda Trace( ) render contention that the Fukushima NPP is under visible the apparently invisible damage to the control.65 The abstraction of material conditions biosphere. Testimonies of radiation-to justify the protection of and maintain the

13 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 confidence in sovereign assets and illusory 1 An initial version of this article entitled ‘Limits growth, is incurring real and mounting costs in in the Modern Episteme: Understanding human and non-human life. If unchecked, this Fukushima through visualising radioactivity’ system will continue to do so into the future was presented at the Japanese Studies until exhaustion and potential collapse.66 Either Association of Australia conference in July way, the situation is likely to get worse before 2013. significant change is achieved, which depends 2 on the ability of people in Japan and the See Gavan McCormack, The emptiness of international community to grasp the urgency Japanese affluence, New York: M.E. Sharpe, of the crisis and to demand an end to delay in 2001; and Jeff Kingston,Japan's quiet preventing further contamination of the ocean transformation: social change and civil society and regenerating one of the most vitalin 21st Century Japan, London and New York: structures supporting life on the planet. In the Routlegecurzon, 2004, pp. 122-156. short-term, the formula for measuring the risk 3 posed by nuclear power must be re-adjusted to The proprietor sued TEPCO for losses as the reflect the health of living beings in the contamination led to its closure (45 kms from biosphere as a non-negotiable factor. This will the Fukushima NPP). The TEPCO lawyers have immediate effects on public health, food (Nagashima, Ohno and Tsunematsu) argued safety and evacuation from contaminated that they could not be held liable for that which areas. In the long term, while the debate over was not their property. The court upheld the the choice of energy sources is critical, the defence. The court also stated that golf course systemic and astigmatic prioritisation of profit operations could be resumed because radiation has to be revised, so that state-corporate levels on average were below 3.8 uSv/h, the interests can no longer hijack the core values yardstick for schoolyards set in April 2011. which sustain life. Iwata Tomohiro, ‘TEPCO: Radioactive substances belong to landowners, not us’, Asahi Adam Broinowski is an Australian Research Shimbun Weekly AERA, 24 November 2011, Council post-doctoral research fellow athere Culture, History and Language, College of Asia (http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social and the Pacific, the Australian National_affairs/AJ201111240030). University. His book Cultural Responses to 4 Occupation in Japan: The Performing Body See David Pacchioli, ‘Absurd: Intentionally during and after the Cold War is forthcoming in dumping Fukushima nuclear material into 2014. His current research is concerned with ocean from land “is not considered dumping” — understandings of radioactive contamination Allowed under international law?’, Seafood since 1945. Safety and Policy, Oceanus, WHOI, Vol. 50, No. 1, Spring 2013, 14 May, 2013. Recommended citation: Adam Broinowski, 5 "Fukushima: Life and the Transnationality of About 10 billion yen of the 25 trillion yen Radioactive Contamination," The Asia-Pacific pledged for disaster recovery over several Journal, Vol. 11, Issue 41, No. 3, October 14, years has been reserved to offset costs for 2013. utility companies that were ordered to shut nuclear power plants in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster. See ‘Funds from disaster relief budget given to nuclear operators’, Notes 29 June 2013,here (http://www.japantoday.com/category/national).

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6 John Holifena, ‘Japan’s PM Abe to push 13 ‘Fish caught off the Fukushima coast to hit nuclear sales in Europe’, JDP, 14 May 2013, the market’, 26 September 2013,here http://japandailypress.com/japans-pm-abe-to-pu (http://apjjf.org/admin/site_manage/details/mai sh-nuclear-technology-sales-in- nichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130 europe-1428791/. 926p2a00m0na009000c.html); ‘Yoshinoya to grow rice and vegetables in Fukushima,’ 1 7 Uchiyama Osamu, ‘Toshiba set to buy British October 2013,here nuclear power firm for 10 billion yen,’Asahi (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/10/01/ Shimbun, 6 October 2013,here business/yoshinoya-to-grow-rice-in- (http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/ fukushima/#.Ukz9byT39z8). AJ201310060021). 14 For example, Kameda Medical Institute 8 ‘Japan's PM Abe: "Contaminated Water purchased a system for cancer treatment from Problem Will Be Gone by 2020 Summer Israel’s IceCure Medical Inc., 2 October 2013, Olympics in ‘InnovativeTokyo”,’ Israeli Cancer Treatment to be (http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2013/09/japans-pm- Tested in Japan’,here abe-contaminated-water.html)Jiji Tsushin, 4 (http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/business/201 September 2013,here 3/10/icecure-medical-japan-kameda-medical- (http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=201309/20130904 center-cancer.html). 00352&g=pol). 15 ‘White Paper: Fukushima Health Survey 9 See PSR, Nuclear Power and France: Setting Occupies Medical and Legal Conundrum’, the Record Straight’, 16 September 2008, here Simply Info, 8 November 2012,here (http://www.psr.org/nuclear-bailout/resources/n (http://www.fukuleaks.org/web/?p=8220). uclear-power-in-france-setting.pdf), Jeff McMahon, ‘French System for Cleaning 16 Winifred Bird, ‘Fukushima nuclear cleanup Fuushima Water Blamed for Leukemia,could create its own environmental disaster: Polluted Beaches in Europe’, 25 April 2011, Decontaminating the Fukushima region to here remove radioactive particles will not be (http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/201 possible without removing large amounts of 1/04/25/french-plan-to-clean-fukushimas- soil, leaves and plants,’The Guardian, 9 radioactive-water-detailed-including-risks/). January 2012,here (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/201 11 Mari Yamaguchi, ‘Overflowing tank cause of 2/jan/09/fukushima-cleanup-environmental- new leak at Fukushima, Associated Press, 3 disaster). The radiation safety standard of October 2013,here 100mSvy cited in this article are contested. (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAP 17 AN_NUCLEAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&T Robert Alvarez, ‘Nuclear Tuna and NPR's EMPLATE=DEFAULT). Trivialization’, Institute for Policy Studies, 31 May 2012,here 12 See Miguel Quintana, ‘Radiation(http://www.ips-dc.org/blog/nuclear_tuna_and_ Decontamination in Fukushima: a critical nprs_trivialization). See also, ‘Fukushima perspective from the ground’, The Asia-Pacific radiation could be ocean risk’, 26 January 2012, Journal, Vol 10, Issue 13, No 3, March 26, 2012 here - See heremore(http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/01/26 (http://apjjf.org/-Miguel-Quintana/3730#sthash. /Fukushima-radiation-could-be-ocean- e4EAo9Yl.dpuf). risk/UPI-58191327617662/).

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18 Alexey Yablokov, Vassily Nesterenko and Strontium was a Calcium analogue and had Alexei Nesterenko, Mycle Schneider, Hirose carcinogenic effects that was harmful to the Takashi, Koide Hiroaki, Helen Caldicott, Arnie unborn. In October 1943, a subcommittee of Gundersen and Murata Mitsuhei among others, the S-1 Committee for ‘Use of radioactive have argued that radiation and other problems materials as military weapons’ comprising of are worse than either TEPCO or the Japanese Drs. J. Conant, A. Compton and H. Urey wrote government have admitted. The National to General Groves advising on weaponising Regulation Authority commissioner Fuketa such uranium products collected from nuclear Toyoshi also wondered if TEPCO’s data could pile rods and dispersed by various means into be relied upon at all. See Matt McGrath, enemy territory (dust, smoke or liquid ‘Fukushima leak is 'much worse than we were distributed by ground-fired projectile, land led to believe', 22 August 2013,here vehicle or aerial bomb). The objective of such (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environme weapons was to contaminate enemy food and nt-23779561); Jason Motlagh, ‘The News From water supplies, making the land uninhabitable, Fukushima Just Gets Worse, and the Japanese including airports and railroad yards, cause Public Wants Answers’, 22 August 2013, here casualties in military and civilian populations, (http://world.time.com/2013/08/22/the-news-fro while protecting US troops and civilians with m-fukushima-just-gets-worse-and-the-japanese- potassium and vitamin D and calcium public-wants-answers/#ixzz2gKn4Rpaj). concentrate. See ‘Groves Memo’, 30 October 1943, here 19 Satoh C., Kodaira M., ‘Effects of Radiation on (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiological_weap Children,’ Nature, 1996, 383: 226; Nakamura on); also Langley P., Medicine and the Bomb: N., ‘Genetic Effects of Radiation in Atomic- Deceptions from Trinity to Maralinga, Port bomb Survivors and Their Children: Past, Willunga, SA: Paul J. Langley, July 2012: 7-9. Present and Future,’Journal of Radiation Research, 2006, 47 (Supplement): B67-B73. 23 For example, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR),Toxicological 20 See ‘Recommendations of the European Profile for Uranium, U.S. Department of Health Committee on Radiation Risk: Health Effects of and Human Services, 1999,here Ionising Radiation Exposure at Low Doses for (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp150.ht Radiation Protection Purposes Regulators’, ml). Brussels, 2003,here

(http://www.euradcom.org). 24 Pu 239 is an alpha emitter, has a half-life of

21 24,000 years, mimics iron and goes to the liver, Thierry Ribault, ‘UN Special Rapporteur spleen and bone marrow. It causes 10 to 1000 Anand Grover on Fukushima: A Stunning Report Brushed Aside by the Japanesetimes more chromosome damage than the same Government 国連人権委員会理事長アナンド・グ amount of gamma or beta radiation. It is ローバー氏の目覚ましい福島報告書を払いのけ pyrophoric (combusts upon contact with る日本政府’, Japan Focus, 10 June 2013, here oxygen) and changes its volume and density (http://apjjf.org/events/view/184). with temperature change. Its heat makes it highly toxic when ingested, glows in the dark 22 Between 1939 and 1941, scientists in the (Pu 238), and currently fuels the Curiosity Manhattan Project observed that ‘fission rover on Mars. Caesium 137, a gamma emitter, products’ emitted photon and particulate is the most abundant fission product in nuclear radiation, and from studying their metabolism fuel and nuclear waste. Its half-life of 30 yrs, they found that radiation was harmful when high-energy decay, chemical reactivity and high ingested as well as to the embryo, and that solubility (Ci), means that Cs 137 will be

16 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 present for roughly 300 years after Fukushima. gov't forced to reveal children's thyroid gland It attracts to muscle tissuestests,’ 22 April 2013,here (prostate/ovary/breast cancer) and causes (http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/n malignant muscle cancersews/20130422p2a00m0na016000c.html). (rhabdomyosarcomas, heart arrhythmias and 27 cardiac arrests, muscle seizures, loss of This amount was estimated from Aoyama consciousness, memory loss). StrontiumMichio’s IAEA statement on Caesium and (Sr89-90) mimics calcium, goes to the bone and strontium only releases, ‘44.9 Tbq teeth, causes bone cancers and leukaemia and Contamination Released to Sea and Air in Last is radioactive for 300 years. Along with the 2 years at Fuku Daiichi’, 24 September 2013, above, there are many other radionuclides in here the inventory of nuclear reactors: alpha - (http://www.fukuleaks.org/web/?p=11481). thorium, radium, neptunium, curium 244, 28 Fukushima is registering 24.9 children per americium 241, californium, polonium 210 100,000 compared to 11.3 children per 100,000 (transuranic and actinides); gamma - Cobalt 60, in Chernobyl in the same time period. Kinoshita Irridium 92, Barium 137, Iodine 131, Kōta’s calculation of 24.9 children per 100,000 Lanthanum 140; Beta - Tritium, Phosphorous, people is higher than Dr. Bandazhevsky’s Nickel, Carbon; Alpha and Beta - Strontium 90, calculation from the Gomel region 5 years after Cadmium 113, Europium 155, Krypton 85, Tin the accident in 1991, where the frequency of 121 (Sn), Samarium 90; noble gases - Xenon thyroid cancer in children was 11.3 children and Iodine 131. As the weight or chemical mass per 100,000 people. Including all actual and of a radionuclide causes most damage to suspected cases, the rate of children in internal structures, when ingested heavy alpha Fukushima is more than two times higher than particles are even more destructive than beta the rate in areas near Chernobyl in less than and gamma emitters. half the time. Kinoshita Kôta, ‘Radiation protection project’, Kinoshita Kôta blog, here 25 Natural sources of gamma rays on Earth (http://blog.goo.ne.jp/nagaikenji20070927/e/eea come from natural radioisotopes, and from 26e037975d2b78bb6bb6a6aeccede). interactions with cosmic ray particles. The capacity of radiation to mutate cells and 29 ‘TEPCO finds new radioactive water leak at increase mitosis rate means that radiation is Fukushima’, Arirang News, 3 October 2013, used in cancer therapy (white T cells or red 00:40-1:00, here blood cells) and agriculture (new plant strains (http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp through mutated seeds; controlled irradiation ?nSeq=151871). to kill bacteria in food). This can also create less resistance to cytotoxins (chemical cells) 30 For a survey from 20 September – 3 October which can increase sickness. 2013, see Katsumi Takahiro, ‘Fall Japan 2013 Japan National Residents Nosebleed Survey 26 See ‘Fukushima Prefecture Healthv1.0’, here Management Survey’,here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bFM9rQDgO (http://www.pref.fukushima.jp/imu/kenkoukanri C97dGupwLlO8hNxgIEbwBaR00n63Qilu6g/vie /240911siryou2.pdf); ‘Thyroid cancer found in wform). See also, Takenouchi Mari, ‘Health 18 Fukushima children’, NHK, 21 August 2013, damage shown among a family from Fukushima here city’, 24 September 2013,here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KllwbggJ69 (http://savekidsjapan.blogspot.com.au/). 8); ‘Thyroid cancer found in 12 minors in Fukushima’, Kyodo, 5 June 2013, ‘Fukushima 31 Similar to the way in which the dismissal of

17 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 the relation of internal radiation to the death November 2004. WP disperses into a gaseous from oesophagus cancer and cerebralcloud from the exploded warhead, and burns haemhorrage of 58 year old Yoshida Masao, upon contact with oxygen, water or the skin. who had remained to control the meltdowns at The Pentagon claimed wP was a conventional the Fukushima NPP, the LDP Policy Bureau not a chemical weapon and that civilians were Chief Sanae Takaichi sought to justify the not targeted. Maurizio Torrealta, ‘Fallujah: The nuclear power plant restarts by declaring that Hidden Massacre’, RAI TV, 2005; George ‘it is not that there has been a death from the Monbiot, ‘The US Used Chemical Weapons in nuclear accident, including at Fukushima 1 Iraq–And Then Lied About It’, The Guardian, 15 Nuclear Power Plant. We have no choice but November 2005. utilize nuclear power plants as long as we 35 secure maximum safety’. Sanae went on to An estimated 14 per cent of Iraq's population claim that ‘the stable supply of power is are orphans, and one million families are indispensable for maintaining thewithout fathers. competitiveness of industries, and that a 36 nuclear power plant costs enormous amount of See Baverstock K., ‘Science, Politics and money if we think about the cost ofEthics in the Low Dose Debate’,Medicine, decommissioning, but while it is operating the Conflict and Survival, vol 21 (2), 2005: 88-100. cost is relatively cheap’. Editorial, ‘“There are 37 no deaths from the nuclear accident”, LDP Seehere Policy Bureau Chief’, Asahi Shimbun,here (http://www.emro.who.int/irq/iraq-infocus/faq-c (http://www.asahi.com/special/news/articles/TK ongenital-birth-defect-study.html). Y201306170249.html). 38 See Mozhgan Savabieasfahani, Rise‘ of 32 The health risk from regular tritiumCancers and Birth Defects in Iraq: World emissions (40,000 Bq/l) from nuclear power Health Organization Refuses to Release Data, plants has been a source of contention between (http://www.globalresearch.ca/rise-of-cancers-a nuclear protection bodies. In 1990 in Canada nd-birth-defects-in-iraq-world-health- concern was such that the ICRP sought to organization-refuses-to-release-data/5344530)’ lower the safety standard for tritium to 7000 Global Research, 31 July 2013. Savabieasfahani Bq/litre and then to lower it by 100 Bq/litre states that Iraqi doctors are convinced that the every five years until 20 Bq /litre. epidemic is self-evident, despite the difficulties in absolute proof of cancer etiology. He cites 33 ‘S. Korean minister calls Japan ‘immoral’ for British oncologist Karol Sikora, chief of the covering-up radiation leak’,Yonhap , 30 cancer programme of WHO in theBritish September 2013,here Medical Journal (Owen Dyer, ‘WHO suppressed (http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/yon evidence on effects of depleted uranium, expert hap-news-agency/130930/s-korean-minister- says’, 9 November 2006) who points out that calls-japan-immoral-covering-radiation-l-0). ‘requested radiotherapy equipment, chemotherapy drugs and analgesics are 34 John Pilger, ‘From Iraq, a tragic reminder to consistently blocked by United States and prosecute the war criminals,’ 27 May 2013, British advisers [to the Iraq Sanctions here Committee]’, and that mentioning Iraq at the (http://johnpilger.com/articles/from-iraq-a-tragi WHO was discouraged due to its political c-reminder). The US military also used white nature. See alsoDenis Halliday phosphorus (wP) against Iraqi ‘insurgents’ (http://www.globalresearch.ca/author/denis-hall during the assault on Fallujah in April and iday), ‘WHO Refuses to Publish Report on

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Cancers and Birth Defects in Iraq Caused by Panikkar B., ‘Teratogenicity of Depleted Depleted Uranium Ammunition’,Global Uranium Aerosols: A Review from an Research, 13 September, 2013; Rob Edwards, Epidemiological Perspective,’ Environmental ‘WHO ‘Suppressed’ Scientific Study Into Health, 2005, 26(4): 17. Albina L., Belles M., Depleted Uranium Cancer Fears in Iraq,’ The Gomez M., Sanchez D.J., Domingo J. L., Sunday , ‘Influence ofHerald Maternal Stress on Uranium- (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0 Induced Developmental Toxicity in 222-08.htm) 24 February 2004. Rats,’ Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2003, 228 (9):1072-1077; Arfsten D.P., Still 39 Busby C., Hamdan M., Ariabi E., ‘Cancer, K.R., Ritchie G.D., ‘A Review of the Effects of Infant Mortality and Birth Sex-Ratio in Fallujah, Uranium and Depleted Uranium Exposure on Iraq 2005–2009’, International Journal of Reproduction and Fetal Environmental Research and Public Health Development,’ Toxicology and Industrial (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph). See also, Health, 2001, 17: 180-191. Patrick Cockburn, ‘Toxic legacy of US assault on Fallujah 'worse than Hiroshima': The 42 From documents released by the RERF in shocking rates of infant mortality and cancer in December 2011, Honda Koya of the Ota Iraqi city raise new questions about battle’, The Hospital in Nagasaki found that the ABCC had Independent, 24 July 2010,here done a survey linking black rain exposure to (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/mid purpura and epilation. 13,000 people were dle-east/toxic-legacy-of-us-assault-on-fallujah- exposed to black rain. Direct exposure after worse-than-hiroshima-2034065.html). detonation within 1km was 4,500 mSv, and 2km 100 mSv, but indirect exposure of 10-35 40 Chris Busby, ‘Why the WHO report on mSv through rain and ground shine extended congenital anomalies in Iraq is a disgrace,’ 29 beyond the 2km radius and was suppressed. September 2013,here See ‘Black Rain: Fruitless data on the A-bomb (http://rt.com/op-edge/who-iraq-report-disgrace survivors’, NHK, 1 September 2012,here -461/). (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSw4PQpP KKY). 41 There are reports which suggest the chemical toxicity of DU (U238) munitions were being 43 Hanford was a plutonium fabrication facility associated with post-exertional malaise. See US on the Columbia River in Washington. Rocky Army Environmental Policy InstituteFlats is owned by the US AEC in Arvada, (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/docs/ Colorado, and was operated initially by Dow techreport.html), June 1995. Also Bertell R., Chemical. The metal would be shipped to Rocky ‘Depleted Uranium: All the questions about DU Flats to be made into useful shapes for the and Gulf War Syndrome are not yet answered’, reactors – the ‘pits’ – and then shipped to the International Journal of Health Services, vol 36, Pantex Plant for final assembly into bombs. By No 3, 2006: 503-520, McDiarmid MA. et al., 1984, many families had been driven from Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Hanford due to sickness and cancers. Tom Health, Part A, 67:277–296, 2004. There Bailey was a leader of a lobby group seeking remains contention over whether it is the compensation, which was finally recognised in alpha-particles or the chemical toxicity of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act uranium which effects genetic material. See (1990). There is now major concern for the Royal Society, Health Hazards of Depleted remaining plutonium waste buried beneath the Uranium Munitions: Part II, London: Royal Hanford site (10 metric tonnes, 67 tanks, Society, March 2002; Hindin R., Brugge D., 710,000 m3) contaminating the groundwater.

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44 Graeub R., The Petkau Effect – The See Nippon Veterinary and Life Science Devastating Effect of Nuclear Radiation on University (NVLU) quoted in ‘Scientists in Human Health and the Environment, New groundbreaking study on effects of radiation in York: Four Walls Eight Windows, 1994;Fukushima’, Asahi Shimbun, 10 April 2012, Burlakova E. B., Naidich V., The Effects of Low here Dose Radiation: New Aspects of Radiobiological (http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukus Research prompted by the Chernobyl nuclear hima/AJ201210040003). disaster, Utrecht and Boston: VSP, 2004. 51 ‘Surviving at the Ranch of Hope: Irradiated 45 See Sternglass E., Secret Fallout: Low level Cows from Namie, Evidence of the Nuclear radiation from Hiroshima to Three-Mile Island, Reactor Accident’,Tokyo Shimbun, 6 New York: McGraw Hill 1981. September 2013, here (http://bit.ly/AqnUlW) in ‘Ranch of Hope – Fukushima’ Official Blog, 46 Hesse-Honegger C., Heteroptera, New York: here Scalo Publishers, 2002. (http://fukushima-farmsanctuary.blogzine.jp/); also ‘The man living within20km of the nuclear 47 These figures were re-confirmed at the reactor: Alone in the Zone’,Vice , 10 March Chernobyl Forum 2005, attended by delegates 2013, here from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, the IAEA, World (http://www.vice.com/read/radioactive-man-jap Bank Group, WHO and UNSCEAR. Seehere an). (http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Che rnobyl/chernobyl.pdf). 52 ‘3100 Bq/kg of Radioactive Caesium from Wild Mice in Kawauchi-mura’, EX-SKF, 13 May 48 Hesse-Honegger C., Wallimann P., 2012, here ‘Malformation of True Bug (Heteroptera): a (http://ex-skf.blogspot.fr/2012/05/3100-bqkg-ra Phenotype Field Study of the Possible Influence dioactivecesium-from.html); NHK of Artificial Low-Level Radioactivity’, Chemistry (http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20120514/k1 & Biodiversity, 2008, Vol. 5, Issue 4, pp. 0015092741000.html), 14 May 2012,here 499-539. See also Tom Raum, Associated Press, (http://www.nhk3.org.jp/news/html/20120514/k ‘U.N.: Worst effects of Chernobyl disaster may yet occur’, Record Journal, 26 April 2000; 10015092741000.html). The Forestry and Rebecca Harms, ‘The Chernobyl Legacy’, 9 Forest Products Research Institute also June 2006, #645-646,here measured worms (19,500 Bq/kg Cs137), leaves (http://www.wiseinternational.org/node/3260). (319,000 Bq/kg Cs137) and soil (5cm - 20,900 Bq/kg Cs137). See ‘High radioactive Caesium 49 Møller A., Mousseau T. et al., ‘Abundance of levels detected in worms 20 km from nuke birds in Fukushima as judged from Chernobyl,’ plant’, Mainichi Daily News, 6 February 2012, Environmental Pollution, Vol 164, May 2012: here 36–39, here; (http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/201202 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/p 06p2a00m0na008000c.html); ‘High Caesium ii/S0269749112000255) ‘Cataracts in the eyes found in earthworms’, Japan Times Online, 8 of birds in Chernobyl and Fukushima’,The February 2012,here Economist, 7 September 2013, here (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120208a (http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-t 3.html). echnology/21584963-birds-live-cataracts- 53 chernobyl-not-so-blindingly-obviou). ‘Scientists detect highest Caesium levels in a year in Fukushima,’ Asahi Shimbun, 4 July 50 25,000 Bq/Kg were measured in macaques. 2013, here

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(http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukus ocean despite Abe's claim’, Asahi Shimbun, 20 hima/AJ201307040081). September 2013,here (http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukus 54 Reiji Yoshida, ‘Tepco raises estimate to 400 hima/AJ201309200083). tons a day’, Japan Times, 27 September 2013, here 58 While tritiated water may be cleared from the (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/09/27/ human body in about 10 days (Garland), national/tepco-raises-toxic-water-estimate- organically bound tritium (tritium bound in to-400-tons-a-day/#.UlH8LCQ7jPk). animal or plant tissue) can stay in the body for 10 years or more and regular exposure can 55 Between 3-5 July 2013,Fukushima Diary lead to chronic exposure. Tritium from tritiated reported 4,300,000 Bq/m3 of all β at 6m from water can become incorporated into DNA, the the sea (an 1.4 x increase in 3 days) and molecular basis of heredity for living 900,000,000 Bq/m3 of all β in the groundwater, organisms. Most studies indicate that tritium in the worst reading in groundwater everliving creatures can produce typical radiogenic published by TEPCO. The exact readings of effects including cancer, genetic effects, Strontium-90 were not announced. Seehere developmental abnormalities and reproductive (http://www.TEPCO.co.jp/cc/press/2013/122874 effects (Straume; Rytomaa; Torok; Dobson). 9_5117.html). Studies have shown that there is no evidence of a threshold for damage from 3H exposure, and 56 ‘How a Scientist Was Censored by the that low doses of tritium can even cause more Japanese Government After the Fukushima cell death (Dobson), mutations (Ito) and Accident’, Fukushima Voice, 27 September chromosome damage (Hori) than higher tritium 2013, here doses. Tritium can cause damage two or more (http://fukushimavoice-eng2.blogspot.com.au/2 times greater per dose than either x-rays or 013/09/how-scientist-was-censored-by- gamma rays (Straume; Dobson). There is no japanese.html); Kanda J., ‘Continuing 137Cs technology that has been developed to remove release to the sea from the Fukushima Dai-ichi it from water. See Folkers C., ‘Tritium: Health Nuclear Power Plant through 2012’,Consequences’, NIRS, 2006,here Biogeosciences Discussions, 10: 3577-3595, (http://www.nirs.org/factsheets/tritiumbasicinfo 2013, here .pdf). (http://www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/10/357 7/2013/bgd-10-3577-2013.html); Geoff Brumfel, 59 Mycle Schneider, Antony Froggatt et al., The ‘Oceans still suffering from Ocean stillWorld Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013, 30 suffering from Fukushima fallout: Continuing July 2013,here leaks and contaminated sediment keep(http://www.worldnuclearreport.org/World-Nuc radiation levels high’, Nature, 14 November lear-Report-2013.html#np0-301). 2012, here (http://www.nature.com/news/ocean-still-sufferi 60 ‘Sun, sand, surf and radiation in shadow of ng-from-fukushima-fallout-1.11823). Fukushima’, The Daily Tribune, 1 September 2013, here 57 Aoyama M., ‘Fukushima derived(http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/comment radionuclides in the ocean’,here ary/itemlist/user/67-afp). (http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/PDF plus/2013/cn207/Presentations/1028- 61 The NOAA was quoted by the Emergency and Aoyama.pdf), Negishi Takuro, FujiwaraDisaster Information Service – Biological Shinichi, ‘Contaminated water flowing into Hazard in multi-countries as reporting over 200

21 APJ | JF 11 | 41 | 3 diseased or dead seals found in Canada Penney M., Selden M., ‘What Price the (Tuktoyuktak), Russia (Kaktovik, Chukotka), Fukushima Meltdown? Comparing Chernobyl Alaska (Barrow, Arctic National Wildlifeand Fukushima’,here Refuge). (http://apjjf.org/-Mark-Selden/3535#sthash.qoX http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event W49iW.dpuf). _desc&edis_id=BH-20111013-32661-MLC. This was also reported by major news agencies 65 A survey on 5-6 October found ‘76% don’t including MSNBC and . Seebelieve Fukushima situation ‘under control’; ‘Independent fisheries scientist Alexandra Abe support rate steady at 56%’,Asahi Morton reported the damage to sock eye Shimbun, here salmon. See Lake Babine sockeye fishery at (http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politi risk of unprecedented closure’, The Globe and cs/AJ201310070064). Mail, 12 August 2013,here (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british- 66 Professor Eiji Makino of Hosei University columbia/lake-babine-sockeye-fishery-at-risk-of- stated that the Fukushima disaster is indicative unprecedented- of how the nation’s ‘political, social, economic, closure/article13715638/?service=print). and moral standards are falling apart… Japan is on the verge of a collapse’. See ‘0.23μSv – 62 Carrie Arnold, ‘Massive Starfish Die-Off Fukushima: Is There a Way Out?’, Arirang TV, 9 Baffles Scientists,’ National Geographic, 9 September 2013, from 46:00,here September 2013, (http://www.arirang.co.kr/Tv2/TVCommon_NoS taff_Archive.asp?PROG_CODE=TVCR0208&ME here NU_CODE=100448&view_seq=5933&Page=1 (http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/201 &sys_lang=). 3/09/09/massive-starfish-die-off-baffles- scientists/).

63 On 23 May 2011, hundreds of parents armed Related articles: with over 50,000 signatures surrounded the MEXT government offices demanding aAbe at Ground Zero: the consequences of lowering of this limit. However, a Japanese 1 inaction at Fukushima Daiichi 安倍首相のゼ High Court decision handed down three months ロ地点 不決断の帰結は after the hearing in 21 January 2013, rejected the right of children to receive compensated Andrew Dewit and Christopher Hobson evacuation from Koriyama city reflects the official position that health effects below - See heremore 100mSvy are not proven. See Yanagihara (http://apjjf.org/-Christopher-Hobson/3991#sth Toshio, representative lawyer for the plaintiffs, ash.AJKF2lfd.dpuf) the Fukushima Collective Evacuation Trial Team’, 24 April 2013,here The Roadmap for Fukushima Daiichi and (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ALOywbl the Sacrifice of Japan's Clean-up Workers m0). 福島第一原発のロードマップと除染作業員

64 These are akin to the recommendations Paul Jobin offered by Russian radiation specialist Alexey Yablokov on 15 April 2011, concerning the - See heremore viable actions the Government could take in (http://apjjf.org/-Paul-Jobin/3967#sthash.qUu7i response to the Fukushima disaster. See 34V.dpuf)

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What Price the Fukushima Meltdown? UN Special Rapporteur Anand Grover on Comparing Chernobyl and Fukushima Fukushima: A Stunning Report Brushed Aside by the Japanese Government 国連人権 Matthew Penney and Mark Selden 委員会理事長アナンド・グローバー氏の目覚ま しい福島報告書を払いのける日本政府 - See heremore (http://apjjf.org/-Mark-Selden/3535#sthash.qoX By Thierry Ribault W49iW.dpuf) See morehere Scientists and Research on the Effects of (http://apjjf.org/events/view/184#sthash.cLKd9 Radiation Exposure: From Hiroshima to 3xg.dpuf) Fukushima 放射線影響の研究と科学者—広島か ら福島へ What Price the Fukushima Meltdown? Comparing Chernobyl and Fukushima’ Sawada Shoji By Matthew Penney and Mark Selden - See heremore See morehere (http://apjjf.org/-Sawada-Shoji/3952#sthash.Wj (http://apjjf.org/-Mark-Selden/3535#sthash.qoX gX34FV.dpuf) W49iW.dpuf) Abe’s and Japan’s Fukushima: An Assessment of the Quake, Future 安倍首相の原子力政策と日本の未来 Tsunami and 福島—地震、 津波、そしてメルトダウンの評価 Jeff Kingston By Gavan McCormack See morehere (http://apjjf.org/-Jeff-Kingston/3986#sthash.ML See morehere 6FxXhX.dpuf) (http://apjjf.org/events/view/178#sthash.jtEZ5Y Tm.dpuf) Muto Ruiko and the Movement of Fukushima Residents to Pursue Criminal The Lessons of the 3.11 Meltdown for Charges against Tepco Executives and Japanese Nuclear Power: Citizenship Vs. A Government Officials Corporate Culture of Collusion 日本原子力に たいする3.11炉心溶融の教訓−−市民対企業結託 Tomomi YAMAGUCHI and Muto Ruiko 文化

- See heremoreRoger Pulvers (http://apjjf.org/-Muto-Ruiko/3784#sthash.TOw gmq5b.dpuf) See morehere (http://apjjf.org/events/view/164#sthash.LrQjCy Radiation Decontamination in Fukushima: lh.dpuf) a critical perspective from the ground “We used chemical weapons in Vietnam”: Miguel Quintana Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick explain how telling the untold history can change - See heremorethe world for the better (http://apjjf.org/-Miguel-Quintana/3730#sthash. ev7LkRcE.dpuf) Joint Interview by The Asia-Pacific Journal:

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Japan Focus and Shukan Kinyobi, Tokyo, See morehere August 11, 2013 (http://apjjf.org/-Toyoda-Naomi/2000)

Satoko Oka Norimatsu and Narusawa 'It is the Same Here as in Hiroshima and Muneo Nagasaki.'Serbians Suffer Long-term Effects of NATO Depleted Uranium Bombs See morehere (http://apjjf.org/events/view/197#sthash.LkzvP by Suemori Akira 4pd.dpuf) See morehere Complicity and Victimhood: Director (http://apjjf.org/-Suemori-Akira/2002#sthash.n Kamanaka Hitomi's Nuclear Warnings m8nwa4j.dpuf) Introduced and translated by Norma Field Japan's Nuclear Crisis: A Wakeup Call for - See heremorethe World 日本の核機器−−世界への警鐘 (http://apjjf.org/-Norma-Field/3524#sthash.tRb 8d61u.dpuf) By Gavan McCormack

Iraq – A Nuclear Polluted Land See morehere (http://apjjf.org/events/view/49#sthash.ajqUoK by Toyoda Naomi DU.dpuf)

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