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The Roadmap for Fukushima Daiichi and the Sacrifice of Japan's Clean-up Workers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Paul Jobin
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During his June 2013 visit to Poland, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo highlighted the crisis management of the post-3.11 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant as an argument for the sales and promotion of Japanese nuclear technology. A few weeks before, the French company Areva mobilized to promote cooperation with Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd, Atox and Hitachi-GE during French President François Hollande's visit to Japan.

Keywords

Fukushimanuclear meltdownliquidatorscontract workersradiation hazards
Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 11 , Issue 28 , July 2013 , e2
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Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013

References

Notes

1 Philippe Pons, “Le Japon se prévaut de la “leçon” tirée de Fukushima pour vanter son nucléaire”, Le Monde, 19 June 2013.

2 Philippe Mesmer, “Les électriciens japonais misent sur la relance du nucléaire”, Le Monde, 8 July 2013.

3 See Shūkan Spa, 16 July 2013.

4 Andrew DeWit, “Green Shoot: Abenomics and the 3rd Arrow,” The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol 11, Issue 27, No. 3, July 8, 2013.

5 NGOs include the Japan Occupational Safety and Health Resource Center/JOSHRC 全国労働安全衛生センター連絡会議), the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center/CNIC 原子力情報室 and The Network to Consider Labor Exposed to Radiation 被ばく労働を考えるメットワーク which was created after 3.11 by labor activists engaged in the yoseba of Sanya and Kamasagaki () The state representatives were the Ministry of Health and Labor, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Economy, the Nuclear Regulation Ministry, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and the Reconstruction Agency. Video of the first meeting.

6 In December 2012, TEPCO presented a survey that acknowledged the practice of illegal recruitment of fully half of F1 contract workers. See Notes 13 and 14 of Gabrielle Hecht, “Nuclear Janitors”, Japan Focus.

7 Documents in Japanese: Here.

8 原子力災害対策本部、『東京電力福島第一原子 力発電所廃炉対策推進会議,東京電力(株)福島第一原子力発電所1～4号機の廃止措置等に向けた中長期ロードマップ』、平成2 5 年6 月2 7日。 TEPCO replied by mail (July 11) that an English translation is forthcoming.

9 5 m3 of water are pulled every day for cooling the reactors of units 1, 2, 3. See a video of these containers.

10 『東京電力福島第一原子力発電所... 中長期ロードマップ』、 pp.17-21. Since this report, which I received from a government officer, is not yet online, I present graphs 17, 19 and 20 and the aerial photo of F1 with radiation mapping.

11 Mycle Schneider, Antony Froggatt et al., World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013, p.65.

12 Statistics of the Radiation Effects Association 放射線従事者中央登録センター

13 In December 2011, the maximum exposure standard was reduced from the emergency level of 250 mSv (set on March 14th) to the levels prevailing before 3.11, i.e. a maximum of 50 mSv and 100 mSv over 5 years. Even if 50 mSv a year is tolerated, a cumulative dose of 100 mSv over 5 years is the main target, so in practice it is better not to go beyond 20 mSv a year.

14 See his long interview by Hirokawa Ryuichi in Days Japan, June 2011.

15 Interview with Watanabe Hiroyuki 渡辺博之 in his office at Iwaki City council on June 27, 2013. He has become well known for his engagement with the workers of Fukushima Daiichi. See numerous articles in Akahata, and his well-informed published presentation on nuclear plant contract laborers with photographer Higuchi Kenjii 樋口健二:『「最先端技術の枠を尽くした原発」を支える労働』、学習の友社、 2012.

16 They presented their testimony at the end of a bus tour to Tomioka organized by Hibaku rōdō o kangaeru kai.

17 『東京電力福島第一原子力発電所... 中長期ロードマップ』、, p.69.

18 During a research conducted in 2002. See P. Jobin, Back to Fukushima; « Fukushima ou la ‘radioprotection’. Retour sur un terrain interrompu, in A. Thébaud-Mony et al, Santé au travail: approches critiques, Paris, La Découverte, 2011, p.83-104; 「3.11事故以降の放射線防護」『大原社会問題研究所雑誌』、658号、2013.8、14-30頁.

19 Fore more details on that accident: Shinbun Akahata, 26.10.2012.

20 Interview of Watanabe Hiroyuki, 27 June 2013.

21 Évaluations complémentaires de sûreté - Rapport de l’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire - décembre 2011(PDF- 6,29Mo), p.211-220.

22 JAEC, 27 November 2012. And interview with Suzuki Tatsujirō, JAEC Vice-chairman, 2 July 2013.

23 Interview in Iwaki, 27 June 2013. To protect his identity (and allows him to continue this activity), Masato asked me to give minimal details on his union affiliation.

24 除染規則