March 11, 2019

On the eighth year anniversary of the 2011 massive earthquake, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on March 11 issued a statement on the sidelines of memorial services and events taking place at various locations in Japan as well as in the disaster-hit prefectures, expressing his deep condolences for the victims and his heartfelt sympathy for all the people affected.

Concerning the tsunami-caused nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, Shii in the statement pointed out that more than 40,000 Fukushima citizens cannot still live in their own homes due to the contamination from the disaster eight years ago. In communities where evacuation orders were lifted, those who returned home accounts only for 23% of the registered population. The percentage of elementary and junior high school students in these communities has been reduced to 10% of their pre-disaster size. Both the return of residents and the reconstruction of the crisis-stricken areas have not transpired, Shii added.

"However, on the pretext of lifting evacuation orders, TEPCO and the authorities both at the national and local levels are discontinuing providing support and paying compensation to the dislocated people. To 'draw a curtain' on work still needed to properly deal with the accident in order to resume and promote nuclear power plant operations nationwide is absolutely impermissible," Shii said in the statement.

He also said, "The Yokohama District Court on February 20 ordered the central government and TEPCO to pay compensation to Fukushima evacuees, including those who voluntarily evacuated from their homes, by recognizing that these people 'lost access to their hometowns and their lives were destroyed' due to the nuclear accident and the government pro-nuclear power generation policy. This is the fifth collective lawsuit in which the government was judged liable for damages. The government and the utility should fulfill their responsibilities until all the victims gain full compensation, and are able to secure a safe place to live so as to restore their daily lives and businesses."

Shii stated, "In disregard of public opinion calling for an end to nuclear power generation, the Abe government is committed to the resumption of operations of nuclear reactors and the promotion of more nuclear energy. However, its 'centerpiece' policy of exporting nuclear power plants ended up in failure proving that N-energy businesses have no potential." In conclusion, on behalf of the JCP, he expressed his determination to "continue making efforts to establish a Japan without nuclear power plants in cooperation with concerned citizens".

Past related articles:
> Yokohama court: gov't and utility liable for damages caused by 2011 N-meltdown [February 21, 2019]
> JCP Kasai criticizes Abe for clinging to failed policy to promote nuclear power plant exports [February 14, 2019]
> Evacuees of Fukushima nuclear disaster neglected by the government [April 26, 2018]
> Don’t discard Fukushima victims for the sake of NPP restarts and exports: JCP Chair [March 11, 2017]
> 2011 disaster-affected Fukushima municipalities want extension of gov't reconstruction support [March 11, 2018]