Japan Press Weekly

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2011 November 9 - 15 [ELECTION]

Fukushima farmer runs local election backed by JCP

A farmer in Fukushima, who has led a local struggle to have Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) compensate farmers for nuclear damages to agricultural products, is running in the prefectural assembly election as an independent candidate backed by the Japanese Communist Party.

Nemoto Satoshi, 55, is the secretary of the Fukushima chapter of the National Federation of Farmers Movement (Nominren). In the election campaign, he is calling for an end to nuclear power generation, compensation of all damages caused by the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, a thorough decontamination of radiation-affected areas; and opposition to Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

A local fruit farmers’ cooperative in Nihonmatsu City, where Nemoto is running his election campaign from, recently decided to support him in the election campaign. Vice chair of the cooperative Muto Yoshiro said, “I hope that Nemoto will be able to help farmers in Nihonmatsu to win TEPCO’s compensation based on his experience in leading the local Nominren to get the full coverage of compensation for losses incurred by peach producers.”

Muto, a 55 year-old cherry and apple farmer, went on to say, “Normally, some 500 tourists come to our orchards for cherry picking, but we only had 50 this year.” Although now is the peak season for shipping apples, he is receiving very few orders.

“Nemoto didn’t budge an inch in direct negotiations with TEPCO, the national government, or the prefectural government. He is the only candidate we can pin our hopes on,” said Muto.

The prefectural assembly election will be held on November 20.