Japan Press Weekly

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2013 July 31 - August 13 [WELFARE]

Hansen’s disease sanatorium hosts summer camp for Fukushima kids

Fukushima children enjoyed a summer camp held at Kuryu Rakusen’en in Gunma Prefecture, a national sanatorium for Hansen’s disease patients.

This is the third camp following the camps held last summer and winter. Rakusen’en hopes that the camp will provide children in Fukushima with a chance to play outside without fear of radiation exposure, and make the facility more open to local communities.

From Fukushima and Shirakawa cities in Fukushima Prefecture, 16 children aged 7-13 took part in the 5-day camp, and spent time with residents of Rakusen’en.

The children on August 4 visited a repository for the ashes of deceased residents which their bereaved families refused to accept due to deeply ingrained prejudice, and met with residents in their rooms.

Asked by the children what he lives for, Kodama Yuji, one of the residents, said, “I am living in order to create a world without prejudice and discrimination as well as to convey my wishes to you young people who will be around to help build a better future.”