Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　Just two years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Then, the international community rated Japanese high as courteous, patient and truly courageous people who gave priority to considerations to others instead of self-interest and help each other even in extreme difficulties. Now, whether we are qualified for such a high mark is subject to severe scrutiny.

Excessive fear of radiation
　　　　　Restoration and reconstruction in the three most devastated prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima have failed to make progress. A major factor behind the failure is a delay in disposal of debris. On average for the three prefectures, only one-third of debris from the disaster has been disposed. Of about 1,800 local governments in Japan, only 75 have accepted debris from Tohoku or northeastern Japan.
　　　　　A major reason for refusing to accept debris is a groundless fear of radiation, which has obstructed reconstruction by affecting not only debris disposal but also sales of farm products from the three prefectures, particularly Fukushima.
　　　　　Under the standard of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, an allowable radiation level for a transition from an emergency to a recovery phase is 1 to 20 millisieverts per year. Nevertheless, the level of 1 mSv/y is taken as the safety standard in Fukushima. Given that a high salt intake, an insufficient vegetable intake or passive smoking is a harm equivalent to radiation exposure levels of 100 to 200 mSv/y, it is stupid to stick to the 1 mSv/y level. The 1 mSv/y barrier has prevented many people from returning to and reconstructing their hometowns surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This vicious cycle must be broken.
　　　　　Another factor preventing people from returning to hometowns is easy government support for evacuated people. It is needless to say support for disaster-affected people is important. As evacuated people have been given much more money than they get for working, however, evacuated hard workers in the Tohoku region have been forced to laziness. The indulgent government policy has separated the spirit of patience and independence from them and led them to become dependent.

Policy missteps symbolized by giant seawalls
　　　　　Government policy measures have been wrong in almost all aspects of reconstruction, as symbolized by the changing Tohoku landscape. At various coastal areas of the three prefectures that have been blessed with rich harvest from the beautiful sea, giant concrete walls that are several to more than 10 meters high are being constructed to protect the region from a devastating earthquake-tsunami disaster that may come once in one thousand years.
　　　　　Even if these tall walls give local residents some secure feeling, people will be separated from the sea they have seen every morning or evening and will lose most of their sensitivity, climate and culture that have been nurtured in the Tohoku region.
　　　　　Humans cannot have absolutely secure relations with nature. Traditionally, Japanese have been aware of this fact and lived in nature while seeing nature as awesome. Now, Japanese people are afraid of nature more than necessary, going beyond seeing nature as awesome. Under such situation, the government should tell the people that their excessive fear and stupid assumptions could lead them to be defeated. The government then should provide new reconstruction measures reflecting reasons and science in order to encourage the people to tackle difficulties.
　
Yoshiko Sakurai is President of Japan Institute for National Fundamentals.