Toward a World Without Nuclear Power Plea from the Inter-religious Conference on Nuclear Issues
From December 4 - 7, 2012, the Inter-religious Conference on Nuclear Issues gathered 87 participants from Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Switzerland, Canada and the USA. We saw and heard about the effects of the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima Number 1 Nuclear Power Plant incident upon the people and environment across and Fukushima Prefecture and beyond. We also learned about local efforts to respond to the situation in Fukushima, and about support and solidarity from abroad. The people's stories of family and community separations, lost homes and jobs, and their children's health problems touched Conference participants deeply. We were also surprised by clear testimony that the government of Japan and Tokyo Electric Power Company have not acted in a timely, just manner in their handling of the aftermath of the nuclear accidents at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant complex. In view of this, and in the spirit that is set out in our No to Nuclear Power! Faith Declaration from Fukushima 2012, we hereby address to the Government of Japan and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) the following pleas:
That the Government of Japan acknowledge responsibility for the Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant accident and its exacerbation, and provide apology and compensation to all accident survivors, whether they be residents of Fukushima or not; That Tokyo Electric Power Company acknowledge responsibility for the Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant accident and its exacerbation, and provide apology and compensation to all accident survivors, whether they be residents of Fukushima or not; That the Government of Japan immediately halt operation of all nuclear power plants in Japan; Survivors of the nuclear power plant accident will only recognize apologies given by the Government of Japan and TEPCO as authentic only when stoppage of all nuclear power plants has been realized. Regardless of what relief measures may be taken, the apology will not be recognized unless all nuclear power plants are halted; That the Government of Japan aim to restore to citizens the “right to peaceful life, basic human rights, right to pursue happiness, equality under the law, right to life, and right to receive education,” all of which are declared in the Constitution of Japan; In accordance with the “right to know,” release all information associated with the nuclear power plant accident; The Government of Japan recognize the “right to evacuate or stay” of nuclear power plant accident survivors and give them the right to self-determination, and support the realization of this decision; The Government of Japan recognize that the “guidelines for assessment of nuclear power plant location” is discriminatory, and rescind it; In accordance with the principle of prevention, administer convalescence, food testing and health checks to protect the lives of citizens, particularly children and pregnant mothers, and release this information without fail; The government shall not decide what is safe, but must diligently release numeric information. It shall be recognized that determination (of safety) is to be done by citizens; Fukushima Prefecture and the Government of Japan must not set policies that will divide and separate nuclear power plant disaster survivors. We the undersigned strongly urge the Government of Japan and Tokyo Electric Power Company, and also prefectural and local authorities where applicable, to delay no further the restoration of dignity to the people of Fukushima and Japan through full and truthful information, and provision of fully-informed and effective protection from radiation of at-risk residents, especially periodic convalescence for children, who are most at risk over the long term.
Sincerely,
___________________________________ (Name of signing body, or names of co-signing individuals)
Signed: ________________________________ (Date of signing)