When we look back at the infamous triple disaster which struck the Tohoku region of Japan in 2011, we tend to focus on the action: the debris-filled giant tsunami waves, and the path of destruction left behind by forces of nature. But what about the aftermath? Even after the removal of debris and reconstruction of buildings, pollution still exists in forms which cannot be seen by the naked eye.
This journal article by Kimura and Katano (2014) provides a comprehensive overview of how the radioactive contamination of agricultural lands in Fukushima Prefecture has led to social tensions on multiple levels. According to the authors, these conflicts may be attributed to varied interpretations of radiation safety levels and guidelines, and the locals’ distrust in the higher authorities who seem to be focusing more on economic revitalisation. Coupled with the fact that agricultural land forms more than 80 percent of the total affected area (Nakanishi and Tanoi, 2013), the farmers’ worries seem to be justified.
Oskin (2014) notes that the main contaminants released in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster are the following radioactive isotopes:
- Iodine-131
- Cesium-137
- Cesium-134
In particular, Cesium-134 has a half-life of only two years, which makes it extremely unstable and much more dangerous to living things, such as crops, livestock and aquatic organisms. Meanwhile, Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years, hence remaining in the environment for longer periods of time.
Meanwhile, Kimura and Katano (2014, p. 110) observe that among the farmers who still live in Fukushima Prefecture, women seemed to be more sceptical about the safety and levels of radioactive contaminants present in local produce. This led to rifts between family members who could not agree on whether they should continue consuming the fruits and vegetables harvested from their own farms.
Similarly, the nuclear accident has also brought uncertainty to the livelihoods of organic farmers in the area. Although they believe (or argue) that their produce contain safe levels of cesium, many consumers have been reluctant to purchase these goods due to health concerns (Kimura and Katano, 2014, p.111). On a global scale, multiple countries have also imposed bans on agricultural imports from Fukushima Prefecture and other nearby regions, though many of them have been lifted in the years following the disaster (Neo, 2020). Given that the Tohoku region is largely dedicated to agricultural production, the prevailing negative attitudes toward its fresh produce has certainly resulted in much financial and emotional distress for the affected farmers.
For me, it seems that the invisible and transboundary nature of the aforementioned radioactive contamination manages to explains why it is such a thorn in the flesh for both locals and foreign nations. As we gradually approach the tenth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, I hope that Fukushima Prefecture continues to make progress in cleaning up the remaining contaminated zones and reviewing existing food safety guidelines, so as to revamp their image.
Best wishes,
Jialing
Reference List
Kimura, A.H. and Katano Y. (2014) ‘Farming after the Fukushima accident: A feminist political ecology analysis of organic agriculture’, Journal of Rural Studies, 34, pp. 108-116. doi: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2013.12.006.
Nakanishi, T.M. and Tanoi, K. (2013) Agricultural Implications of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident. Tokyo: Springer Japan.
Neo, P. (2020) ‘No longer ‘nuclear food’? Philippines is latest country to fully lift all bans on Japanese foods’, FoodNavigator-Asia, 4 February. Available at: https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2020/02/04/No-longer-nuclear-food-Philippines-is-latest-country-to-fully-lift-all-bans-on-Japanese-foods (Accessed: 5 October 2020).
Oskin, B. (2014) ‘Radioactive Isotopes from Fukushima Meltdown Detected near Vancouver’, Live Science, 25 February. Available at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/radioactive-isotopes-from-fukushima-meltdown-detected-near-vancouver/ (Accessed: 5 October 2020).