2.The day the radioactive debris were burned in Kyushu for the first time

original text from Ryusaku Tanaka Journal 24.05.2012  http://tanakaryusaku.jp/2012/05/0004356

People sit-in protest in front of the room of the mayor to ask for the meeting with Kenji Kitahashi Mayor of Kitakyushu City = May 23 at Kitakyûshû city hall : Photo by Ryusaku Tanaka

On May 23, there was also a big movement at the city hall of Kitakyûchû City. Before noon, at the moment to start burning the radioactive debris, 100 citizens gathered at the city hall to meet the mayor Kenji Kitahashi and to stop burning the debris.

The office staff blocked the elevator hall to make people unable go up to the room of the mayor at the fifth floor. People who couldn't accept it tried to go up to the fifth floor by the stairs. Finally the top official of secretary's office met 10 representatives of the citizens to negotiate.

It was Sadayoshi Nikami, the assistant manager of secretary's office and some others, who responded to the people.

Mothers accused the orientation of the public administration.

"When i called the environmental agency of the city, their only reponses were just "radioactive debris are safe". "What is safe radioactive?"

"It's the season of athletic festivals and children go out very often. Why do you have to burn radioactive debris at this moment? I want you to stop right now. What if children got exposed to the radiation?"

Nikami, the assistant manager, eluded the question: "It's not a question which i can answer now."

The citizens became uncompromising but it was all because of the lack of answers of the city side, especially the environmental agency's explanations.

When a woman living in Hachiman West district called to ask "What is the day for the explanations?" at the environmental agency, they just said: "We'll notice you by bringing the documents to each homes."

Then we got surprised by the way they distributed the document. It was with ads inside free papers. 

It's not possible to find the document unless you read each advertising, it was like trying to find a gold dust in the desert.

The notice for the meeting of explanation was inside the advertisings which come with free papers. = May 21 at Kitakyûshû International Meeting room: Photo by Ryusaku Tanaka

A top official of environmental agency said: "People who make the noise are only stupid evacuated people. Almost every Kyûshû City citizens agrees to burn the radioactive debris". It inflamed public opinion although he denies to have pronounced these words.

"We already asked at environmental agency so many times but there was no progress so that we are asking to meet the mayor. When can we meet him?" Citizens asked unanimously. 

"We'll accept your opinion at related division and tell it to the mayor" said Nikami at long last.

In the delegation there was a woman (in her sixties) who had evacuated to Shimonoseki City from Katsuo Village in Fukushima.

"I thought i found the safe place to live at last but Kitakyûshû City is going to accept the radioactive debris. The incinerator plant of Kitakyûshû City is just next to Shimonoseki City. But there's no explanation to people in Shimonoseki City. They kept telling us that the nuclear power plant is safe since 40 years. And the result is that accident. To burn the radioactive debris, you also just keep telling us it's safe, it's safe. How can you consider lifes of people in such way?"

Nikami couldn't eluded this time.

One of the delegation closed up the example of the words from the mayor of Sapporo City from their city web site.

"When i take a decision as a mayor, the most important thing for me is to protect the health and security for citizen's life places..."

Nikami the assistant manager just said: "I'll transfer your feelings to the mayor."

And the meeting was finished.

At the first floor lobby, still almost 100 citizens remained and followed the negotiation of the delegation and the top officials of the secretary's office.

A woman who evacuated to Kitakyûshû City with her two children (four years and two years old) from Kanagawa prefecture's word sounded like representing the feeling of all mothers of today . 

"It will become beyond recall. Don't accept the real burn. Since the test burn of debris has started, i don't want to let my children go out".

Courtesy : Ryusaku Tanaka & Miyako Suwa