NARAHA, March 9 — The Olympic torch relay that begins in Japan this month will start from Fukushima, highlighting what the government dubs the “Recovery Olympics”, but not everyone in the region will be cheering.
The area devastated by the 2011 tsunami and ensuing nuclear disaster remains deeply affected by the crisis, with tens of thousands still living in exile from their homes.
“Fukushima has other things to worry about than the Tokyo Games,” read a banner at a demonstration organised last month outside the J-Village in Fukushima, where the Olympic torch relay begins March 26.
“In ordinary times, we’d be delighted for the Fukushima region to be in the international spotlight because of the Olympic flame,” said Hiromu Murata, head of the Hidanren association, which assists evacuees from the region.
“But we’re still suffering,” added Murata, himself an evacuee.
When the tsunami that left 18,500 people dead or missing overwhelmed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in 2011, it unleashed the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.
People were evacuated from large areas, and despite an extensive decontamination programme involving the removal of topsoil, at least 41,000 have not returned, according to official figures. Activists say the number is higher.
Evacuation orders have been lifted progressively, including recently in a small part of the town of Futaba, which jointly hosts the crippled nuclear plant.
With just a few months to go ahead of the opening ceremony, preparations have been hit by the outbreak of the new coronavirus around the world, with sporting events cancelled and some even questioning if the Games can go ahead.
The flame lands on March 20 in Miyagi prefecture, which was ravaged by the tsunami unleashed by an undersea quake on March 11, 2011.
Celebrations have been toned down because of the virus, with plans scrapped to involve 200 children in the welcoming ceremony, and organisers warning spectators may be limited during the torch relay.
In February, Olympic organisers announced Futaba would be added to the route at the request of the prefecture’s governor.
But there is no expectation that residents will return to the town before at least 2022, with basic infrastructure including running water still not available.
‘Humiliating to us’
Ruiko Muto, 66, an anti-nuclear activist from Fukushima, finds the Olympic focus misplaced and is angry to see the J-Village used for the relay.
“The torch relay starting from here is humiliating to us,” she told AFP.
“To us, people in Fukushima, using this place and having the Olympic torch relay start from here seems to be an attempt by the government to cover up the nuclear accident,” she added.
“We are not in a situation to host the Olympics,” she said, citing ongoing displacement and issues including accumulated contaminated soil and water.
“I don’t think there are many people who can truly enjoy the Games.”
Those views aren’t shared by everyone, with Fukushima governor Masao Uchibori telling journalists that he sees the J-Village as a symbol of reconstruction efforts.
The sports complex became a staging ground for responding to the nuclear accident, and only reopened officially last year.
“For us it’s a symbol, it’s the starting point for the reconstruction, which is ongoing,” said Uchibori.
“Through the ‘recovery Games’ we hope that we will be able to receive new energy and strength from people within Japan and people who will come from outside Japan.”
Evacuees losing subsidies
Miyako Kumamoto, another member of the Hidanren NGO, doesn’t agree, pointing to the plight of evacuees who are seeing their housing assistance cut as the government lifts evacuation orders.
“And those who fled because of fears over radiation and weren’t evacuated by order are sometimes in an even worse situation,” she added.
Activists argue the government wants to declare the crisis over even while many are unwilling to return to areas they feel are potentially contaminated.
Kumamoto said some of those who initially received public housing for free have found themselves forced to pay rent that has gradually increased, and then finally been asked to leave.
An official with Fukushima prefecture in charge of housing denied that was a widespread problem.
“There are only five households left in that situation. We are helping them find housing, but it is hard to communicate with them,” he said.
But Kumamoto questions why the government is cutting subsidies to people while spending over US$12 billion on the Games.
“Fukushima is not in a place to celebrate the Olympic Games,” she said. — AFP
