International Commitment on the Tokyo Olympics and the Nuclear Issue
CHINO Keiko / Journalist
October 21, 2013
In the end, it was an overwhelming victory for Tokyo. Right up to the last moment, the media had called it a "close race" whose outcome was "totally unpredictable," but my impression had been somewhat different all along.
At the risk of being called wise after the event, I must say I felt Tokyo had a tremendous lead over the other two cities on every count, including management, security and financial muscle. As for lukewarm public support that had been a stumbling block for Tokyo since its last candidacy, the grand parade down the Ginza following the London Olympics was convincing enough to make one think that "seeing is believing."
Huge crowds of hundreds of thousands of people cheering as one with the athletes in a jubilant demonstration, orchestrated with not a single sign of trouble - it made for an impressive scene that couldn't have been more to the IOC's liking.
The greatest concern was the issue of leaking radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima No.1 nuclear reactor, which surfaced during the final stretch of the selection process, though it was an issue Japan must resolve either with or without the Olympic Games.
What changed this crisis into an opportunity to host the Games can be attributed solely to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's speech and response to IOC members during the question and answer session, during which he uttered the now famous lines: "under control" and "I will take the responsibility."
To be honest, I felt a momentary rush of anxiety at that point. It reminded me of comments he had made the last time he was Prime Minister on the missing pension records issue. At that time, he had promised to "take the responsibility and investigate the entire matter." Yet, had he been aware of the true state of the Social Insurance Agency and the pension system, he wouldn't have said it because it was simply impossible to investigate the whole affair; he wouldn't have had to do so in the first place.
This time around, the gravity of the issue is incomparably greater than the pension issue, and neither is it a domestic issue like the pension system. Prime Minister Abe's comments have placed the issue of leaking radioactive wastewater and by association Japan's entire nuclear issue under the scrutinizing eyes of the world, as an international commitment that rivals or even surpasses the significance of a successful 2020 summer Olympic Games. Should Japan fail to deliver, it may be construed as a lie perpetrated by a country's prime minister. He has indeed taken on a hefty risk.
Has Prime Minister Abe truly crossed the Rubicon? Would it have been better if he hadn't said he will take the responsibility?
I believe it was right for the Prime Minister to have made those comments, and furthermore that it was the only thing he could have done. We cannot turn our back on the nuclear issue.
Two and a half years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear accident. Many were beginning to feel that the nuclear issue should not be left to the Tokyo Electric Power Company alone to deal with. TEPCO is clearly responsible. However, right now we need to improve the situation and bring it "under control" as quickly as possible, if we are to reconstruct and revive Japan at all. Rather than leaving the issue in TEPCO's hands, the government must step in to take the initiative. That was where Japan stood, and the timing simply coincided with the bid to host the Olympics.
Nuclear power had always been referred to as a "national undertaking." However, in reality it was left entirely to the electric power companies, with the government delegating everything from location to operation of the power plants to the private sector. Due to the good fortune of not experiencing any serious accidents, Japan had settled for the safety myth, which consequently led to the latest accident.
The fact that it has now become an international commitment has a significance that extends beyond the issue of radioactive wastewater, which I believe will have positive consequences for Japan’s future in a broad sense.
The Japanese are not adept at setting major goals for themselves. We also spend considerable time deciding on our goals. This is best illustrated by the "lost two decades," or "two decades of stagnation." And this is what is meant by the occasional observation that things were going fine while Japan was fighting an uphill battle for the clouds, but the moment it rose above the clouds the goal was lost.
Yet, once we have a goal, we become united in a strenuous effort to attain that goal. And so it is that the Japanese have overcome many a challenge to date.
Radioactive wastewater is merely a fragment of the complex and wide-ranging issues surrounding the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant. If we consider the process from resuming operations to decommissioning, the nuclear issue will still be with us once the Olympic Games are over.
As we seek to mobilize our scientific technology, we must also maintain the political will to find a solution. While there is no greater challenge for Japan, it could also become a valuable experience for the rest of the world. For that reason, I am pinning my hopes on the wisdom of scientists, and call on the government to provide maximum support in the form of funding and facilitation.
At the same time, the Japanese people must also take this opportunity to raise their awareness. And we should start by deepening our understanding of radioactive contamination. Immediately preceding the IOC general assembly, South Korea announced it will prohibit imports of marine products from eight Japanese prefectures including Fukushima. It represented nothing but a lack of knowledge about radiation and an overreaction, and should serve as a negative example. While a certain degree of panic was inevitable in the immediate aftermath of the accident, now is the time to recover our normal common sense and squarely face up to the nuclear issue with a balanced perspective.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology should also make a greater effort on educating children about radiation, and it is about time it repeal its decision to designate the maximum annual radiation standard for schools at 1 millisieverts. Radiation is used in medical practice as well. Japan’s average medical exposure to radiation is 3 millisieverts, and exposure from a single CT scan is about 10 millisieverts, according to Nagataki Shigenobu, Professor Emeritus at Nagasaki University. In addition, there are many prefectures where exposure exceeds 1 millisieverts under normal conditions unrelated to the latest accident. This just goes to show how unrealistic the figure is.
From this standpoint, I would highly recommend reading "Beyond Low-level Radiation – A Proposal for Reviving Japan" published by Shogakukan 101-Shinsho. The author, Uno Kazuko, is an immunologist at the Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research in Kyoto who was so appalled by the flood of unsubstantiated information fanning fear about the effects of low-level radiation in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident that she set her mind to study the subject and wrote this book.
Each page is an eye opener.
Her warning that becoming stressed or depressed by anxiety over the effects of low-level radiation only results in raising cancer risks further makes great sense. She argues persuasively that humans are a far more resilient life form and that the best defense against cancer was to boost our immune system. Uno is genuinely concerned about not allowing children to play outdoors, which could lead to lack of exercise and have a negative impact on their health. The sincerity of her stance and her courage to speak about the facts as facts create a favorable impression, and leaves us with a painful recognition of how important it is to correctly understand the object of our fears.
Deepening our understanding of radiation and radioactivity is also a pressing need for overcoming the harmful rumors that continue to plague areas struck by the earthquake. Let's address these needs to make the Tokyo Olympics an event that can be wholeheartedly embraced by people in the affected areas.
Keiko Chino is a journalist.
At the risk of being called wise after the event, I must say I felt Tokyo had a tremendous lead over the other two cities on every count, including management, security and financial muscle. As for lukewarm public support that had been a stumbling block for Tokyo since its last candidacy, the grand parade down the Ginza following the London Olympics was convincing enough to make one think that "seeing is believing."
Huge crowds of hundreds of thousands of people cheering as one with the athletes in a jubilant demonstration, orchestrated with not a single sign of trouble - it made for an impressive scene that couldn't have been more to the IOC's liking.
The greatest concern was the issue of leaking radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima No.1 nuclear reactor, which surfaced during the final stretch of the selection process, though it was an issue Japan must resolve either with or without the Olympic Games.
What changed this crisis into an opportunity to host the Games can be attributed solely to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's speech and response to IOC members during the question and answer session, during which he uttered the now famous lines: "under control" and "I will take the responsibility."
To be honest, I felt a momentary rush of anxiety at that point. It reminded me of comments he had made the last time he was Prime Minister on the missing pension records issue. At that time, he had promised to "take the responsibility and investigate the entire matter." Yet, had he been aware of the true state of the Social Insurance Agency and the pension system, he wouldn't have said it because it was simply impossible to investigate the whole affair; he wouldn't have had to do so in the first place.
This time around, the gravity of the issue is incomparably greater than the pension issue, and neither is it a domestic issue like the pension system. Prime Minister Abe's comments have placed the issue of leaking radioactive wastewater and by association Japan's entire nuclear issue under the scrutinizing eyes of the world, as an international commitment that rivals or even surpasses the significance of a successful 2020 summer Olympic Games. Should Japan fail to deliver, it may be construed as a lie perpetrated by a country's prime minister. He has indeed taken on a hefty risk.
Has Prime Minister Abe truly crossed the Rubicon? Would it have been better if he hadn't said he will take the responsibility?
I believe it was right for the Prime Minister to have made those comments, and furthermore that it was the only thing he could have done. We cannot turn our back on the nuclear issue.
Two and a half years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear accident. Many were beginning to feel that the nuclear issue should not be left to the Tokyo Electric Power Company alone to deal with. TEPCO is clearly responsible. However, right now we need to improve the situation and bring it "under control" as quickly as possible, if we are to reconstruct and revive Japan at all. Rather than leaving the issue in TEPCO's hands, the government must step in to take the initiative. That was where Japan stood, and the timing simply coincided with the bid to host the Olympics.
Nuclear power had always been referred to as a "national undertaking." However, in reality it was left entirely to the electric power companies, with the government delegating everything from location to operation of the power plants to the private sector. Due to the good fortune of not experiencing any serious accidents, Japan had settled for the safety myth, which consequently led to the latest accident.
The fact that it has now become an international commitment has a significance that extends beyond the issue of radioactive wastewater, which I believe will have positive consequences for Japan’s future in a broad sense.
The Japanese are not adept at setting major goals for themselves. We also spend considerable time deciding on our goals. This is best illustrated by the "lost two decades," or "two decades of stagnation." And this is what is meant by the occasional observation that things were going fine while Japan was fighting an uphill battle for the clouds, but the moment it rose above the clouds the goal was lost.
Yet, once we have a goal, we become united in a strenuous effort to attain that goal. And so it is that the Japanese have overcome many a challenge to date.
Radioactive wastewater is merely a fragment of the complex and wide-ranging issues surrounding the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant. If we consider the process from resuming operations to decommissioning, the nuclear issue will still be with us once the Olympic Games are over.
As we seek to mobilize our scientific technology, we must also maintain the political will to find a solution. While there is no greater challenge for Japan, it could also become a valuable experience for the rest of the world. For that reason, I am pinning my hopes on the wisdom of scientists, and call on the government to provide maximum support in the form of funding and facilitation.
At the same time, the Japanese people must also take this opportunity to raise their awareness. And we should start by deepening our understanding of radioactive contamination. Immediately preceding the IOC general assembly, South Korea announced it will prohibit imports of marine products from eight Japanese prefectures including Fukushima. It represented nothing but a lack of knowledge about radiation and an overreaction, and should serve as a negative example. While a certain degree of panic was inevitable in the immediate aftermath of the accident, now is the time to recover our normal common sense and squarely face up to the nuclear issue with a balanced perspective.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology should also make a greater effort on educating children about radiation, and it is about time it repeal its decision to designate the maximum annual radiation standard for schools at 1 millisieverts. Radiation is used in medical practice as well. Japan’s average medical exposure to radiation is 3 millisieverts, and exposure from a single CT scan is about 10 millisieverts, according to Nagataki Shigenobu, Professor Emeritus at Nagasaki University. In addition, there are many prefectures where exposure exceeds 1 millisieverts under normal conditions unrelated to the latest accident. This just goes to show how unrealistic the figure is.
From this standpoint, I would highly recommend reading "Beyond Low-level Radiation – A Proposal for Reviving Japan" published by Shogakukan 101-Shinsho. The author, Uno Kazuko, is an immunologist at the Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research in Kyoto who was so appalled by the flood of unsubstantiated information fanning fear about the effects of low-level radiation in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident that she set her mind to study the subject and wrote this book.
Each page is an eye opener.
Her warning that becoming stressed or depressed by anxiety over the effects of low-level radiation only results in raising cancer risks further makes great sense. She argues persuasively that humans are a far more resilient life form and that the best defense against cancer was to boost our immune system. Uno is genuinely concerned about not allowing children to play outdoors, which could lead to lack of exercise and have a negative impact on their health. The sincerity of her stance and her courage to speak about the facts as facts create a favorable impression, and leaves us with a painful recognition of how important it is to correctly understand the object of our fears.
Deepening our understanding of radiation and radioactivity is also a pressing need for overcoming the harmful rumors that continue to plague areas struck by the earthquake. Let's address these needs to make the Tokyo Olympics an event that can be wholeheartedly embraced by people in the affected areas.
Keiko Chino is a journalist.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
東京五輪と原発問題への国際公約
千野 境子 / ジャーナリスト
2013年 10月 21日
終わってみれば東京の圧勝だった。直前までメディアは「接戦」「混沌」と伝えていたが、私はちょっと違う印象を抱いていた。
後講釈といわれるのを承知でいえば、運営能力、治安、資金力のどれをとっても東京は他の二都市にかなり水をあけているし、前回立候補の時からネックだった支持率の低さもロンドン五輪後に行われたあの銀座の大パレードが〝論より証拠〟だと思った。
何十万もの大群衆と選手が一体となり、トラブル一つなく歓喜を演出するーこれほどＩＯＣ好みの感動的光景もないだろう。
しかし最大の懸念は大詰めで浮上した福島第１原発の汚染水漏れ問題だった。ただしこれは本来、五輪招致の有無に関係なく、日本が解決しなければならない問題である。
その危機を招致という機会に変えたのは、すっかり有名になった「アンダー・コントロール」と「私が責任を持ちます」という、安倍晋三首相の招致演説及びＩＯＣ委員との質疑での応答ぶりにつきるといえる。
実はあの場面で私は一瞬、不安が過った。それは、あの消えた年金記録問題で当時の安倍首相が「私が責任をもって全部お調べします」と請け負ったセリフを思い出したからである。あの時、もし社会保険庁と年金問題の実態を知っていたら、全部調べることなど出来ない相談だから言えるはずはないし、そもそも言う必要もなかったことだった。
今回、問題の深刻度は年金の比ではないし、年金のように国内問題でもない。首相の発言により汚染水問題、ひいては原発問題は世界の注視下におかれ、２０２０年夏季五輪の成功に勝るとも劣らない国際公約となってしまった。果たせなければ一国の首相が嘘をついたことにもなりかねないし、極めて大きなリスクを取ったことになる。
果たして安倍首相はルビコン川を渡ったのだろうか？ そしてまた「私の責任で」などと言わない方が良かったのだろうか？
私は首相の発言は、やはりあれで良かったし、あれしかなかったとも思っている。原発問題から逃げるわけにはいかないのだ。
東日本大震災と原発事故から二年半。原発問題はもはや東京電力任せではダメなのではないかと多くの人々が感じ始めていた。東電はもちろん責任がある。しかし今は事態を改善し、一刻も早く「アンダー・コントロール」にしなければ、復興も日本の再生もおぼつかない。東電任せでなく、国の主導でやるほかない。そういう時期に来ていた。それがたまたま招致の時期と重なったのである。
もともと原発事業は「国策事業」といわれてきた。ところが実態は電力任せで、立地から運転まで国は事実上、民間に丸投げしてきた。幸い過酷な事故もなく、安全神話に安住してきた結果が今回の事故に繋がった。
国際公約になったことは、汚染水問題にとどまらない、もっと大きく日本の今後にとっても良かったのではないかと思う。
日本人は大きな目標を自ら設定することが必ずしも得手ではない。立てるまでに時間もかかる。この間の「失われた二十年」とか「停滞の二十年」がまさにそれだし、坂の上の雲を目指すまではよかったが、雲の上に出た途端に目標を失ってしまった、などといわれるのもその事を指している。
ところがひとたび目標が出来ると、ゴールに向かって結束、一所懸命頑張る。そして大抵のことはやり遂げてきたのが、日本人であると言ってもよいだろう。
汚染水問題は複雑で多岐にわたる福島第一原発問題のほんの一部にすぎない。再稼働から廃炉までのプロセスを考えれば、原発問題は五輪が終わっても、終わらない。
科学技術の結集とともに、解決への政治的意志も持続させねばならない。日本にとってこれほど大きな挑戦もないが、それは世界にとっても貴重な経験となり得る。そのために科学者の叡智に期待したいし、政府は資金や環境整備など最大限の支援をするべきだ。
同時にこれを機に、国民にも心すべき点がある。それはまず放射能汚染に関する理解を深めることだ。ＩＯＣ総会の直前に韓国が福島県など８県の水産物輸入禁止措置を発表した。放射能への知識の欠如と過剰反応以外の何物でもなく、反面教師である。事故直後は多少のパニックもやむをえなかったとしても、今は普通の常識を取戻し、バランス感覚をもって原発問題と向き合う時である。
文科省も子供たちの放射線教育にもっと力を入れて行く必要があるし、学校の放射線基準を年間１ミリシーベルトとした決定も撤回の時だ。放射線は医療でも使われる。日本での平均医療被曝は３ミリシーベルト、１回ＣＴを浴びれば１０ミリシーベルトくらいになる（長崎大学名誉教授、長瀧重信氏）。また普段から１ミリシーベルトを超える自治体は事故に関係なく、何県もあるという。いかに現実離れした数字か分かるだろう。
そうした観点から、ぜひ一読をお奨めしたいのが『低線量放射線を超えてー福島・日本再生への提案』（小学館１０１新書）だ。著者の宇野賀津子さんは京都にあるルイ・パストゥール医学研究センターの免疫学者だが、福島原発事故で低線量放射線の影響についてあまりにもいい加減で、恐怖を煽るような情報があふれていることから一念発起して勉強、同書を書いたと言う。
どの頁も目からウロコである。
低線量の影響を心配してストレスを抱えたり、うつ状態になったりする方が、よほどがんリスクを上昇させるとの警告はもっともだし、そもそも人間はもっとしたたかな生き物で、がん抑制に大事なことは免疫力を上げることという主張もとても説得力がある。子供たちを戸外で遊ばせず、運動不足が健康に与える影響を真剣に心配されている。好感が持てるのはその真摯な姿勢と事実を事実として発言する勇気で、正しく恐れることの大切さを痛感させられる。
放射線や放射能への理解を深めることは、いまなお被災地を苦しめている風評被害の克服のためにも急務だ。そうやって被災地の人々も心から喜べる東京五輪を実現させよう。
（筆者はジャーナリスト。）
後講釈といわれるのを承知でいえば、運営能力、治安、資金力のどれをとっても東京は他の二都市にかなり水をあけているし、前回立候補の時からネックだった支持率の低さもロンドン五輪後に行われたあの銀座の大パレードが〝論より証拠〟だと思った。
何十万もの大群衆と選手が一体となり、トラブル一つなく歓喜を演出するーこれほどＩＯＣ好みの感動的光景もないだろう。
しかし最大の懸念は大詰めで浮上した福島第１原発の汚染水漏れ問題だった。ただしこれは本来、五輪招致の有無に関係なく、日本が解決しなければならない問題である。
その危機を招致という機会に変えたのは、すっかり有名になった「アンダー・コントロール」と「私が責任を持ちます」という、安倍晋三首相の招致演説及びＩＯＣ委員との質疑での応答ぶりにつきるといえる。
実はあの場面で私は一瞬、不安が過った。それは、あの消えた年金記録問題で当時の安倍首相が「私が責任をもって全部お調べします」と請け負ったセリフを思い出したからである。あの時、もし社会保険庁と年金問題の実態を知っていたら、全部調べることなど出来ない相談だから言えるはずはないし、そもそも言う必要もなかったことだった。
今回、問題の深刻度は年金の比ではないし、年金のように国内問題でもない。首相の発言により汚染水問題、ひいては原発問題は世界の注視下におかれ、２０２０年夏季五輪の成功に勝るとも劣らない国際公約となってしまった。果たせなければ一国の首相が嘘をついたことにもなりかねないし、極めて大きなリスクを取ったことになる。
果たして安倍首相はルビコン川を渡ったのだろうか？ そしてまた「私の責任で」などと言わない方が良かったのだろうか？
私は首相の発言は、やはりあれで良かったし、あれしかなかったとも思っている。原発問題から逃げるわけにはいかないのだ。
東日本大震災と原発事故から二年半。原発問題はもはや東京電力任せではダメなのではないかと多くの人々が感じ始めていた。東電はもちろん責任がある。しかし今は事態を改善し、一刻も早く「アンダー・コントロール」にしなければ、復興も日本の再生もおぼつかない。東電任せでなく、国の主導でやるほかない。そういう時期に来ていた。それがたまたま招致の時期と重なったのである。
もともと原発事業は「国策事業」といわれてきた。ところが実態は電力任せで、立地から運転まで国は事実上、民間に丸投げしてきた。幸い過酷な事故もなく、安全神話に安住してきた結果が今回の事故に繋がった。
国際公約になったことは、汚染水問題にとどまらない、もっと大きく日本の今後にとっても良かったのではないかと思う。
日本人は大きな目標を自ら設定することが必ずしも得手ではない。立てるまでに時間もかかる。この間の「失われた二十年」とか「停滞の二十年」がまさにそれだし、坂の上の雲を目指すまではよかったが、雲の上に出た途端に目標を失ってしまった、などといわれるのもその事を指している。
ところがひとたび目標が出来ると、ゴールに向かって結束、一所懸命頑張る。そして大抵のことはやり遂げてきたのが、日本人であると言ってもよいだろう。
汚染水問題は複雑で多岐にわたる福島第一原発問題のほんの一部にすぎない。再稼働から廃炉までのプロセスを考えれば、原発問題は五輪が終わっても、終わらない。
科学技術の結集とともに、解決への政治的意志も持続させねばならない。日本にとってこれほど大きな挑戦もないが、それは世界にとっても貴重な経験となり得る。そのために科学者の叡智に期待したいし、政府は資金や環境整備など最大限の支援をするべきだ。
同時にこれを機に、国民にも心すべき点がある。それはまず放射能汚染に関する理解を深めることだ。ＩＯＣ総会の直前に韓国が福島県など８県の水産物輸入禁止措置を発表した。放射能への知識の欠如と過剰反応以外の何物でもなく、反面教師である。事故直後は多少のパニックもやむをえなかったとしても、今は普通の常識を取戻し、バランス感覚をもって原発問題と向き合う時である。
文科省も子供たちの放射線教育にもっと力を入れて行く必要があるし、学校の放射線基準を年間１ミリシーベルトとした決定も撤回の時だ。放射線は医療でも使われる。日本での平均医療被曝は３ミリシーベルト、１回ＣＴを浴びれば１０ミリシーベルトくらいになる（長崎大学名誉教授、長瀧重信氏）。また普段から１ミリシーベルトを超える自治体は事故に関係なく、何県もあるという。いかに現実離れした数字か分かるだろう。
そうした観点から、ぜひ一読をお奨めしたいのが『低線量放射線を超えてー福島・日本再生への提案』（小学館１０１新書）だ。著者の宇野賀津子さんは京都にあるルイ・パストゥール医学研究センターの免疫学者だが、福島原発事故で低線量放射線の影響についてあまりにもいい加減で、恐怖を煽るような情報があふれていることから一念発起して勉強、同書を書いたと言う。
どの頁も目からウロコである。
低線量の影響を心配してストレスを抱えたり、うつ状態になったりする方が、よほどがんリスクを上昇させるとの警告はもっともだし、そもそも人間はもっとしたたかな生き物で、がん抑制に大事なことは免疫力を上げることという主張もとても説得力がある。子供たちを戸外で遊ばせず、運動不足が健康に与える影響を真剣に心配されている。好感が持てるのはその真摯な姿勢と事実を事実として発言する勇気で、正しく恐れることの大切さを痛感させられる。
放射線や放射能への理解を深めることは、いまなお被災地を苦しめている風評被害の克服のためにも急務だ。そうやって被災地の人々も心から喜べる東京五輪を実現させよう。
（筆者はジャーナリスト。）
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟