New VIDEO Testimony: Konno Sumio, Fukushima Evacuee

Oct 13, 2020

Friends of the Earth Japan, in cooperation with the NGO Peace Boat have launched a new video testimony of the current situation in Fukushima. This latest video features an interview with Mr Konno Sumiko, who evacuated from his home in the town of Namie, Fukushima.

“Almost no one is coming back to this district anymore,” says Mr Konno standing in front of his former house, located around 10 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. “There are no young people, at all.”

When asked what he thinks of the word “Fukkou” (recovery or reconstruction) being used by the government as a slogan including for the Tokyo Olympic Games, Mr Konno says: “That’s the last thing I want to hear. I don’t want to hear words like “bonding” or “recovery.” They are not words that should be used loosely. Fukkou is about things getting back to normal, and then standing up and starting again. There’s no such thing as Fukkou when you can’t go back to normal, and when you can’t rise up again.”

Listen to this new testimony via the links below: 

English
French  
Korean   
Chinese (traditional)  
Chinese (simplified) 
German  
Spanish  
Japanese  

Visit the “Mieruka Project” website to view the other testimonies.

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For more information contact:
Ayumi Fukakusa
Climate Change and Energy 
Friends of the Earth Japan
Email: fukakusa@foejapan.org

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