Radiation and human rights are discussed at Hiroshima convention
Oct. 9, 2013
by Gosuke Nagahisa and Daisuke Neishi, Staff Writers
The 56th Convention on Protection of Human Rights opened at the International Conference Center Hiroshima on October 3. On the first day of this two-day gathering, organized by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, three symposiums were held on such themes as “seeking to end human rights violations resulting from radiation exposure,” where discussion involved relief measures for victims of the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 (Daiichi) nuclear power plant. About 2, 500 lawyers and citizens took part.
In a panel discussion on radiation damage, four experts took the stage. Tetsuji Imanaka, an assistant professor at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, spoke on the health monitoring survey being conducted by Fukushima Prefecture, which covers all residents of the prefecture. “This should naturally be the responsibility of the national government,” he said. “If children in Fukushima fall ill in the future, there will be no way to compare them with children of other prefectures.”
Shuichi Adachi, who represented the plaintiffs at the Hiroshima District Court in class action lawsuits involving the certification of A-bomb diseases, referred to the support system for A-bomb survivors. Mr. Adachi, a member of the Hiroshima Bar Association, said, “The Japanese government should be leading the research to determine the actual conditions of the victims of radiation exposure and establish a system to issue official certificates to the victims of the nuclear accident, whose rights should be guaranteed.”
Naoto Kan, who was prime minister at the time of the disaster, reflected on the circumstances of the accident in an interview-style talk.
In a symposium on amending the constitution, Makoto Ito, who heads a support organization for lawyers, raised a concern. “The Liberal Democratic Party’s draft of the constitution could jeopardize our fundamental human rights and lead to another war,” said Mr. Ito, a member of the Tokyo Bar Association. Other themes included the issue of inequality in society.
Lawyers will be the only participants at the session held on October 4. The convention will close after adopting a resolution calling on the national government to implement comprehensive relief measures for the victims of the nuclear accident and denuclearize the nation’s energy sources.
(Originally published on October 4, 2013)
The 56th Convention on Protection of Human Rights opened at the International Conference Center Hiroshima on October 3. On the first day of this two-day gathering, organized by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, three symposiums were held on such themes as “seeking to end human rights violations resulting from radiation exposure,” where discussion involved relief measures for victims of the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 (Daiichi) nuclear power plant. About 2, 500 lawyers and citizens took part.
In a panel discussion on radiation damage, four experts took the stage. Tetsuji Imanaka, an assistant professor at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, spoke on the health monitoring survey being conducted by Fukushima Prefecture, which covers all residents of the prefecture. “This should naturally be the responsibility of the national government,” he said. “If children in Fukushima fall ill in the future, there will be no way to compare them with children of other prefectures.”
Shuichi Adachi, who represented the plaintiffs at the Hiroshima District Court in class action lawsuits involving the certification of A-bomb diseases, referred to the support system for A-bomb survivors. Mr. Adachi, a member of the Hiroshima Bar Association, said, “The Japanese government should be leading the research to determine the actual conditions of the victims of radiation exposure and establish a system to issue official certificates to the victims of the nuclear accident, whose rights should be guaranteed.”
Naoto Kan, who was prime minister at the time of the disaster, reflected on the circumstances of the accident in an interview-style talk.
In a symposium on amending the constitution, Makoto Ito, who heads a support organization for lawyers, raised a concern. “The Liberal Democratic Party’s draft of the constitution could jeopardize our fundamental human rights and lead to another war,” said Mr. Ito, a member of the Tokyo Bar Association. Other themes included the issue of inequality in society.
Lawyers will be the only participants at the session held on October 4. The convention will close after adopting a resolution calling on the national government to implement comprehensive relief measures for the victims of the nuclear accident and denuclearize the nation’s energy sources.
(Originally published on October 4, 2013)
