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New Year despair for Japan's nuclear refugees

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my heart go's out to them! hope in 2012 they get a home of there own, it wont replace the loved ones they lost but it help them to recover.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Susieuk- Me too. I feel so bad for them and wish I could wave some magic wand to make everything okay. This New Year is going to be so tough on so many different levels for so many people. Maybe for years to come. I sincerely hope, wish, pray that 2012 unfolds nothing but good things for these people.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I hope so badly the new device Toshiba created actually works, and these people and their families can all return home.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

with you susieuk and sam - I literally cant imagine how life must be for these poor people.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Reading a somber, heart wrenching article such as this really reminds us all to look at our own lives and what we have or don't have from a different perspective. For many, the best that we can do is just live life day to day and to try to do the best we can with what we have. Wishing everyone a joy-filled and peaceful new year in 2012.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

On my nengajyo I wrote "Happy New and Good Luck in 2012"...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

stay strong japan and 3/11 victims!!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

have a couple of friends helping out with aid organizations over the New Year, digging up mud or helping with supplies. If you feel like helping out, please reach out. There's still plenty to do

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Japan is rich! Don't need help.

We have all seen that posted...what about these people, they are Japanese they lost everything family, house, employment and 9 months later SFA. I still believe the powers that be view them as an embarrassment. They are in an impossible situation and being neglected by their own government, unless someone can make money from helping them. Disgusting, inhuman treatment that benefits those in power.

So many countries offered help with many different aspects...but rejected and now these people are left to fend for themselves. I personally have nothing left to take to them, toys blankets heaters coats, I have stripped my friends bare too and it's still not enough to really help.

Pathetic response from any Government

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Ouch, thumbs down

I should not say anything, Husakashi

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

“That is the most stressful thing. I would almost rather that the government said we have to abandon hope of ever going back home. I’m trying to be prepared for the worst.”

A bit of a contrast from yesterday's story of stoicism, and proof that many are not doing well. My heart goes out to these people, especially since the government keeps giving them false hope. As I and many have said since the incident happened; tell the people they will not be able to go back, buy their properties, and relocate them so they can start again. This, "We want you to return, but we won't be able to clean up for 40 years" stuff is clearly hurting people.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

My wife and I are going to do something to help. Our heart breaks for Japan. We're moving to Japan to use creative arts for therapy. It's a clinically proven method of helping bring normality back to life and reduce stress.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Agreed smith, well said. I guess all JGov politicians are suffering with a "Bipolar" saying one thing, and the next day saying something completely conflicting what they have said. All Bull S###s!!

I hope there are some constructive plans on the way for these victims.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Cricky, I pretty much disagree with everything you say. You've been to Tohoku, you should be fully aware of the scale of the disaster. You should know that everyone has left the temporary shelters and those who were elligible for temporary housing have been allocated them,. Yes, the government have made mistakes but FCS, I can't imagine anyone doing a better job of managing the victims of this terrible disaster. I'm not talking about the nuclear issue, but the tsunami. The government has done a pretty damned good job and if you still don't think so, compare it to the Hanshin disaster and compare it to Katrina in the US. Both were substantially smaller disasters and in both cases the government failed it's people.

In this case the Japanese government accepted help from the US immediately, not to mention help from countless other countries and individuals.

It's good that you've taken things to them, as have I. But in most (if not all) communities they are now trying to rebuild. Stores are being opened for people to buy them. We've been asked in some areas not to take clothes because a) Uniqlo has delivered so many and b) because it's damaging the local economy. I believe that the red cross have finally spent some of the money to ensure that everyone has heating (unless they've sold it) but they perhaps don't have the funds to pay for it.

I, personally believe that the government have done a remarkable job. I have a lot of contempt for the Red Cross and if I ever meet someone high enough they will regret it. I have a massive ampount of contempt for the postal service for recfusing to deliver to areas because of an inaccurately perceived threat of radiation. But I think that considering the total scale of the disaster and the fact that they had to deal with THREE major incidents that the government have done a reasonable job.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

We're moving to Japan to use creative arts for therapy. It's a clinically proven method of helping bring normality back to life and reduce stress.

Burton Sue, just out of curiosity, how specifically are you planning on using "creative arts for therapy," and what sort of program or structure do you have in mind?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

OK, thumbs down for me, serves me right for trying as an individual. Really as a foreigner I probably should not be trying to help those that are the responsibility of the government. I will cease and desist from causing myself any further personal trauma...the government after all are doing a great job.?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I can relate to your response, Cricky. I have helped in rescue mission, charity fund raising with local communities , donating my own money.....and when I read some irresponsible actions by JGov for these victims, it really hurts as well as they are.

I understand that Japanese Red Cross finally gave the money to victims, I do not understand why Japanese Red Cross withheld the money.. People who donated money here often asked me if the money really went to the victims, my answer is, "I do not know, and I hope so." That's shame. The world wants to know what is going on.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

New Year despair for Japan's nuclear refugees

Despair Look it up, despair! Sounds like despair!

Not a feeling you have when things are good.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

smithinjapan

I agree. Hosono has been torturing those people in Fukushima. He occasionally said,"I will do my best for people in Fukushma to go back there as soon as possible. It's hard to tell those people that they cannot go back where they have their houses, farms, ancestors' graves.... Contaminated debris and soil from Fukushima Prefecture should be disposed of outside the prefecture. All of Japan needs to share Fukushima's plight by providing sites for disposal of the debris." Older generation want to go back home, but young families with small children desperately want to know if they can go back or not. If not, they will make plans to settle somewhere else. They are confused with those zones: 一時帰宅対象外区域 the no- go zone, 警戒区域 the evacuation zone, 緊急時避難準備区域 the emergency evacuation preparation zone, 計画的避難区域 the planned evacuation zone. We know it's hard to tell people that they cannot go back for decades or more, but it's politicians responsibility to make hard decisions and tell them what the reality is.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

by the worst nuclear crisis in a generation.

by the worst nuclear crisis in history.

Fixed that for you

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

I gave you thumbs up cricky. Your phrasing is awkward but you meant well.

refugees from the country’s nuclear crisis relocated far from home say they have nothing to celebrate.

YES THey DO! LIfe

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I do not understand why Japanese Red Cross withheld the money..

Tadateru Konoe, president of the Japanese Red Cross Society said, "Local governments are not functioning, evacuees are placed in various shelters and technically speaking, a fair distribution among such people is very difficult. Deciding how to split the relief money is more difficult as the affected areas span a wide region meaning several authorities and agencies are involved, and many of the local governments that would normally provide information on damages have been crippled. (in one of the most devastated town called Otsuchi-cho, the mayor and 25 of the officials died, the government building swept away...etc.) Fairness and speediness do not go together easily." The money from Red Cross was distributed to each prefecture, but it was difficult to give the money to individual. For example, the government has decided to give 350thousand yen/dead or missing person, 350thousand yen/fully destroyed house, 180thousand yen/half destroyed house...etc. Inspection of each household takes tremendous amount of time. Shinjiro Koizumi proposed the donation should be distributed flat amount, but Miyagi prefecture opposed the proposal. Also there have been difficulties distributing all those donated goods, such as food, clothes, blankets, diapers...etc. There were tons of donated goods in the boxes arrived at each city, but there were not enough volunteers to separate items, no vehicles, road collapsed...etc. Some evacuation centers have got more than enough, some didn't get any. As Heda_Madness has been saying "the scale of the disaster" was just enormous.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/07/us-japan-aid-idUSTRE73638O20110407

0 ( +0 / -0 )

many donning traditional kimono for the centerpiece of several days of celebration during one of Japan’s most important festivals

Must be certain locations, because in my 7 years of celebrating New Years in Tokyo, Fukushima, Kagoshima and Miyazaki, I've never seen any more than a handful of people wearing a kimono, not more than the usual number that some elderly people do....

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Heda_Madness I think the government did a reasonable job of responding to the tsunami victims, but has consistently, falsely, irresponsibly downplayed the extent of the nuclear disaster in ways that threaten the health of many thousands of people in Japan. Why did the government not distribute iodine? Why did the government not tell people of the forecasted dispersion of radioactive particles so they would have known which way to flee? Why did the government, after taking measurements, continue to allow people to live in areas of extreme contamination without even a warning? Why is the government allowing, encouraging, demanding that radioactive materials to be shipped hither and yon throughout the country, where they are burned, the caesium vaporised and spread into children's bodies? Why is the government planning to cut off aid to people who don't want their children to live in 20 millisieverts of radiation, 4 times the Soviet Union's evacuation level? If you think that level is safe, did you see NHK's program the other night that dealt with the ICRP's intentional underestimation of risk levels and the increase in cancer in Sweden from Chernobyl? If you think that the government is taking care of its citizens by allowing them to live in 20 millisieverts, you should move there and help them rebuild their communities. It would be very hypocritical to criticise the postal employees for not wishing to spend time there if you yourself do not.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

FIrst of all, I made it clear in my initial post that I wasn't talking about the nuclear response, but the response to the tsunami and earthquake.

Secondly... I HAVE spent a LOT of time in Mimami Soma, where the postal service and Takyubin refuse to deliver. I have also driven through Fukushima city which has substantially higher levels of radiation than Minami Soma but the postal service delivers there so please find out your facts before you have the gall to accuse me of being hypocritical.

Thirdly, I have never suggested that 20 millisieverts of radiation are safe for anyone especially not children. I have, on countless occasions, suggested that EVERY child in Japan be tested for thyroid cancer on a regular basis.

I could go through the rest of your post and pick it apart but quite frankly I'm offended at the accusations of hypocracy.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

“It’s tough to live without knowing where to go,” he said. “Being in limbo is a heavy burden.”

Hopefully the lives of most of the disaster survivors will be much better a year from now.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So... I have a negative rating...

Anyone care to explain what was wrong with my posting? You disagreed with it, I'd be very interested to know why that is so.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

So... I have a negative ratin

Heda_MadnessJan. 01, 2011 - 06:29AM JST g..

I see your point. This is a world website and you are entitled to your opinion.

.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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