Experiences of 3.11 (Great East Japan Earthquake) and Support Activities for Disabled Persons Affected by the Earthquake
Kiyoharu Shiraishi
Representative, JDF Support Center Fukushima for Persons with Disabilities in Devastated Area
On March 11, 2011, an earthquake on a tremendous scale-9.0 magnitude - hit northeastern Japan, causing significant damage mainly to Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. A subsequent gigantic tsunami triggered by the earthquake devastated the coastal areas, taking the lives of some 20,000 victims. In Fukushima Prefecture, Units 1 to 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were damaged due to the impact of the earthquake and tsunami, releasing a massive amount of radioactive substance, equivalent to 184 blasts of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, into the airspace in Fukushima Prefecture and the surrounding regions. The full impact of the radioactive substances on people living in Fukushima Prefecture and neighboring regions is expected to emerge in the years to come.
We set up Support Center Fukushima for Persons with Disabilities in Devastated Areas (hereinafter, the “Support Center”) one week after the Great East Japan Earthquake (hereinafter, the “Earthquake”) and started activities to support disabled persons in disaster-stricken areas. Since then, the Support Center has been engaged in a wide range of activities.
Only a small number of disabled persons living in evacuation centers and temporary housing
Since the establishment of the Support Center, our staff members have visited a number of evacuation centers and temporary housing units in order to confirm the whereabouts of disabled persons who were affected by the Earthquake. However, we realized that only a small number of disabled persons were living in evacuation centers and temporary housing. As evacuation centers and temporary housing were not built in consideration of the needs of disabled persons, most disabled persons seem to have decided to avoid these places. In light of this, we should incorporate the actual needs of disabled persons in evacuation centers and temporary housing in the future.
Companies hiring disabled persons who have lost job
Companies located in the coastal areas that sustained significant damage due to the tsunami and the nuclear accident have now lost all their subcontracting jobs. Many of these companies actively employed people with disabilities. Against this backdrop, eight companies in Minamisoma City united and have been selling metal badges they created through a nationwide network. This case is not particular to the coastal areas of Fukushima Prefecture. As a result of the nuclear accident, many companies that hired disabled persons around the prefecture are now struggling to maintain these jobs. The Support Center has been providing assistance to such companies.
Supporting disabled persons who cannot evacuate by themselves
More than 60,000 citizens of Fukushima Prefecture were evacuated out of the prefecture in fear of radiation fallout and are now living all over the country. Although there are disabled persons who wish to evacuate out of the prefecture just like people without disabilities, disabled persons face obstacles as they have to find suitable places to live, taking into account the living environment, transportation services, availability of helpers, etc. The Support Center has secured temporary housing facilities outside Fukushima Prefecture which are friendly to persons with disabilities. As well as the two people living in such facilities, there are other disabled persons who have moved out of Fukushima Prefecture on their own.
The discomfort caused by the evacuation resulted in the loss of many lives of sick people, elderly and disabled persons
Currently, as many as 160,000 citizens have been evacuated out of Fukushima Prefecture due to the impact of the Earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear accident. Approximately 1,000 ill people, elderly and disabled persons lost their lives due to accumulated stress of moving from one evacuation center to another and living in discomfort. All children and staff living in one of the disabled children’s facilities located in the coastal area evacuated to Chiba Prefecture. Sadly, one person lost their life during evacuation and another person passed away at the evacuation center in Chiba. With regard to the emergency evacuation, we have to review the method for disabled persons, etc. in order to save them from being left behind.
People left behind after the population of Minamisoma City decreased to 10,000
In Minamisoma City, a coastal city which is located only 30 kilometers away from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plan, a large number of people were evacuated after the nuclear accident. At one stage, the total number of the city’s population decreased from 70,000 prior to the nuclear accident to 10,000. The 10,000 people who remained in the city primarily comprised the elderly, disabled persons and their family members who had to take care of them. The current population of the city has recovered to over 40,000. Our experience indicates that those who get left behind in a massive disaster are the elderly and disabled persons who could not evacuate by themselves. I strongly believe that we will have to review our countermeasures against disasters taking this point into account.
Epilogue
In the case of Fukushima Prefecture, damage caused as a result of the nuclear accident surpassed that of the Earthquake and tsunami. While we did not have a large number of victims of the tsunami, we cannot predict actual consequences of the damage caused by the radioactive substances in the future. As a result of the impact of the nuclear accident, Fukushima Prefecture has still been struggling without seeing a clear direction toward restoration. I believe that all of us at the Support Center will have to continue our support activities for disabled persons affected by the Earthquake for many years to come by taking into account these difficulties faced by Fukushima Prefecture.