"Do not control people's minds with money"

April 11, 2014

POINT OF VIEW/ KATSUNOBU SAKURAI: Residents need not be bound by money from central government

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/views/opinion/AJ201404110015 

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

Faced with harsh disruptions of their daily lives in the wake of the 2011 accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, residents of Fukushima Prefecture have often, and in large numbers, expressed their opposition to nuclear energy.

Despite that clear stand, the central government is pushing ahead with its plan to resume operations at nuclear power plants in other locations.

With that growing gap in consciousness between the central government and Fukushima, Katsunobu Sakurai, the mayor of Minami-Soma in the prefecture, was asked to present his views about the relationship between the public will and government policy.

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In the January mayoral election, I won re-election after campaigning on a stance of moving away from nuclear energy. I received more votes than the combined total of the two candidates who took more cautious positions on a future not dependent on nuclear energy.

The southern part of the city lies about 10 kilometers north of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. About 40 percent of the city's land area is still designated as an evacuation zone.

With about 20,000 residents still living as evacuees, I believe the election result was a clear expression of the will of local residents.

A resuscitation of areas damaged by the nuclear accident and the rebuilding of lives of citizens in those areas are not as easy to achieve as central government officials believe.

It would be unacceptable to have the central government implement measures based on an awareness that did not take into consideration how difficult it is to resuscitate the feelings of people whose lives were utterly ruined by the nuclear reactors.

I believe that what was expressed through the election was the thinking of the people of Minami-Soma that could be summarized into, "We will carry out that resuscitation by ourselves. In order to do so, we do not need nuclear reactors."

EXPLANATIONS DIRECTLY BY MAYOR

Although three years have passed since the nuclear accident, the concerns and dissatisfaction held by the residents still are quite serious.

Among the younger generation, the greatest worry is about raising their children. Their concerns are not easily erased no matter how many times specialists explain the health effects of low dosages of radiation.

Among those in the prime of their working years, the primary concern is jobs. In particular, farmers are struggling because they cannot earn a living.

Senior citizens continue to hold out for wanting to return to their homes as soon as possible.

For each sector, resolution of the various problems must be handled patiently, much like straightening out tangled thread.

While gaining the understanding of residents, we will do what we can as a local government without waiting to see what the central government does.

As in the case of the first decontamination work undertaken by city initiative that involved digging up one meter of dirt from schoolyards, we can always ask the central government later for the fiscal measures to pay for such projects.

If everything was done according to the authority and rules set by the central government, the entire process would be delayed.

What I have tried to keep in mind as mayor is to attend all discussions with residents beginning with the first visits to evacuation centers in Minami-Soma and elsewhere.

The greatest point of interest among residents is what the mayor is thinking about various issues.

The mayor must go out to the people and explain the situation, especially during a time of emergency. It will not do to leave such matters up to local government workers.

Still, not everything has gone smoothly. In seeking an early return of evacuees, some parts of the evacuation zone within a 20-km radius of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant were changed to zones being prepared for a lifting of the evacuation order (because annual radiation levels had fallen under 20 millisieverts). I was criticized by several hundreds of people who felt I had made the decision without consulting them.

While I gained understanding by explaining that restoration of the community was not possible unless people entered the zone, I later heard complaints from those who actually entered the zone.

It is extremely difficult to listen to all of the dissatisfaction held by each and every person, including any complaints they may hold toward the central government.

STRONG DISSATISFACTION

Last year, incumbents in six municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture, including Fukushima city and Iwaki, fell to defeat in mayoral elections. I knew all of them quite well. I do not believe any of them committed a major mistake because they all put their best efforts into the rebuilding effort.

The mayor of neighboring Soma won a fourth term late in 2013, but in a very close race.

I was very surprised at the result because at one time there was speculation that an election would not be needed because no other candidate would run.

He had even stronger ties with the central government than I do so the pace of rebuilding was fast, but the closeness of that race, along with the defeat of incumbents in other mayoral elections, demonstrated the degree of strong dissatisfaction held toward the current situation.

Despite that trend, the central government is still thinking about maintaining and resuming operations at nuclear plants.

I think that is wrong.

The nuclear accident should have been an excellent opportunity to change Japan's energy policy.

I want those in the central government making policy decisions, be they Cabinet ministers or bureaucrats, to carefully observe the reality that is unfolding in Fukushima.

There are still many people in Fukushima Prefecture leading lives while being constantly concerned about data about airborne radiation levels.

Is it right for the central government to use subsidies and tax grants as a carrot offered to local governments in exchange for their going along with what the central government wants done?

Does the central government realize how that has interfered with local governments seeking to gain greater independence in the past?

I want to say to the central government, "Do not control people's minds with money."

Having won a second term by running on a platform of moving away from nuclear energy, I will push for the spread in the local community of renewable energy sources as I included in my campaign platform.

I supported and gave campaign speeches on behalf of Morihiro Hosokawa, the former prime minister who ran in the Tokyo gubernatorial election held in February, on the plank of immediately ending all nuclear plant operations.

While it was unfortunate that he lost, I want to cooperate with others who hold similar views in my role in a group of mayors who are seeking a shift away from nuclear energy and work actively within that group.

People tend to hold a greater interest in politics the more difficult circumstances they themselves face. To change the current situation will require political decisions.

With Fukushima now facing an unusual situation that comes around once in 1,000 years, politicians can attempt various measures to deal with the issues.

I believe it might be possible for the development of a "Fukushima democracy" with deep roots in the community facing the problems.

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Born in 1956, Katsunobu Sakurai won his first term to the former Haramachi city assembly in 2003. After serving as a member of the Minami-Soma city assembly, he was elected mayor in 2010. After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima nuclear accident, Sakurai was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

(This article is based on an interview by Takafumi Yoshida.)