information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
8 Janvier 2013
January 8, 2012
A recuperation center set up on Kumejima island in Okinawa Prefecture is providing support for children affected by the nuclear crisis in Fukushima Prefecture.
Kumi no Sato, located about 100 kilometers west of Naha, was set up by nonprofit organization Okinawa Kumi no Sato in the aftermath of the nuclear crisis as part of efforts to help maintain the health of disaster-afflicted children in Fukushima.
The facility, which opened in July 2012, is modeled after a recuperation center in Belarus set up in 1994 for child victims of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear crisis. Photojournalist Ryuichi Hirokawa, 69, who has been involved in the running of the recuperation center, is using his experience to manage Kumi no Sato.
The facility for Fukushima children was built on the site of a former pottery studio in the town of Kumejima. So far, about 300 children from Fukushima have been invited for two-week stays free of charge, including airfare. During their stays, children can enjoy the natural environment of Kumejima island and eat food without worries of radiation safety.
The program also provides comprehensive thyroid examinations for the children. Starting from June, it plans to hold a "study camp" program in which school children from Fukushima will be able to study and recuperate with their teachers, Hirokawa said.
Kumi no Sato operates solely on donations that come mainly from individuals, although 80 percent of the financing of its model facility in Belarus, the Hope 21 center, is covered by the government. The Japanese project is run by a handful of regular staff, with help from unpaid volunteers including residents of Kumejima.