Plaintiffs expressed their relief at a Sept. 30 ruling by the Sendai High Court that firmly recognized the Japanese government's responsibility for the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in a suit filed against the state and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) seeking compensation for the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
At around 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 30 lawyers and fellow plaintiffs emerged with banners including ones saying, "Case won" and "State held accountable once again." Cheers and applause erupted from a crowd of around 200 plaintiffs at the venue -- among roughly 3,600 plaintiffs who were residing in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima and neighboring prefectures at the time of the disaster.
Keiko Fukaya, 76, a plaintiff who has evacuated from the Fukushima Prefecture town of Tomioka to the prefectural city of Koriyama, rejoiced at the ruling, saying, "The nine years after the accident were long, but this is really great." She also expressed relief by saying, "I can take it easy now that we've secured victory, and I feel as if I can move forward with my life."
Photo: Takashi Nakajima, head of a group of plaintiffs, is seen speaking outside the Sendai High Court in the northeastern Japan city of Sendai's Aoba Ward in Miyagi Prefecture on Sept. 30, 2020, about a ruling by the Sendai High Court that recognized that the national government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. are responsible for the 2011 nuclear disaster. (Mainichi/Daisuke Wada)
Kazuya Tarukawa, 45, a plaintiff from the city of Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, lost his father in late March 2011 shortly after the nuclear disaster. His father had devoted himself to producing vegetables and rice through organic farming, and took his own life immediately after he was forced to refrain from shipping his vegetables due to the nuclear disaster. "We were able to put out a banner displaying our victory, and I can report good news to my father. Today, I'd like to go home and drink sake in front of my father's portrait," said Tarukawa as he showed a relaxed expression.
Takehiro Sasaki, 44, a plaintiff from the city of Fukushima and the administrative office head of the "Fukushimaken Nouminren" farmer's association had been waiting nervously for the result of the ruling outside the Sendai High Court, while suppressing his feelings of restlessness. He said that he was relieved after being certain of their victory as soon as he saw the words, "case won." Sasaki said, "I went in with confidence, but also felt worried. It's safe to say that we managed to win a ruling that exceeded expectations."
After the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Sasaki continued to engage in efforts to support residents forced to evacuate and farmers struggling with reputational damage stemming from fear of radioactive contamination. As he witnessed the hardships of farmers during his activities, he decided to join the lawsuit, in which residents from voluntary evacuation zones could also participate. He recalled thinking, "The problem will not be solved unless we demand that the national government (that had promoted nuclear energy) also take responsibility."
