The book is out and available at Amazon.com! Buy it here. And THANK YOU to everyone who has supported this project.
********************************************************* Kenichi Hasegawa published a book in Japan in 2012 to tell the truth about what life was like in his rural village Iitate following the nuclear power plant accident that occurred following the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. We thought it was too important not to share with the world, so we translated it into English. About the book: In this personal account, published in Japan in 2012, dairy farmer and author Kenichi Hasegawa describes how most of the people in the Japanese village of Iitate—including very young children—continued to live in their homes for more than two months following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident that occurred in March 2011. Hasegawa, who was himself exposed to large amounts of radiation, describes the 3/11 catastrophe and its consequences in simple, direct, and clear prose, and in a way that could only be told by someone who lived through it. Weaving together various stories about the experiences of Iitate’s residents, Hasegawa is a witness to the truth of what life was like immediately following the accident—as he suffered with the knowledge that his children and grandchildren had been exposed to radiation, as he lost all of his cattle (who were considered part of the family, not simply the source of their livelihood), and as he endured the suicide of a fellow dairy farmer and friend. This is the story of Iitate, but it is also the story of Hasegawa, a man who had a lot to lose: a beautiful village steeped in natural history and time-honored traditions, a working dairy farm, a lovely home shared with his extended family, a close-knit community, and colleagues whom he considered close friends. Ultimately, the accident at Fukushima Daiichi—in concert with the profit-minded “nuclear power village” and failures of leadership at every level of government—not only took, but contaminated, all of it: the farm, the fields, the milk, the water, the harvest, the home, and a cherished way of life. Through it all, Hasegawa pursued the truth by meeting with journalists and taking his own radiation readings. He made sure that the residents in his hamlet of Maeta got what they needed—whether it was bottled water, or reliable information. He confronted lies and hypocrisy in the leadership where he found it. Ultimately, he took a leading role in preserving the interests of everyone and everything he cared about. Since the evacuation, Hasegawa has organized people from all over Fukushima, including nearly half the population of Iitate, with the goal of getting justice from TEPCO, the perpetrator of so much damage. While much has been written by scholars and journalists about the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami –and subsequent radiation leaks and explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant—first-person book-length accounts about the impact of the nuclear accident are rare, but invaluable. Hasegawa’s powerful story adds an essential voice to the conversation. *Read about the project in this April 11, 2014 Japan Times article |
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What are Japanese readers saying about this book?
(excerpts translated from Japanese)
(excerpts translated from Japanese)
“Readers come face-to-face with the senselessness of the sudden collapse of an entire village, and yet surely will be moved by the efforts of its residents to never give up. It remains to be seen what will become of Iitate, but it seems safe to say that Kenichi Hasegawa will never stop fighting for it.”
–Amazon.co.jp user review (5 stars) “The suffering of the victims can never be adequately conveyed in words because theirs is a pain that cannot be understood by those who have not experienced it. Nevertheless, by all means, read this book. And then compare it to the information you read in magazines and newspapers, and to what you see on TV. As a former resident of Iitate myself, I can say with conviction that what is written here is true. And I want the world to know the truth about the suppression of information by those responsible for this disaster, and the unilateral pressure that they continue to exert to this day.” –Amazon.co.jp user review (5 stars) “Must-read! Thank you for writing this. That’s all I can say….It is impossible to read this book without weeping.” –Rakuten.co.jp user review (5 stars) |
“This book's message is different from the scientific, intellectual messages of anti-nuclear scholars and activists. What is conveyed here is the anger of the devastated victims of nuclear power. I would like to express my sincere respect for Kenichi Hasegawa, for his actions and his leadership.
This is a must-read book for anyone who has benefited from Fukushima's nuclear power, particularly city dwellers, politicians, and bureaucrats.” –Amazon.co.jp user review (5 stars) “If the individuals affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident do not share their thoughts and their suffering, the severity of the accident will not be communicated to those who, like me, haven't got a clue. The victims of this disaster may be pained to recall their hardships, but by doing so, they just might help to ensure that more people do not suffer the same fate in the future. So please, keep speaking, keep writing.” –Amazon.co.jp user review (4 stars) |