 My name is Jacinta Ro Hagan, and I'm a fellow in the Department of International Relations here at the ANU. We're very pleased to be hosting this public lecture five months after looking at the Tohucat earthquake and tsunami. This public lecture tonight is in association with a broader workshop on cultures of humanitarianism in the Asia Pacific. Our guest speaker, Professor Yukio Ossa, is attending along with Dr Sigit Rianto, who is also with us from Gajamadro University, who is also with us in the audience today. We're very pleased to be able to acknowledge the support in particular of the Australia-Japan Foundation for supporting this event tonight and for supporting the cultures of humanitarianism workshop. We're holding the workshop in association with the University of Nottingham of the AJF and also the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. But let me talk a little bit about this evening's talk. It's only five months ago, it seems amazing that the terrible events that we're all aware of happened in the Sendai province of Japan. The earthquake, followed by the catastrophic tsunami, were bad enough. But then, in addition to that, the fact that this aggravated a crisis in the nuclear power plant in Fukushima created a triple emergency, a humanitarian emergency, possibly unseen in Japan for decades. One of the things that Yukio Ossa and I were talking about today is how quickly such disasters and emergencies move off our radar. We're fixated on them for a few weeks, a few days, but then the next disaster, the next crisis, the next celebrity breakup comes along. And somehow our attention moves from the impact that these disasters have had on the people who have suffered them. And this is a disaster which isn't just a disaster in the short term, it's a disaster which we'll be living with for decades, if not centuries. There's been a lot of discussion about this crisis in terms of the impact it's had on Japan. Japan has a great power, the Japanese economy. But one of the things we need to know a little more about is the impact that it has actually on the ordinary people, the day-to-day lives of these people in these districts. So we're incredibly lucky to have here today Professor Yukio Ossa. She's a professor in the Department of Sociology at Yukio University, a professor of the Graduate School of Social Design also at Yukio University. But also very importantly she's the chairperson of the Board of the Association for Aid and Relief in Japan and on the Board of Directors of the Japan Platform. And what's important about these organisations is that they have been in on the ground in the three perfectures that have been affected by this disaster. Unlike many agencies that have really kept the distance because of the dangers of radiation, she's going to speak to us today about her experiences there and about the work of her organisations. So let me hand over to Professor Ossa. Thank you very much. Thank you Professor Shinji for your kind introduction. Hello ladies and gentlemen. To begin with, let me express my sincere gratitude for your general support and Australian general support to Japan. Right after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Australia deployed 75 rescue workers and two search dogs to Ninami Sanlik in Miyani prefecture. That is as early as March 16th. And your Prime Minister, Julia Agilad, was the first foreign leader to visit the disaster area on April 23rd. It was very touching, very touching. And we were very much grateful for the sympathy you have shown to us. And I also would like to express my gratitude for the host of this public lecture who kindly invited me to Australia. This is my first time to be here. The Department of International Relations of the Australian National University ANU and University of Nottingham and the Australia Japan Foundation. So what impact have the triple disasters had on the Japanese society? On 11 March, Japan was hit by unprecedented triple disasters, a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 and a 30 meter height tsunami. I will show you a picture later. And the explosion of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Daiichi means the first. They have the second one, but the second one was okay. Damages have been tremendous. In a way, residents as well as local government in the affected area were ready for massive earthquakes because it was expected. Houses and buildings have been reinforced with seismically isolated structures. Severe damages from earthquakes alone have not been reported. Rather, it was a tsunami which exceeded people's preparation both physically and psychologically. There were seven tsunamis waves over a six-hour period after the earthquake, which occurred at 2.46 p.m. on March 11, Friday. The first and the largest tsunami was recorded 26 minutes after the earthquake, which was up to 30 meters high. It ended at 433,000 square kilometres of land, which engulfed four storey buildings. As of 1 August, 20,631 people are confirmed dead or missing, and more than 100,000 people are still living in evacuation centres or without homes. A 15-year-old junior high school student who lost her mother and friends and whose hometown including her own house was severely damaged, talked to a reporter from NHK, a Japanese national broadcasting company. She said that, I found nothing is eternal. Jinsei wa hakanai, that's what she said. Since just one wave of tsunami, tatta ikkai no tsunami de, subete ga owatte shmatta. Just one wave of tsunami changed everything. Lives are so transitory or temporary. Before 311, these should not be words of a cheerful junior high school student. However, after 311, this might be a typical notion of shared by many Japanese people, including children. It has been said that the Great East Japan earthquake of 311 was the kind of earthquake to come once every 1,000 years. The last being the Jougan earthquake, that is magnitude 8.3 to 8.6 in Haian period of 869 in Tohoku region. That was 1,142 years ago now. Now we know that this Jougan earthquake was followed by Sagami Musashi earthquake in Tokyo region in 878, 9 years after the Jougan, followed by the Nina earthquake magnitude 8.0 in Kansai area in 887, in 18 years after Jougan, also in that same time period Mount Fuji erupted. Similar series of natural disasters were also recorded during the Edo period in the 17th century. Academic studies and researchers from archaeologists, philologists and geologists show that these series of natural disasters have had great impact on societies at the time and caused changes in political flames. Ordinary people, including me, started to see the last 1,300 years of Japanese history which we learnt about in school has been severely affected by natural disasters. We clearly perceive that we are part of nature and what we consider the history of human beings has been in fact the history of human beings severely affected by nature. The 311 earthquake and tsunami was followed by explosion of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant managed by Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEFCO. The nuclear power plant was located in Fukushima prefecture, but electricity generated by the plant is not for Fukushima, but for Tokyo region. Fukushima has been covered by Tohoku Electric Company, whose nuclear power plant, Onagawa in Miyani prefecture, and Hirashidori in our prefectures have not been damaged at all. People from Fukushima who are forced to leave and abandon their home and land or encouraged to evacuate have not used electricity generated by the TEFCO plant. It was us from Tokyo who enjoyed electricity generated by the Fukushima Daiichi. That means something to us. Now we also notice over 50 nuclear power plants have been built in such a small island country Japan with a long history of earthquakes and tsunamis. Many workers suffered from radiation maintained these plants even before 311. The company's risk control is that, not only company, but also Japanese government's risk control is that they do not count risks which surpass their ability or assumption. Last month on July 22nd, the Asahi newspaper reported that on March 15th this year in Napoli, Italy, when survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki finished their testimonies in the Indian lecture on the atomic bombing, actually this event was organized by before 311 by a Japanese NGO called Peace Boat. They were surrounded, I mean these survivors are surrounded by local journalists and they were challenged. Why does Japan who suffered from atomic bombs hold that many nuclear power plants? The over 80 year old survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki could not respond properly. What they could say was that, I am so sorry but I cannot answer your questions since I have not studied about nuclear electric power generation or simply no comment. Later, these survivors said to the Asahi newspaper that, I just vaguely believe what the government said, since Japan does not have enough resources for energy we need it and I never ever challenged safety myth of nuclear power plant. These are not only the cases for those survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese society has rebuilt the country after the World War II using nuclear energies. The well accepted discourse is that peaceful use of nuclear energy is different from nuclear weapons for fighting wars. Now, those Japanese who have been indifferent to or silent to nuclear issues started to question what they believed or premises on which they built their daily lives, including me. And we are in the struggle to have some answer. Then what lessons learned? In the world of scholars and journalists, serious discussions are going on related to the complex emergencies that Japan experienced, especially on the first triple reactor meltdown after the Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami. This is very complex and it is beyond my capacity to cover and represent all the and review all the discussions and argument. However, here I would like to present one argument or analysis which attributed one of the many causes of the Fukushima nuclear accident to labor union issue. It is said that cause relationship between labor and management resulted in the loss of checking functions. Before 311, protecting dispatched or temporary contact workers, Hakenrodosha, was one of serious social issues in Japan. Not only small companies, but also world famous leading companies have been blamed for using temporary dispatched workers to increase freedom to hire and dismissed workers depending upon economic conditions. And now it is clear that this issue highly related to the risk management of nuclear power plant. If all the workers for Fukushima Daiichi were the full time regular workers of TEPCO, then labor union was responsible for their safety and then they should make sure that their working conditions are safe. Then things should be, things especially risk management would be totally different. But what TEPCO's labor union did is that in reality what they thought is dangerous was they are asking subcontractors. So actually that I took my PhD from Tokyo University, it was in human security course. And then I was thinking about human security for overseas. And then what happened to human security to all those workers and I have never ever thought of human security in Japan, especially in these workers and I'm using electricity all the time. So maybe I'll talk later on human security issues. Then other lessons learned from the TEPCO disasters, the aged most vulnerable populations. I'll touch somewhere. 311 was unprecedented in many senses, especially in the sense that so many elderly populations were victims. One might not exaggerate to say that it must be the largest disaster in the world history in which the ratio of the elderly among all affected was extremely high. As of April 8, among 13,000 dead, the ages of about 8,000 people were confirmed. The age groups of the victims of these 8,000 were as follows. 0 to 6 years old was 2.8%. 7 to 18 years old was 3.9%. 19 to 39 years old was 10%. 40 to 64 years old was 27.9%. Finally, over 65 years old was 55.4%. The number of the dead aged over 65 years old was 4,398, which comprised over 50%. This is extremely high compared with the demographic data before 311. The average ratio over 65 years old in three prefectures, I mean Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima, was 22 to 27%. So the death ratio is two times high in this age group. Traditionally, in the Sanlic region where many tsunami had hit historically, there is an old word, tsunami tendeco, or tsunami tendenco, which means that when the tsunami hit, you should mind, you should mind only yourself. Run away individually, don't care about other people. Many care workers were also killed by 311 tsunami when they tried to save the elderly whom they had been caring for. Tsunami tendeco was applicable to a society where all the people are able to learn by themselves. It does not assume the extremely ageing society like Japan or other advanced countries. And other lessons learned from the elementary school. Schools have been thought to be safe havens when natural disasters hit and it would prove to be true in some way. The number of the dead aged below 18 years old was 531, which comprised only 6.7%. If we look at the ratio of the victims of 7 to 18 year old group, it was between 2 to 4%. The average demographic ratio of this group was 11 to 12%. So the victim ratio of children of school age is fortunately low. This has been explained that the earthquake occurred at 2.46 p.m. on Friday, a weekday. Children were at schools and they were able to evacuate to rooftops or high ground guided by teachers. Furthermore, it looked at the victim late of the age group by three affected prefectures. Miyagi is 4.3%, Fukushima is 4%, while Iwate prefecture is 2.1%. As you can see, the ratio of Iwate is dramatically low. Why? It is said that historically Iwate prefectures had been suffered from huge tsunami many times. For example, Meiji sanlik tsunami in 1896 and Showa sanlik tsunami in 1933. Both hit right after magnitude 8.2 to 8.5 earthquake. Remembering these disasters, schools in the region are famous for their education for disaster prevention. In addition, they have geographic advantages. Thanks to their deeply indented Rias coastline, Rias kikaigan, like Sotus, high grounds are located near schools so that they can run away. However, there is a sad and shocking exception in Miyagi prefectures. The cases of Okawa Elementary School run by Ishinomaki City, its city owned. The school is located along a prefecture road near Shin Kitakami Ohashi Bridge about 5 km from the mouth of Kitakami Gawa River, so like 5 km from the ocean. The two-story school building was a modern structure and supposedly safe from tsunamis. Of the 108 students aged 6 to 12 years old at the elementary school, 74 were killed. More precisely, 68 were found dead and 6 were still missing in last month. That means about 70% of the students became victims of the tsunami. Many of the 34 students who survived had been taken by their parents before the tsunami hit in their parents' cars to safety. Of the schools, 13 teachers and clerical staff members, 11 were present at the time. Among them, only one teacher survived and 9 were found dead and 1 is still missing. The Board of Education of Ishinomaki City investigated the evacuation process and reported to the parents of the victims who were furious. They said the tsunami hit the school 50 minutes after the earthquake. They have 50 minutes. But it took 40 minutes for teachers and staff members to start guiding students for evacuation. Students are engulfed by tsunamis on their way to higher ground on the bank near the bridge, which is only 200 meters away from the school. The height of the tsunami expected around the region was 1 meter high, while 311 tsunami in this region was over 10 meters. Ishinomaki City, as well as the school did not assume a tsunami to reach this region. Actually, this Okawa Elementary School was designed and designated as an evacuation center for the residents. The reason the school explained was that students were gathered at the school yard immediately after the earthquake and the law was called to confirm that all the students were safe. And then some parents came to get their children about 30 students were picked up and teachers were busy in checking who were left, who were still in the school. And some teachers were looking around the school building so that no students were left. The school was designated as a primary evacuation site for neighbourhoods so many neighbors came. And some teachers were busy in dealing with these neighbors and then they have to decide where is the secondary evacuation site. Since the school's evacuation manual for tsunami mentioned to evacuate to higher ground but did not specify where. So after the earthquake hit the teachers could not decide where to guide children. Some teachers up mountains outside of the school and some teachers said it's too dangerous so it's a huge discussion and it took 40 minutes. And it should be the leader's job to decide but unfortunately the principal of the elementary school was not there. He was absent to attend his daughter's graduation ceremony on March 11th. There are many graduation ceremonies going on for junior high school and then the principal was one of them to attend. And in Oka Elementary School, this case, students who had been taken by their parents in their car to safety survived. Whereas other schools in Iwate, where schools are located in higher ground, the children who lost their lives were those whose parents came to get. The children who stayed in the school were saved. The story of Oka Elementary School traumatized many schools near Seashore although situation varied from school to school. And schools start to revise their emergency guideline and try to specify evacuation route and site. And then next lesson is that this is a disaster hit advanced country. On March 9th, about eight days after, Japan Platform, a consortium 33 Japanese NGO and the Japanese MOFA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nippon Kailin Land, Japan Business Foundation providing humanitarian assistance for natural disasters and humanitarian crisis. This is called Japan Platform. And this Japan Platform is organizing a first interagency meeting in Tokyo for international organizations and NGOs working for the victims of this earthquake and tsunami. I was telling that meeting. Then an official from the United States Agency for International Development, USAID came and said that he hoped that the mistakes, Japanese government does not make some mistakes which US government made when Hurricane Katrina hit. He said US government had tried to do everything by herself, never asking for foreign aid. And also he said the government neglected civil society and marginalized NGOs. Then how was Japan? Maybe the evaluation might be the same with Hurricane Katrina's case. But I think this is not special or peculiar cases for USA or Japan but a case when disaster hit advanced country. Japan has long been one of the top donors for international assistance but has rarely experienced receiving aid itself. The government was often criticized by not welcoming overseas assistance. Also they did not have experience to cooperate with international NGOs in domestic disaster. However I think this is not the unique case for Japan. Any donor advanced countries are not accustomed to be recipient and they are not in position to utilize UN system for disaster which they have been supporting for a long time. And so in the government organization which is center of relief activities, a cabinet office, whereas the government body related to NGOs, a foreign ministry, for there was a huge gap. And then in the very beginning because of this, the Japanese government in a way inability, there was no completed data for the victims. If it's a disaster in other area, maybe UN Ocha is the one that fully correct and give some appeal. And UN Ocha was in Japan but they are kind of allowed only to make very small report. And then due to the lack of a single nationwide system for disaster victim registration and both national and local government were not able to respond adequately track of victims and the location of the temporary residence place and so were NGOs. And in Japan the baseline measurement of disaster damages is gauged by damages to houses, residents. And disaster victim certification are only issued to those who have been certified by a public agency that their homes have been damaged in various defined degrees and casualties. So the person who did not fall into the category, there was no way to find out. So there are many, many lessons. And then using an example of one organization called AAR Japan in Japanese Namiotasukerukai. Actually it was established in 1979 as association to aid Indochinese refugees when the many Indochinese refugees came to Japan, Indochina Namiotasukerukai. But in 1984 when the famine in Africa happened, the AAR Japan started to work in Africa so they took, we took the Indochinese and then the name became association to aid refugees. But for some countries, if the organization has a name of refugees, sometimes we are not allowed to go there. For example in Cambodian crisis we have been working in Thai Cambodian border. At that time we were okay to help refugees. But when the party peace accord was agreed and then many refugees went back to Cambodia mainland and saw as many international non-governmental organization. And when we tried to register organization to the government, the Cambodian government said we do not have any refugees anymore. So we are registered as AAR Cambodia committee. So as other Japanese organization called Caring for Young Refugees, they were also refused by Cambodian government and then they changed their name Caring for Young Khmer. The same thing is in Chechen assistance or when we go to Myanmar or Laos. Then when we are celebrating 20 years anniversary, keeping logo of AAR, we changed the name Association for Aid and Relief Japan which does not have any political connotation. But we leave Japanese Namiotasukerukai, it means association to aid refugees. And for us this is the first time to do something in huge sense in Japan. And many people from Tohoku area said we are not refugees and they don't like to take any assistance from us first. But somehow it works. So I would like to share with you that experience of one organization. And then this is also special in one case. There are many international NGOs and AAR Japan is one of the biggest local NGO. We have very big organization, Save the Children Japan, Care International Japan, Adler Japan and World Vision Japan, Plan International. They are also huge but they are kind of international. So a very domestic one including AAR or Shanti or Sotoshu Volunteer Association or Japan Volunteer Center. All of them are involved in this relief activities in 311. This is about AAR Japan. Now we work in 13 actually now in 15 countries and 9 overseas office. AAR Japan has no political, ideological, religious affiliation which is very important to us. And right now we have like 50 staff in Tokyo and 20 in Tohoku region and then about 20 overseas. And then our fund is 50% is from the government and 50% is raised in Japan. And then I will later tell you about that budget but this Tohoku earthquake doubled our budget, yearly budget. This is a fifth pillar of the AAR Japan's emergency assistance and my and UXO action, my action. And then assistance to persons with disabilities and then infectious disease and advocacy. Because of this background we decide in Tohoku area we will focusing on that person with disabilities. Because we cannot cover entire population but we try to cover entire region focusing on person with disabilities. This is explanation of that tsunami and this is about that Fukushima. It's too scary and this garbage we call Gareki. There was big discussion that it's not garbage for the victims. For them this is a memory of the house and memory of their living or memory of their dead family. So and then first because this belongs to somebody. So first just government could not remove it because it's a personal property of somebody. And then government took new rule and then it is allowed. In Fukushima region removing this garbage is a big problem because of radiation. But not only Fukushima but also Miyagi and Iwate it's causing huge problems. Some chemicals and then I don't know how to say in English but it's very bad chemicals. And then many people are suffering from this section because yeah. Then we don't know where to put. This is like about 10 days after the tsunami I took the picture. This is from the Soma city to Yamamotocho from Miyagi prefectures. And this is the same time I took this picture in Rikuzen Takada. It's very center of the town and now nothing is left. I mean all this removal of Gareki was gone, Gareki was finished. But the government and the local government cannot decide whether they can allow people to build a city or not. So it's just nothing. This is not garbage. And then I could see the many tiny pretty porcelains all over and it was a bit sad. It looks like just an apartment from the distance. But can you tell? It's all gone until fourth floor. This is also Rikuzen Takada. It was so scary. And then both two buildings, like fifth stories looks normal but until fourth. So the tsunami was as high as this height at the same time. So although the association for aid and relief Japan was, as I told you, trying to focus on that person with disabilities. But in the first stage we have to do everything. Non food item, food and especially gasoline. This is the budget. We received donations from inside and outside of Japan. About 500 million yen. Except in kind of service contribution. So it means plus in kind contribution. And funds from Japan platform was about Juroquen. So all together 1.5 billion yen. It's a huge amount of money. And this is only for that Tohoku region in one organization. And then using this money that we have been buying, this diesel and kerosene gasoline and portable water, rice. And bananas milk and wheelchairs. And then also we did soup kitchen. Soup kitchen was takidashi. And then when the Kobe earthquake, takidashi last like one month. By the time in one month everything will be ready. And then takidashi was only for fun, sometimes for cake or for fun for children. But in Tohoku region takidashi was or soup kitchen was kind of assisting people's life itself. Even still now it's going on. In some relocation centers even three months after their food is almost to be rice bowl, morning rice bowl and lunch just one piece of bread and dinner rice bowl. Pan, pan, pan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan, gohan. This is their food in Japan and it's really amazing. And then many in foreigners did their soup kitchens and ready to eat meals. But it's beyond our capacities over their gaps between that some popular center which is near and which the many journalists are there. And then always takidashi was going on. And some remote area were not registered collective centers. They have only bread, bread, rice bowl, rice bowl, rice bowl. And then two months after when we delivered milk to this collective center one man said, it's been a long time that I did take milk and we didn't have milk at all and we are shocked. In Japan we are supposed to be advanced countries but still that these people are lacking of milk and eggs. And then we did some repair or welfare facilities and we gave some container house. Of course people cannot live but small shops they would like to do something but it takes some time to rebuild their house. So they used this container house as their shop. And also that in Oshika Peninsula, Oshika Hanto, we did some shuttle bus service so many buses are gone. And repairing welfare facilities. And then also in Fukushima prefectures. Compared with Miyagi and Iwate, the number of NGOs working in is low. Even the Japanese NGOs are not like to go to Fukushima. So in Iwate and Miyagi, AL Japan is more or less concentrating on that person with disabilities. When we deliver that such food and non-food item, we try to focus on that disabled people center. And then this kind of distribution, I mean we do this assistance to Fukushima delivering these necessities to families. And in Miyagi and Iwate, other organizations, World Vision Japan, Peacefin Japan and then other NGOs are doing this. But in Fukushima no one is doing so we did it. In cooperation with Adelaw Japan and AL and Adelaw Japan covers the entire region. And then delivering daily necessities to families in temporary house and leasing housing. And then to contribute to the economic recovery of the local area, we try to procure these goods in local shokokai, shoutengai. And we are trying to procure it. Then actually in Japanese Red Cross society they raise huge amount of money. And then there are two types. One is the money which goes directly to that victims. So this is called gienkin. The other type of money is money other countries Red Cross sent to Japanese Red Cross society. And this money is called shienkin and they have to use by themselves, not giving to that victims themselves. So Japanese Red Cross society decided to give a sixth set of electric utensils to all the displaced persons. That is TV, refrigerator, microwave, thumb spot, rice cooker, washing machine. And one of our staff said that I don't have microwave. So that this expensive one was covered by National Red Cross. So Adelaw Japan and AL covered last. More cheaper. But since in Japan is such expensive country still it cost a lot. Actually that this is the overview of Fukushima prefecture. Before 311 about 2 million population. And then in outside of Fukushima prefecture 37 people are still evacuated. And then within 20 kilometers of Fukushima Daiichi, all these are called exclusion zone. And then 6 towns and villages and population 75,000. We don't think they can go back. So it means that entire town including that city halls evacuated mainly in Fukushima city. Then what is next for Fukushima? Now we are doing just a non food item and we are trying to find out what to do. So the future recovery. The Japanese and international energy was quite swift. But it continues and nothing has changed in five months after that incident. So we have to keep continue but we don't know whether money will come or not. And then although we have money for like Jew or Queen. But once we spend it all we are not sure whether the Japanese people are still ready to keep on giving us money because our economy is going down. And then we got many assistance from overseas. But as Professor Shingi first said the people will forget. So we have to see what's going on. And then there's still so many problems and so much problems. And then we have to keep company ways. And many international organization NGOs are originally working for overseas. And we have to go back to our own job to do. And then now for example where Japan has sent four staff to Kenya and Somalia. And then people are more and more inward looking. And they try not to spend money for overseas donations. And then the Japanese NGO tried to change this mood of inwardness. I think this is our job too. I'm sorry it is too long. And this will be, this will be the end. This is a Natsumatsuri. Now it's a season for summer festival. And maybe some of you know August 13th to 16th is Bone Festival. And Bone in Buddhism we believe that all the debt is coming back to their houses. And some houses are gone. And then some Buddhist said that these debt people maybe cannot find where to go back. And then so this festival is in a way a play festival for Bone Festival. Some scholars explained that doing or a Tanabata is also a play festival for Bone Festival. Doing Tanabata or other festival showing to that ancestors we are here and you can come back here. So even if their houses are gone, all of them are gone. Still if the town try to keep the local festival then still these people have place to come back. That's what we believe. Thank you so much. It's fascinating. It definitely wasn't too long. I could have listened a lot more. The floor is open for any comments or questions. Yes. In the press here in Australia and internationally there have been stories about the central government that has been raising radiation safety levels for the reason of the attacks. And there have been stories of women protesting outside the dark with samples of sort. Could you tell us anything about public health monitoring of radiation levels, whether epidemiologists are getting in there? Because one of the main debates in Australia is between the pro-vix study, radiation doesn't hurt you and the anti-vix study does. What's going on in Japan? Is it too early or are you beginning to monitor radiations? Especially the Fukushima local government started to monitor all the citizens of Fukushima. But it's such a complicated process. First you have to answer by the way that I'm attending national census every five years this time. But first, just like national census, the government gives you this questionnaire. Where were you March 11th? And where were you March 12th? Where were you March 13th? And then how long were you outside of the house? First you have to answer all these questions. Who remembers? Who remembers? But it really depends if you are inside, especially concrete house or wooden house, or you are a farmer working all day long outside, especially Iwate village, where that huge amount of nuclear thing follow. So the government, I mean Fukushima local government decide first to give some questionnaire and find out and then they can identify. And also they knew which place is the hot place. So if one person is here and outside, it's assumed that this person's radiation level is quite high. So they will pick up and then they are starting from these people. And also they are whole body counter. We have some measurement we have, but it can only measure outside. And you have to do this whole body counter, but the number of whole body counter is limited. And then also it took like 30-40 minutes per person. So it's almost impossible to do whole body counter to everybody. So first this questionnaire and then we don't know how long does it take. And one of the shocking thing is that there are many books which was reporting about the radiation of workers working for nuclear plant in peaceful time, not like that extent. Even the peaceful time you need some periodic checking. And then this periodic checking causing such a damage to the workers and many of them were dying. And this kind of report was there, but I did not know that. And after 3.11, this works was in their household. And then many people started to know that even not only 3.11, before 3.11, just daily levels are many, many workers, especially they are poor from a marginalised area or the person living in that Fukushima Dai's nuclear plant area, they are kind of working. But they are not full-time workers. And their radiation level was very high. And not all of them, but some of them already died. And there are some testimonies. So I think that Chernobyl is kind of going on in Japan too. So still a very inexact picture, just on my own stage. May I quickly ask the second question? There have also been disturbing stories about the Hibakusha coming from Fukushima. Fukushima, people in other prefectures seeing other places, isolating them, kids at school being beaten up, it happening, yeah. I think one mayor of one of the towns in Fukushima made a very strong passion speech about how we must protect this. We must not trip with victims. Do you have further stories about that? Yeah, this is true, but not all. And then before I come here, there was another shock, not shocking, but in Nagoya area, there was local TV and they have some quiz show. And then for the winner, they are giving that rice from some other region. And then the staff was preparing some note. That is not for real, just for checking. But it said, it's session free or session rice. This rice is lots of with session. And then by chance, by mistakes, it was on TV. And then people from Tohoku were furious and huge demonstrations going on. But it's even the media was doing it. Professor Kearns, have you heard of the same plenary prominent role of those people in this? And whether that role is like that, possibly affects the self-defense role? They have been working so hard and we respond in a very positive way because in the very first week or second week, there was no food. I mean that the lifeline was cut and all the main load was cut so that it's really difficult to deliver the rice to everybody. So what they could do was just rice or bread, a piece of bread. So this logistics was same to GTI, self-defense forces. They could only get one rice bowl a day because the line was the same. And then, of course, the government prioritized the victims. So they could work eating only one rice bowl and it is touching and they even give this to somebody else. And of course, some anti-self-defense forces said that. But many Japanese people have seen what they are doing. And then, furiously, typical in one stage, they said it's too dangerous for them to deal with so we would like to leave it to government. It means self-defense force can do that. But SDF was not ready for that kind of job. And also not only SDF but also Shobo Tai, emergency services or like fire, they are also at cold all over Japan and they are doing the same. And then, nowadays, the TV commercial for recruitment of self-defense force appeared on TV, that's shocking. It was not there before 311. And then obviously they are showing what they are doing after 311 and it was correct and it was right but it came. But I asked you just to expand on, you made a really interesting comment at the beginning of your presentation that you had studied human security in your PhD but you had never thought about human security in the context of Japan. It was something that happened outside of Japan. And I'd be interested in your reflections on that now having witnessed and worked with this disaster. More precisely, I was thinking in human security in Japan but I would sometimes do some advisory board for the Japanese MOFA because in Australia, in Japan and Canada is a kind of advocate for human security. And then I thought that human security is only for popular among some gyneshow people or some people in small community but never ever in the main Japanese people they have never ever thought or heard human security. So I thought that maybe Cosello Rural Health Ministry or everything everyone should do or locate identify Japanese internal problem in the terms of human security. That's what I thought before 311. I have never ever thought of that workers of atomic power plant and then I was one of the persons who were indifferent or too naive and then I was very active in the landmine campaign and then I was in Cosello during 99 Natal bombardment. I was there and depleted uranium was there and I was aware of that uranium and I was in Cosello and I thought I might be affected but in that way I knew this kind of radiation but I never thought about that Japanese workers. After 311 happened I thought that if you really want to make some peace for society you really have to care about everybody's human security. If you neglect somebody's human security then it will damage everything. At least you should try to cover everybody otherwise. Of course it is impossible to cover everybody's human security but at least you should not neglect or you should not marginalize any population then look at what happened in Japan. We cannot return to the date before March 11, it's too late. It's interesting because it seems as well you're sort of saying that often we think about human security as something that happens we worry about in relation to other people and we don't think about it in our own environment which is a really interesting way that we think about what security means of human security. Is it a problem within the organisations? Are there some difficulty that you do not wish to cooperate with Keir Arryn or are all the NGO organisations happy to be involved in this way? Actually the Japan platform is having some difficulties. We thought we will have difficulties, in the end we are not but first we thought we would have difficulties because a Japan platform is established for overseas cooperation and then our fund is coming from Japanese government and Japanese Cadenland mainly for natural disasters. But not for the disaster inside of Japan. In Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not work of course because they are foreign affairs ministry. And then Cadenland is trying to help not Japan platform but the National Social Welfare Council. So they have a different route to help. But since we have some close connection with many companies when the March 11 start and then Japan platform said we will do something then they started to donate their fund directly to Japan platform without looting Cadenland. So the money was huge. Then that's why we are applying for Japan platform money to do many things in Fukushima. So this is actually the first time many Japanese companies do not give. Of course they give Japanese Red Cross Society but they have some options for the first time. Before March 11, Japanese Red Cross Society is almost the only one candidate for them to donate money. But civil society is kind of expanding in Japan I guess. So on my right hand thing then that Japanese companies contribute directly to Japan platform. Directly. I think the publicity for the meeting today was a bit misleading because I thought it gave the impression that there was actually a coalition of three things, the NGOs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which that would be surprising but that's not the case. Actually this consortium is built for international aid. For international aid. But Gaim show is assisting us in a way that they are giving us some information for we are helping them. Because there are many NGOs going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we will take care of them. But we might get funds from Gaim show for Tohoku daijishin in the very near future that its political discussion is going on. And it's their first time to spend their money for internally. But we are working and it might happen very soon. Could you comment on the credibility of the government and the company with regard to especially to safety from the radiation problem? And has the credibility increased over time? And can you think of any ways in which more credible information especially about personal safety given the radiation dangers can be improved? Credibility that we almost lost our all. We not so many people trust Japanese government anymore. And then actually we think or it is said that not so maybe no specialist and no radiation specialist in the government. Most of the country advanced countries who have the atomic power plant they also do have atomic bomb. So it means it's very highly political and security issues so politicians have to deal with it. But for Japan this atomic issue is only peaceful issue and the government doesn't have to do anything. I mean it is a job for the companies. Of course there are some meaty which is in charge of that the ministry which is in charge of this atomic issue but still they are economic ministry and not safe defence or something. So risk management, the ability of risk management for nuclear issues is very very low or no specialist. That's very sad things. Also there are some specialist in academic area but they are kind of marginalised. Labour as a left wing socialist or something like that. That's international expertise and many institutions, many individuals have offered their help and so forth. Has that improved the situation? I think that first Japanese government just say no because as I told you as they don't have any experience of the recipient but now I think that they are getting more help because they knew it's beyond their capacity. And it's also it's our, we think that it's our mistakes. We are, most of the Japanese just quiet and then this very anti and flow nuclear people are fighting and then most of the majority of the Japanese people just are using electricity. Then this happened. Now we noticed and it's paying such a high prices. Now Opel Cymde said that if you try to think and interpret it properly that you'd like to see nuclear power abolished. Do you really think there's a credibility in that? It seems to me that all the electric power companies and all the heavy industry are very much committed to the continuation of the power. I think the government is too. Do you think there's going to be a change? Is some sort of change of thinking within you? I was thinking yes. But unbelievably that some big companies are trying to sell their nuclear power issues to Bangladesh or Vietnam and it's, how could they do that? But yeah, but more and more people started to say no. Of course we knew that you cannot stop atomic power plant tomorrow but in, you know, how many years, I don't know how many years to take but still we are trying to moving that side. If Japan doesn't do it for real world. And then you know that China, that the railways accident was so scary and then some people say that Japanese Shinkansen was trying to sell but they did buy only part and then it should be the system. But the China didn't buy security system but they just bought some parts. And same thing with their atomic nuclear power plant in China and it might happen same thing sooner or later and then that their power plant is all coastal line and always wind is coming from inland to even now that we are suffering from Cosa yellow sand, always wind is coming so we might get another one if China did something and we cannot, we do not have any right to blame because we have done already and without giving them without giving any quotient to Korea or China or other neighboring countries we have just do it. So we cannot blame China to even if something happened. One further question I am conscious that Professor Osser has actually flown overnight and is still standing which I think is pretty good for this topic. But maybe if there is any fun questions before we take some well and rest this evening. Sorry that my language is not that good and then I wish that I could speak. Let's call the proceedings to conclusion tonight and join me please in thanking Professor Osser. Thank you so much everybody.