00:11

At this temple in the Meiji Shrine in central Tokyo, a spiritual cleansing is being performed.

 

0 `30 K

This ritual is also a farewell to a particularly difficult year. The earthquake of March 11 and its aftermath have changed Japan in a profound way. As a proud nation they have watched several myths destroyed. One year on, the dust has yet to settle, and many are still struggling to return their lives to normality after suffering one of the biggest disasters ever to hit Japan.

 

00:58 K
The people come here to ask the gods for good will. It’s the year of the dragon, which is a famous good luck charm in Japan.

 

01:11

As well as prayers, a few Yen are also made as an offering – to bring people good fortune for the year ahead.

 

1 `30 K
11 March 2011. 2:46 pm - an earthquake measuring 9 on the Richter scale strikes Japan and triggers several tsunamis. The epicentre is located 400 kilometres northeast of Tokyo.

2 `00 K
Nearly 20,000 people died, and thousands are still missing. In a few hours the disaster shattered myths about Japan having the world’s best precautions against natural disasters.

 

2 `15 K
Beliefs about the safety of Japan’s nuclear power plants was also lost forever on that fateful day in March. The crisis management in the aftermath of the disaster also crushed illusions about the competence of Japan’s government.


2 `32 K
At first glance, little has changed in Tokyo. The buildings here have withstood the massive earthquake. Here, the investment in seismic technology has paid off.

 

2:46
However, there is still a palpable sense of fear in the greater Tokyo area. Hardly anyone talks about radioactive contamination. No one wants to burden others with their worries and no one wants to be seen to be overreacting.

3 `05 K

But there are often unsettling levels of radioactivity being detected in Tokyo and Yokohama. And there are an increasing number of people who are making their own attempts to identify areas with higher levels of radioactivity. The Japanese people don’t trust official data anymore.

3 `30 K

Here at a supermarket in Tokyo the questions on everyone’s mind are about which foods can be bought and about the areas in Japan where things like rice or vegetables originate. Instruments for measuring radioactive levels in food are now available in many supermarkets. The Japanese are divided into two groups: those who ignore safety precautions, and those who consider their purchases carefully.

 

3 `55 OT Sayori Fujikura, housewife, Tokyo
There is a steady flow of conflicting information. And who can guarantee us that our children will not be worse off than the children of Chernobyl. The scientists say there is no reason for concern. I would like to believe this but I still worry that the situation could become even worse.

4 `22 K
The city of Rikuzentakata in northern Japan was known for its ancient architecture and its idyllic surroundings.

4 `40 K

A fire-fighter records the surging waters with his phone as the tsunami strikes Rikuzentakata. He quickly realises the impending danger and calls out to the people to save themselves.

5 `50 K

Rikuzentakata is a community that has faced massive destruction. You do not see a single soul, or any animals. [pause] It’s as if life has been put on hold.

 

6 `18 K
The biggest bits of debris have been removed, but Rikuzentakata is still a ghost town. There is an arduous struggle for reconstruction that prevents people from returning their lives to normality. Some want to stay, but most want to move away. The earthquake and tsunami disaster hit the already economically ailing North East, on the main island of Honshu.

 

6 `40 K
We visit Kazuo Sato, a fisherman who witnessed the tsunami first hand. The retaining wall did not even come close to defying the forces of nature. Apparently, a new protective wall is being built here, but Kazuo and his family are uncertain about whether they want to stay.

 

7 `00 OT Kazuo Sato, fishing, Rikuzentakata (slow)
During the tsunami, I was on my ship in the sea. I knew immediately what was going on. It was eerie, the boat fluctuated greatly. When I turned off the engine, I heard loud noises from the mountains. (5 sec). By then I knew that it was a very big quake. I turned around and reached the harbour at the last minute. Luckily I was able to bring my family to safety.
7:40

 

7 `45 K
Sixty families must spend the winter in this temporary accommodation. [pause]. For this family, life has become very hard. They used to have a spacious house but now they live from day to day, waiting for money from the government.

 

8 `18 K

People here put on a brave face but repressed worries and continuing insecurity are taking their toll psychologically.


8 `30 K
Countless businesses have been destroyed, and unemployment is rising because everything in the evacuation zones has come to a stand still. [pause] For months now social tensions and alcohol problems are also on the rise.

 

8 `45 OT Kazuo Sato
The return to a normal life, the move to a winter-proof house - everything is uncertain. We have no idea how to move on. It’s important for us to have an approximate time frame, so that we can prepare ourselves mentally. We do not know how many years it will take for our homes to be rebuilt or for how long we must stay in these emergency shelters. (5 sec) I have no idea how long our patience will last. Everyone tries to keep a good attitude. When you meet people from our village, they smile bravely. But all of us have deep wounds in our hearts. And to be honest, I fear for the day when the sadness and frustration of the people finally comes out.
9:44


9 `45 K
Kazuo earns his living by fishing for oysters. In March he is hoping for a good catch. Whether or not people buy his produce, remains uncertain.

10 `05 K
On Japan's northern coasts, the tsunami destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen. The fish-rich waters in northern Japan were contaminated after operators of the Fukushima power plant dumped thousands of tons of radioactive cooling water into the sea. To make matters worse, tsunami relief funds for the whaling fleets have been diverted.

10 `47 K
The ruins of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The government promises that the cold shutdown of the ailing reactors has been successful and the situation is under control. But, the area is still far from safe. The damaged power plant still poses a threat, particularly from the heavily contaminated cooling water. Despite the effectiveness of the clean-up operations there are still tons of radioactive waste.

11 `13 K
Tomohiko Suzuki is one of the few investigative journalists in Japan. He worked incognito in the wrecked nuclear power plant in the Fukushima heavy squad. He says that the authorities and the atomic power station operator were helpless. What he’s seen in Fukushima fits into the picture of negligence, which the government and the operating company ‘Tepco’ have been accused.

 

11 `35 OT Tomohiko Suzuki, a freelance journalist (slow)

This is the block of four. And that's the block of three, which exploded. And here is the place where I worked. Actually, you cannot go in there, but every now and then I was inside. I had an alarm detector with me. But of course you cannot go into the reactor building itself. It was a personal choice whether you went closer; everyone had to be aware of the risks. The security requirements were really ridiculous.

12 `15 K
Tomohiko slams the information policy of the Japanese government and the power plant operator Tepco. In his book, he alleges that the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza, played an important role in the cleanup of Fukushima.

12 `35 Suzuki OT
Most people are afraid and go voluntarily to the destroyed power plant. But the Yakuza recruited people who were willing to die. Most of them are people who owe them something. To repay this debt, the Yakuza could force them, without any resistance.

12 `53 K
Only a few camera crews are granted access to the exclusion zone around the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. People are advised not to come here due of the excessive cesium contamination. In prohibited areas soldiers clean buildings and clear away the earth. However, the effectiveness of these efforts has been criticised. Many have left these areas when they noticed that earth demolitions and other measures to reduce radiation achieved nothing.

13 `35 K
Thousands of cattle have eaten contaminated hay, but were still shipped to be slaughtered and eaten.

13 `55 K
Before 11 March last year, farmers in the Fukushima prefecture provided agricultural products like beef to the rest of Japan.

 

14 `15 K
We visit the farm of Kenzo Sasaki. Without government help - and help from above – its days are likely to be numbered.
 
14 `40 K
For generations his family have been milk and meat producers. But for how much longer remains uncertain.

14 `51 OT Kenzo Sasaki, farmer, Fukushima prefecture
For me there is currently no problem with the milk, but they detected radioactivity at another plant nearby. Because of this, deliveries from all over Fukushima have been stopped, which is a huge problem for me. Sooner or later, my milk will probably be affected. Whether we can save our operation without government assistance, remains uncertain. Emotionally I’m not doing too well. For me, the world has collapsed… my whole life has changed.

15 `27 K

Eventually, the animals are fed with straw from other areas. Before, his cows were eating straw that was contaminated with cesium. The halt in supplies of agricultural products and meat from Fukushima has now been lifted and foods from here can now go back to the dishes of Japanese across the country.

16 `00 K
An agricultural cooperative in Fukushima City. Fifty farmers supply the locals with vegetables. Everything is tested. With these tests they want to reassure the people. But consumers are still sceptical. Rice has proven to be contaminated, as have many mushrooms. Since the beef scandal of last summer, people have been on alert. At the time, contaminated meat was even served in schools.

16 '25 OT Satoshi Nemoto, agricultural community Fukushima
It is very unfortunate that our agricultural products are contaminated with radioactivity. And I understand that consumers are very concerned. It’s understandable that they want to eat safe products. We do our best, but we do not know how we can cope with the radioactivity. The rice is contaminated but we don’t know the cause. Also, I don’t grow rice anymore. But if one does nothing, then that's bad for the soil.

 

17 `00 K
Radioactivity has crept into most foods from the region. Radioactivity has even been detected in baby food. Accusations are often made that farmers acted carelessly and that consumers were not warned. It’s also said that the authorities rejected certain measures because of they didn’t want to overload the system.


17 `25 K
Even green tea - the national drink of Japan - has been brought into question. In the province of Shizuoka, southwest of Tokyo, the best green teas are grown. Despite being located more than 400 kilometres away from Fukushima, elevated levels of radiation have been recorded. Masuda-san was shocked when he found out that his tea was contaminated.

17’50 OT

Masaru Masuda, tea producer, Shizuoka Prefecture
"This tea is loaded with 270 becquerels [check pronunciation with Jack] per kilo."

17’55 K
What is the normal value?

17’59
OT Masuda
"Usually you find no radioactivity. So I think this is an alarming level."

18`07 K
Many tea producers have lost millions due to radioactive contamination in the region of Shizuoka.

 

18 `30 K
This is Fukushima city, which is sixty miles from the nuclear plant. Those who are can have moved away from here. The population is divided: some can be appeased by official data, but many remain sceptical. People wonder how a democratic country like Japan could for so long conceal and sugar-coat information about the accident. [pause] Mask should be worn to prevent inhaling radioactive dust but very few actually do, even though the area shows increased levels of radioactivity.


19 `15 K
This shop only sells vegetables from western Japan, an areas which is considered safe. People here are afraid of the possible effects of radiation exposure on children. Parents are calling for better information about the risks and extensive medical tests.

19 `34 OT Seiko Takahashi, Fukushima (slow)
As adults there is a real danger that we could get cancer when we are older. But for the children this fear is not only about the future; they could fall ill within a year. (5 sec) We do not know when illness may strike. And for me, the thought that they could be discriminated against when they later come to marry just because they come from Fukushima, is unthinkable.

 

20 `15 K
Every day people look anxiously at their radiation detectors.... Here an unusually high radiation is being recorded.

20 `30 K
Here at a government hospital in Sendai, north of Tokyo, the doctor Hiroshi Okayama has patients who are suffering radiation-related symptoms.

20 `44 OT Hiroshi Okayama, radiation expert, Sendai (slow)

At the moment we have the biggest problems with cesium and strontium - like in Chernobyl. Strontium can be very hard to measure, but it’s been detected in a lot of seafood. And cesium is mainly dangerous in agricultural products.

But slightly contaminated food is entering the markets throughout Japan. (5 sec). There is a danger that these foods are being spread in non -contaminated areas. For me this is quite frankly, very worrying.

21’28

 

21 `30 K

According to the doctor, the government manipulates the radiation dose values in order to reassure people. For medical staff, this approach is completely incomprehensible.

 

21 `43 OT Okayama
The government says: If you raise too many concerns about radioactivity, defences are significantly reduced and you get cancer from a drop in your immune system rather than the radioactivity itself. And this is why state campaign says that you should not worry about it. Because of this it has become a taboo in society, to be concerned about the seriousness of radioactivity. This, in my opinion, is absolutely the wrong way.

22:13

 

22 `15 K
In the northernmost corner of the main island of Honshu, is the province of Aomori. Here is a nearly finished nuclear power plant, which has not yet gone into operation.


22 `35 K
The development of this plant is closely related to the story of Atsuko Ogasawara. Out of 137 residents she is the only one who has refused to sell her property for the expansion of the plant. The operating company has offered her at least two million dollars for her land and her case has made headlines across Japan. Ogasawara has become the figurehead of a growing movement against the nuclear power station.

 

23 `05 OT Atsuko Ogasawara, nuclear power - respondent (slow)

For me, it was sometimes hard being at the limit of what I can endure. Mainly because no one was there with whom I could talk, not a single person. But I have persevered. The struggle against the nuclear power plant has taken fourteen years and in that time I have changed a lot.

 

23’27 K

She has paid dearly for her perseverance. She says that the nuclear power plant has also sent gangsters to persuade her to sell. Despite increased pressure she has no intention of giving up.

23 `38 OT Ogasawara (fast)
Even my daughter says that I have hardened inside. After the Fukushima disaster, I've become stronger. I think that nuclear power must stop ...

23 `48 K
The Japanese, more than any other nation, know the destructive power of the atom. Every year on the 6th of August, the Japanese have a memorial in Hiroshima - the place where the first atomic bomb was dropped. Each lantern represents a lost soul. Now, after March 11 there are thousands of new souls that need to be remembered.

 

24 `20 K

Discussion around the Fukushima complex has changed things in Japan. Community and support groups, which have been set up to hold authorities to account and to apply pressure, have grown in number. The most stubborn opposition group can be found at the Ministry of Science in Tokyo. They are ignored by most passers by, but despite a lack of support, they aren’t giving up.

 

24 `48 OT Toshimi Iriaoka, nuclear opponents, Tokyo (slow)
There is our demand: all nuclear power plants must be removed. It is our duty to mankind. We are the representatives of society and we should not leave future generations such a terrible legacy.


25 `20 Suzuki OT

If an accident like Fukushima occurs, then of course something changes.

Up to now people have got different information from the Internet and believed everything was okay when in fact nothing was safe. And there has been a fundamental shift - all these myths have collapsed.


25 `42 K
200 kilometres southwest of Tokyo is the most dangerous nuclear power plant in the world. The Hamaoka nuclear power plant is located on a major tectonic fault line that could rupture at any time. It’s feared that a disaster like Fukushima could also happen here. At present, the power station at Hamaoka has been switched off because it’s believed that too few safety measures have been put in place against a big quake.

 

26 `11 OT Kanji Nishida, Hamaoka nuclear power plant
Our nuclear power station has an 87% likelihood of being hit by a strong earthquake in the near future. And the Prime Minister asked us to shut down the plant until we have implemented appropriate precautions. However, we believe that the plant is now safe.


26 `35 K
Most nuclear power stations that have been shut down will undergo to a stress test in the coming months on the grid. The operating company of the Hamaoka plant plans to build an 18-meter high retaining wall in order to be ready for a super-tsunami. 160 years ago, the land where the nuclear power plant now stands was under water.

 

27 `15 K
The Japanese still have a long journey ahead. For them it's about dealing with their biggest crisis since the Second World War. It’s likely that this area will be a disaster area for generations.


27 `30 K
Around the world the Japanese have been praised for having suffered the consequences of the March 11th disaster with stoicism and patience. They now face a big question: suppress the events of 2011 or learn from them? Japan is facing a crucial choice.