Women in Japan to stage sit-in; call for global solidarity

Women in Fukushima will be sitting in at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from October 27th to 29^th to demand the evacuation of Fukushima children and no resumption of nuclear power plant operation (43 of the 54 reactors are currently shuttered for scheduled maintenance.) They are asking women from all over Japan to join the sit-in on October 30^th. The women point out that seven months of government refusal to evacuate Fukushima children is a crime against humanity, and it can no longer be tolerated. The women of Fukushima are calling on women around the world to act in solidarity with similar actions at the same time – whether in front of Japanese embassies or consulates or elsewhere. Shortly before the sit-in a new network – Women for a Nuclear-Free Future – will be launched in Sapporo and Osaka, Japan on October 24^th and in Tokyo on November 23^rd.

Coalition Against Nukes national rally in New York City, October 1st

Beyond Nuclear is honored to co-sponsor and field speakers to the national rally of Coalition Against Nukes in New York City on Saturday, October 1st. Beyond Nuclear's founding president, Helen Caldicott, will be the keynote presenter. Beyond Nuclear board member Karl Grossman, and Beyond Nuclear Radioactive Waste Watchdog Kevin Kamps, will also be featured speakers. Beyond Nuclear will also have an information table at the event. See the website for more. Rally info and updates are at http://www.coalitionagainstnukes.org/.

Additional speakers include: Brent Blackwelder, President Emeritus, Friends of the Earth; former US Congressman John Hall, who represented NY's 19th District, including Indian Point;Harvey Wasserman, anti-nuclear activist, author of SOLARTOPIA! Our Green-Powered Earth, A.D. 2030; and Alice Slater, Founder of Abolition 2000.

Rally co-sponsors include: Friends of the Earth, NYC Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Ralph Nader, New York Physicians for Social Responsibility, NYPIRG, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Helen Caldicott Foundation, IPSEC, Beyond Nuclear, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Westchester Citizens Awareness Network, Shut Down Indian Point Now, Time’s Up, ECOFEST, Rock the Reactors, and more.

To contribute, volunteer or get more info, email NYCRally@CoalitionAgainstNukes.org, call 631-377-1560, or write CAN, 51 Startop Dr., Montauk NY, 11954. Coalition Against Nukes has put out a press advisory about the event.

Watch (unedited) the Japanese activists' presentation Sep 22, 2011

Video runs a little over one hour.

Update on September 27, 2011 by admin

And watch the Indian Point discussion here: http://politube.org/show/3285

A crie de coeur in New York ...and other photos

Sachiko Sato made her pleas known and heard when Japan Prime Minister Noda arrived 200 yards away from our No Nukes rally near the UN on September 22. Below are photos from the visit by our Japanese delegation of activists and farmers to New York City and Peekskill, NY near the Indian Point nuclear power plant. Photos: ©David M. Grossman.

A son of Japan writes to the leader of the US

Dear President Obama,

I know that this might sound very strange for a young man from a foreign country to write this but the words have to be said. My mother, Kaori Izumi, (pictured) has recently visit New York to participate in the Nuclear Power Plant protest. Now on to the reason I am writing this. I am not good with my words so please bare with me. If the world keeps using nuclear power as the main resource for energy then when the next huge earthquake happens, then the power plants will releases the radiation, then half of the globe will be contaminated again, the water, air, every living form will be contaminated. For humans the DNA will be cut off and as a result, causes cancer, and the children who are born will have physical disabilities. Please listen from someone who has friends from Fukushima and have had to evacuate because of what happened. What happens if this happens in America? How would you solve it, cause it will never go away, it will stay here forever. You'll drink the radiation, you'll eat it, and you'll breath it. There is no denying that the fact is that the nuclear radiation will kill us all if it isn't controlled. I know this is weird for me to write but I just had to say it. Sorry that this letter takes up your time, enjoy your life while you can, may God bless you and your family.

from a Japanese student Kai Nergaard Izumi