Japan's deadly choice to buy into "Atoms for Peace."

An important article on Truthout.org by Satoko Oka Norimatsu, about the deadly choice post-WWII Japan made in buying into "Atoms for Peace" and the consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on communities inside and beyond the exclusion zone. Norimatsu writes: "What particularly distinguishes Fukushima from Chernobyl is the large amount of radioactive material (3,500 tera-becquerels#7) released into the ocean, levels unprecedented among all past nuclear attacks, accidents and tests, raising concern about the effect on marine life and seafood."

He also reminds us of John Hersey's book, Hiroshima, then relates a story eerily similar in tone and content: "Sato Eisaku, former Fukushima Governor (1988-2006) reflects on what happened to people who trusted their Government: People of Namie Town stayed up all night, looking for missing people, but evacuation was ordered, so they went to Tsushima District [to the Northwest]. For three days from then, 6,000 people, one third of the town’s population, drank water, and ate food served there. When we looked at the contamination map released by the government much later, Tsushima was painted blazing red, indicating the highest contamination level. The [Namie] mayor had tears in his eyes as he told me the story." (Namie dog pictured.)

Read the full story.