Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in March 2011, the children in elementary and middle schools in the central areas of Koriyama City have had to attend schools in a dangerously contaminated environment. The level of radioactive contamination would require mandatory evacuation if the standard used in Chernobyl were to be applied. It is a wish of all parents to send their children to school in a safe environment free from the risk of radiation exposure. However, due to a variety of reasons such as their financial difficulties, many families are faced with the situation that they cannot evacuate immediately. The government is entrusted with the responsibility “to provide education for all children in a safe environment” by the Constitution as our supreme law. Moreover, the government has the obligation to protect the children victimized by the nuclear accident for which the children themselves bear no blame.
On June 24, 2011, 14 children in grade school in Koriyama filed a law suit against the City of Koriyama resorting to the court of law, so-called the “last bastion of human rights”, and demanded their right to study in a safe environment. In a response, the Koriyama District Court dismissed the case on December 16, 2011. This court decision is considered to be a damning violation of human rights. It does nothing but endorses the same violation committed by the national and city governments. As this decision was considered to be completely unacceptable, the plaintiffs of 14 the children, in order to correct what is wrong, filed a formal objection at the end of 2011, which is presently pending before the Sendai High Court.
In Fukushima, the significant effect of radiation exposure on children's health is becoming more apparent. The collective evacuation of Fukushima children is an urgent issue. The first and foremost priority for the recovery and rebuilding effort should be “to protect and restore the children's lives”. This trial is demanding the government and court system to take immediate action to evacuate the children in Fukushima collectively, so that the children who have already suffered serious levels of exposure will be spared from any more harm.
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