Tyler Wellnitz

English 372
Professor Newport
March 19
th
, 2014
Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima: Ethics
The nuclear disaster in Fukushima triggered doubts in nuclear power throughout the
world. Just when nuclear power was thought to be becoming safer, cheaper, and greener this
partial meltdown changed the future of energy for many nations. The widespread damages
brought on by the Fukushima nuclear incident have had a devastating effect on
environmental, social, and public health. The thought that a nuclear disaster couldnt be
avoided in one of the worlds most modern societies is alarming and has the world questioning
the ethics and social problems involved in harnessing nuclear power.
Prior to the tsunami at the Fukushima nuclear plant, nuclear power was gaining support.
After the accident, countries like Germany have stated they will halt any plans to build any new
nuclear power plants (Nuclear Power after Japan: The Social Dimensions). It seems to be a
great alternative to fossil fuels. Nuclear power plants dont release carbon emissions and
produce fewer waste products compared to conventional power plants. Some would consider
nuclear power a green/sustainable option, but they may not take mining, refining,
transportation, and waste disposal into consideration.
In the event of a nuclear disaster, radioactive material is released into the atmosphere
and then rains back down onto the planet. Surface water and soil are contaminated and can
remain so for hundreds or even thousands of years. Tainted water and/or soil utilized by plants
and animals has the potential of causing severe damage to an organisms genetic makeup,
which can cause mutations and reproductive issues. Radionuclides present in soil and water
can work its way into the food chain and disrupt biological processes (Defying Disaster).
Decontamination can be an expensive and ongoing process. As far as decontaminating
soil, the top 0-45 cm of topsoil needs to be scraped off the earth and replaced. The
contaminated soil must then be stored or disposed of in a safe manner. There have been
attempts to replace topsoil and playground equipment at elementary schools, but this is just
the first step in decontaminating hundreds of square miles of land and water. Radionuclides in
water are usually diluted throughout bottom sediment and the water itself and are much more
difficult to contain because of waters mobile nature (Hanai, Toru, & Lies Invisible Enemy).
The Japanese government has release pamphlets on self contamination so citizens can do what
they can to decontaminate their land. Decontamination will be an expensive, ongoing process
for generations to come.
For the Japanese, every aspect of their lives has been affected by the disaster. All of
society has been impacted; agriculture, forestry, fisheries, manufacturing, education, industry,
tourism, politics, policy, etc. There are also the costs of evacuation, loss of land, emotional
damages, and business losses. The cost of the whole ordeal is said to be incalculable. The big
question is who is liable for these costs and who could afford to pay out that kind of
compensation?
Many citizens of Japan were very frustrated with their governments response to the
disaster. The lack of timely, straightforward communication led to distrust among citizens
towards the government. It was difficult to determine who was more trustworthy. Should they
have listened to the media, who may exaggerate the situation; or should they listen to the
government who may understate the severity of the situation because they feared criticism
from the rest of the world.
Its clear that TEPCO or the Japanese government wasnt prepared to manage a nuclear
crisis. There was an overwhelming lack of communication between departments. The U.S. had
difficulty getting in touch with the people necessary to troubleshoot the problem. They didnt
know who or what department to contact. This caused a lot of frustration and cost a lot of time
that should have been spent dealing with the issue instead of finding out who to talk about
dealing with the issue.
Japan is a highly modernized society. The world looks at countries like the U.S. and
Japan and believes they have it all figured out and under control. This was not the case
during the nuclear disaster. The U.S. sent a surplus of supplies for aid during the evacuation,
but the Japanese didnt have the resources to distribute the aid (The Saskawa Peace
Foundation). Japan, being highly developed and technologically advanced, usually isnt on the
receiving end of aid and wasnt prepared to get the help the desperately needed.
The effects of radiation exposure arent apparent quite yet. It will take years to
determine whether or not there is a link between the level of exposure and an increase in
cancer. Only a few years after the accident there are some signs of health concerns, not
directly related to radiation exposure.
Many parents are still worried about letting their children play outside or touching the
outside air. This has led to an increase in childrens weight in Japan. Some children are scared
to even go outside because of the invisible, dangerous radiation. The word radiation is
common vocabulary to children as young as three years old. Studies have also indicated that
children three to five have less coordination and an increase in stress levels from not being able
to play outside, which have contributed to a much higher rate of behavioral issues (Hanai, Tour,
and Elaine Lies).
Fukushimas nuclear incident has made the world aware, once again, of the
vulnerabilities of nuclear power. Nuclear sites all over the world have reevaluated their
operation and crisis management strategies. Its important to have crisis management action
plans in place for every nuclear site. These plans should be specific and vary among situations
such as human error, terrorist attacks, or natural disasters.
In the case of an extreme meltdown we should have some sort of robotic technology
that can assist the situation. There may be times when humans cant even survive long enough
to get in to fix the problem. We do have robots that can provide video information, but we
need to develop our robots so they can perform tasks usually done by human hands.
Since nuclear power gone wrong can have such devastating impacts it may be best to
invest more time and energy into renewable energies including solar, wind, and geothermal
energy. If there is more focus and development in these sectors of energy they will become
much more affordable and efficient. Once these technologies are expanded, we can begin to
phase out older nuclear plants.
I believe its important to educate people about what to do during a nuclear disaster.
Not just the employees at the nuclear plant, but the millions of people living near nuclear
plants. Japanese citizens could have limited exposure and the health risks associated with it if
they have some background knowledge on what do during the fall out. Its clear that, especially
in this case, that you cant always rely on the government.
Nuclear power can have catastrophic impacts on environmental, social, and public
health and we should be very cautious if we are going to tap into this power source. Nuclear
accidents have happened throughout history and will likely happen again. If we are going to
use nuclear power we have to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Hopefully weve
learned something from Fukushima and well question our stance on nuclear power and its
consequences. Radioactive contamination knows no boarders; a nuclear incident is a problem
on a global scale.











Bibliography
Hanai, Toru, and Elaine Lies. "The Children of Japan's Fukushima Battle an Invisible
Enemy."Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Xiang, H., & Zhu, Y. (2011). The Ethics Issues of Nuclear Energy: Hard Lessons Learned
from Chernobyl and Fukushima. Online Journal of Health Ethics, 7(2).
http://aquila.usm.edu/ojhe/vol7/iss2/6
The Saskawa Peace Foundation, The Fukushima Nuclear Accident and Crisis
Management Lessons for Japan-US Alliance Cooperation, September 2012
"Defying Disaster Search Results Nuclear Disaster Radiation." Nuclear Disaster Radiation.
N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
"Nuclear Power After Japan: The Social Dimensions." Taylor and Francis. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar.
2014.
"Joint FAO/IAEA Programme - NAFA." Joint Division Questions & Answers. N.p., n.d. Web. 15
Mar. 2014.









Audience and Purpose
Primary audience: Professor
Secondary audience(s): Those interested in Fukushima ethics/research
Relationship with audience: Student/Teacher
Audience and purpose statement: To analyze the relationship between the nuclear incident in
Fukushima and the ethics of nuclear power/responsibility
Intended use of document: Research Paper
Information needs: Scholarly research
Technical background: NA
Cultural considerations: Japanese point of view
Probable Questions:
What is a nuclear disaster? How does radiation affect people/environment?
Who/ what was responsible?
What can be done to prevent this from happening again?

Probable reaction: Interest in ethical questions?
Audience Preferences about the Document
Length and detail: 4-6 pages
Format and medium: Research paper
Tone: analytical
Due date and timing: March 19
th
, 2014
Budget: NA