Abstract
The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJET) and ensuing hydrogen explosions in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in March 2011 devastated the Tohoku (Northeastern Japan) region, which includes Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima Prefectures. This was a triple disaster of an unprecedented magnitude. This chapter describes the first 6 years of childcare projects carried out in two different cities after the disaster. After 6 years, the project in Miyako yielded a sustainable system of child mental healthcare, and the project in Koriyama succeeded in counteracting the pernicious effects of fear and stigma in the wake of radiation exposure. Despite great gains, including the construction of the largest therapeutic indoor playground for children in the Tohoku region, recovery has been complicated by government misinformation and attempts to silence civic discussion. As a candid disclosure of the details of the disaster emerges among the survivors, so too does awareness of mental health problems that exist in its wake. In order to build a more sustainable society and to counteract fragmentation in this highly industrialized country, Japanese citizens need to advocate for transparency, cohesion, and continued research in the aftermath of this disaster. This would help to mitigate ongoing effects of this disaster and better prepare Japanese society for traumatic events in the future.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Akimoto S-i, Li Y, Imanaka T, Sato H, Ishida K. Effects of radiation from contaminated soil and moss in Fukushima on embryogenesis and egg hatching of the aphid Prociphilus oriens. J Hered. 2017;109(2):199–205.
Anthony J. Naturalistic research: introduction. In: Anthony J, editor. Explorations in child psychiatry. New York: Plenum Press; 1975. p. 337–40.
Aoki M. In order not to forget the nuclear power station disaster. Newsletter of the Tokyo Branch of the Japan Association of Women Medical Doctors. 2016;54:3–4.
Emde RN. Amae, intimacy, and the early moral self. Infant Ment Health J. 1992;13(1):34–42.
Fernando J. Trauma and the zero process. Psyche. 2012;66(11):1043–73.
Fraiberg S. Pathological defenses in infancy. In: Fraiberg L, editor. Selected writings of Selma Fraiberg. Columbus: Ohio State University Press; 1987.
Grover A. UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Report to the General Assembly. 2014. http://unic.or.jp/unic/press_release/2869/.
Hasegawa K. Photo album “The Village of Iitate”. Nanatsumori-Shokan (English explanation by Mind Club & Watanabe Clinic 2016). 2013.
Hasegawa K. Give back our homeland Iitate. Mura Days Japan. 2015;2:10–7.
Hongo J. Signs were there: The Japan Times special report. The Japan Times. 2011. p. 60–1.
Ishii K, Goto A, Ota M, Yasumura S, Abe M, Fujimori K. Factors associated with infant feeding methods after the nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima: data from the Pregnancy and Birth Survey for the Fiscal Year 2011 Fukushima Health Management Survey. Maternal Child Health J. 2016;20(8):1704–12.
Katsuhiko I. Why worry? Japan’s nuclear plants at grave risk from quake damage. Japan Focus, posted 11 Aug 2007. 2007.
Keren M. Perspectives in infant mental health. Infant Ment Health J. 2015;36(1):78–87.
Kikuchi S. Koriyama City Postdisaster Childcare Project: advocating the children who have no words. Kokorono Kagaku Human Mind. 2012;166:82–7.
Kikuchi S, Kikuchi T. The medical association activity and pediatric care after the earthquake disaster in Fukushima. Keio J Med. 2012;61(1):23–7.
Kikuchi S, Yanagida K, Watanabe H, Tokita N. The tale of Koriyama. Tokyo: Fukumura Shuppan; (in Japanese). 2014.
Kyodo R. Fuel debris believed found beneath reactor at No. 1. Japan Times. 7 Feb 2017.
Lifton RJ. Revolutionary immortality: Mao Tse-tung and the Chinese cultural revolution. New York: Random House; 1968.
Lifton RJ. The life of the self: toward a new psychology. New York: Simon and Schuster; 1976.
Lyons-Ruth K, Todd Manly J, Von Klitzing K, Tamminen T, Emde R, Fitzgerald H, et al. The worldwide burden of infant mental and emotional disorder: report of the task force of the World Association for Infant Mental Health. Infant Ment Health J. 2017;38(6):695–705.
Mahler MS, Pine F, Bergman A. The psychological birth of the human infant. Symbiosis and Individuation New York (Basic Books). 1975.
Nakai H. The Asahi Shimbun. 2011.
Nakane C. Japanese Society: a practical guide to understanding the Japanese mindset and culture. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing; 1970.
Nakane CK. Asahi Shinbun, 5 Sep. 2017. p. 13.
Nishigori H, Sasaki M, Obara T, Nishigori T, Ishikuro M, Metoki H, et al. Correlation between the Great East Japan Earthquake and postpartum depression: a study in Miyako, Iwate, Japan. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2015;9(3):307–12.
NPO Iwaki Radioactive Citizen Measurement Office. Radiation Measurement Center Tarachine. NPO Iwaki Radioactive Citizen Measurement Office. http//www.iwakisokuteishitu.com/english/.
Papoušek H, Papoušek M. Intuitive parenting: a dialectic counterpart to the infant’s integrative competence. In: Osofsky JD, editor. Handbook of infant development. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1987. p. 669–720.
Rutter M, Andersen-Wood L, Beckett C, Bredenkamp D, Castle J, Groothues C, et al. Quasi-autistic patterns following severe early global privation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discip. 1999;40(4):537–49.
Sawano S. An analysis and mapping of Cesium 137 contamination of soil resulting from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant accident: using the US Airforce NNSA Plane Surveillance data. Kagaku (Science). 2017;87:194–300.
Scherb H. Totgeburten, Perinatalsterblichkeit und Sauglingssterblichekeit Strahlentelex. 2017.
Scherb H, Mori K, Hayashi K. Increases in perinatal mortality in prefectures contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan: a spatially stratified longitudinal study. Medicine. 2016;95(38):e4958.
Stern DN. The interpersonal world of the infant: a view from psychoanalysis and developmental psychology. Karnac Books. 1985.
Suzuki H. Supporting infants and mother in the disaster areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Kokorono Kagaku Human Mind. 2012;166:77–81.
Suzuki K. Let the sufferings be limited to the people of Fukushima, Column. Asahi Shimbun. 7 Apr 2017. p. 8.
Tadano Y. Kaese Iidate-Mura (Give back Iidate-Mura): alternative dispute resolution documents. Lawyers’ Group to Rescue Iidate-Mura Villagers. 2014. p. 53.
Takagi J. Nuclear plant and emergency: evidence for earthquakes. J Phys Soc Jpn. 1995;50(10):818–20.
Takagi J. Nuclear plant disaster and the myth of safety. In: Sataka N, Nakasato H, editors. Selected writings of Jinzaburo Takagi. Tokyo: Iwanami Gendai Bunko; 2012. p. 64–209.
Taki J. Lessons of Onagawa Nuclear Power Station which survived the GEJET unlike the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Nihon Keizai Shinbun digital. 14 Mar 2016.
Terada T. A Japanese perspective of nature. In: Yamaori T, editor. Japanese and the natural disasters. Tokyo: Kadokawa-Sofiabunko; 2011. p. 102–25.
The National Police Agency of Japan. Police Countermeasures and Damage Situation associated with 2011Tohoku district – off the Pacific Ocean Earthquake. 8 June 2018. Emergency Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters. 2018. Available at: https://www.npa.go.jp/news/other/earthquake2011/pdf/higaijokyo_e.pdf.
Tsuda T, Tokinobu A, Yamamoto E, Suzuki E. Thyroid cancer detection by ultrasound among residents ages 18 years and younger in Fukushima, Japan: 2011 to 2014. Epidemiology. 2016;27(3):316.
Watanabe H. Establishing emotional mutuality not formed in infancy with Japanese families. Infant Ment Health J. 1987;8(4):398–408.
Watanabe H. Difficulties in amae: a clinical perspective. Infant Ment Health J. 1992;13(1):26–33.
Watanabe H. Mental disorders in children: radiation and mental support. Obstet Gynecol Pract. 2011;60:2035–40.
Watanabe H. Revival of social landscape for protecting children and mother. Human Mind. 2012;166:16–23.
Weatherston DJ, Osofsky JD. Working within the context of relationships: multidisciplinary, relational, and reflective practice, training, and supervision. Infant Ment Health J. 2009;30(6):573–8.
Weatherston DJ, Osofsky JD. Introduction (article). Infant Ment Health J. 2016;37(6):603–4. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21612.
World Health Organization. The Great East Japan Earthquake: a story of devastating natural disaster, a tale of human compassion: 11 March 2011. S. Young-soo. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region; 2012. Available at: http://www.wpro.who.int/publications/docs/japan_earthquake.pdf?ua=1
Yanagida K. The interminable aftermath of the nuclear plant disaster and the ‘Japan Disease’: myth of safety culture. Tokyo: Shinchosha; 2013.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the late Tatsuo Kikuchi, Mayako Noguchi, Kaoru Okazaki, Kunio Yanagida, Joy and Howard Osofsky, John Takayama, Craig von Dyke, Kaija Puura, Miri Keren, Palvi Kaukonen, supporters from FOUR WINDS and WAIMH, and all the victims who came forward to recount their experiences.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Watanabe, H. et al. (2019). Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident. In: Hoven, C., Amsel, L., Tyano, S. (eds) An International Perspective on Disasters and Children's Mental Health. Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15872-9_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15872-9_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-15871-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-15872-9
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)