The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Basic Income

Abstract

The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, which was followed by a tsunami and by explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, caused tremendous human and material damage. According to official reports, 15,883 people were killed and 2,463 people are still missing.¹ The stagnant economy resulting from the earthquake and tsunami damages has taken the means of livelihood away from many. The ongoing proliferation of radiation problems resulting from the Fukushima nuclear accident continues to aggravate the loss of livelihood for ever more victims of the disaster. Three days after the earthquake about 470,000 people evacuated, and in November 2013 about 280,000 people remained evacuees.² Deaths related to the earthquake (deaths by suicide, diseases caused by the earthquake and the following severe situation) also amounted to 2,916,³ and the number (1,605) became bigger than the number of deaths directly caused by the earthquake (1,603) in the Fukushima prefecture, where the nuclear power station exploded.⁴

This chapter was translated into English by Brian Small and subsequently revised by the author. The author would like to thank all people who tried to work together for demanding BI when the public sphere seemed temporarily open a room for it.