2012 / Japan’s seniors to visit Los Angeles to speak on Fukushima nuclear cleanup, Aug 18
Mr. Yasuteru Yamada, founder of the Skilled Veterans Corps of Fukushima.
Japanese American group The Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress will host a program on Saturday, Aug 18, at 2:00 pm for Mr. Yasuteru Yamada and Mr. Takushi Okamoto of the Skilled Veterans Corps of Fukushima (Fukushima Genpatsu Kodotai) from Japan.
Mr. Yamada, founder of the group, is a retired engineer who worked at Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. They are on a speaking tour in the U.S. to share their concerns about the cleanup of the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant which was damaged in the March 2011 tsunami in Japan.
The Skilled Veterans Corps of Fukushima (SVCF) is composed of several hundred elderly Japanese experts who are willing to work at the facility and accept increased radiation to protect younger workers.
So far they have not been allowed to enter. Yamada and Okamoto are seeking support for international help with the clean up at Fukushima.
They believe that Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco that runs Fukushima’s nuclear power plant, is not competent to handle the clean up.
An independent commission found that the disaster was man-made and due to shoddy workmanship and that Tepco responded poorly after the accident and was deceitful in its reporting.
In addition to educating the American public, they hope to meet with legislators who can put pressure on the Japanese government to step in and to accept international assistance.
They have had several radio interviews, and have visited staff members of U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein, as well as U.S. Reps. Woolsey, Mike Thompson, and Barbara Lee and seek other meetings with government representatives and the media.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13598607
The program will take place in the Multi-Purpose Room, First Floor of the Teramachi Senior Housing Condominiums, 267 South. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Participants must sign in at the front desk. Parking is available in the Judge John Aiso parking lot which is located on San Pedro Street between First and Temple.
The host committee includes Patty and Steve Nagano, Suzy Katsuda, Kathy Masaoka, Kay Ochi, Janice Yen and Jan Tokumaru.
For more information about this program and directions and to RSVP, please call NCRR at (213) 284-0336 or email: Yokan@aol.com
Mr. Yamada and Mr. Okamoto will be in the Los Angeles area from Aug 16 through Aug 19.
The Pasadena Seminar Kai also host a Japanese speaking press conference with Mr. Yamada and Mr. Okamoto on Friday, Aug 17, at 11:00 am at Room 302, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
