NPO in Fukui Selling Buddhist Rosaries and Bracelets Made of Rikuzen Takata Pine

whose bark was found with 1,130 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (12:59AM JST 8/23/2011):

「京都五山送り火」用の薪(まき)から放射性セシウムが検出され、岩手県陸前高田市の被災松を使った薪の販売を中止した福井県坂井市のＮＰＯ法人「ふくい災害ボランティアネット」が、セシウム不検出だった幹の中心部分を加工した念珠とブレスレットの販売を続けている。

A Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture-based NPO "Fukui Disaster Volunteer Net" has been selling the Buddhist rosaries and bracelets made out of the core of the trunk of the pine trees that was felled in the March 11 disaster in Rikuzen Takat City in Iwate Prefecture. The firewood made out of those pine trees was to be used at "Gozan no Okuribi" in Kyoto, but radioactive materials were detected [from the bark of the wood]. There was no radioactive cesium detected from the core.

　東角操代表は「安全な部分を使ってしっかり復興支援をしたい」と話す。

Misao Higashikado of "Fukui Disaster Volunteer Net" says his organization wants to support the recovery by [commemorating the disaster] using the safe part of the wood.

　「震災の記憶を風化させないように」との願いを込め、玉の一つに「３・１１」と刻んだ。７月下旬にインターネットで通信販売を始め、今月１６日の送り火の後、茨城大に検査を依頼したところ、幹の部分からはセシウムは検出されなかった。

One bead of the rosary/bracelet is engraved with "3.11", so that the memory of the disaster does not fade away. The NPO started to sell the rosaries/bracelets on the internet in late July. After the "Okuribi" on August 16, the NPO asked Ibaraki University to test for radiation, but there was no radioactive cesium detected from the trunk of the tree.

　念珠は３０００円、ブレスレットが１８００円。

A Buddhist rosary sells for 3,000 yen (US$39), and a bracelet sells for 1,800 yen (US$23).

　同ネットのホームページ（http://www.fukkou.org/contact-us/tyumon）で購入できる。

You can buy them at the website of the NPO "Fukui Disaster Volunteer Net", at http://www.fukkou.org/contact-us/tyumon

Disaster capitalism alive and well.

Oh wait, it is not really a capitalism. It's done by an NPO, non-profit organization. I should say "social entrepreneurism", then I'm totally politically correct.

(An NPO in Fukui Prefecture asking the university in Ibaraki Prefecture for testing? That's rather far, far away.)

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