Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (11,12) "Who Were Those Men?"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

Asahi Shinbun's series "Trap of Prometheus" - Men in Protective Clothing documents what happened in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture right after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.

Installment 12 says the district chief still remains in Namie-machi. Part regret, part frustration that his community is now gone. He wonders, along with Mizue Kanno, why the authorities did not tell them about high radiation, when they could and should. The district chief also regrets that he didn't take the warning of the men in protective clothing, as told by Mizue, seriously.

If you read Japanese, you can read all installments (1-12) in one location, at this blog.

Even if the series is written by a reporter at a major Japanese newspaper, not many Japanese are aware of it, which, after the initial launch, was buried in the 3rd page of the printed version. (For more on the "3rd page", go to the note before the Installments 9 and 10, here.)

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防護服の男（１１） あの２人のおかげで

Men in Protective Clothing (11) Thanks to those two men

菅野みずえの家に避難した２５人は、「白い防護服の男」の情報とみずえの判断でそれぞれ再避難し、危険な状況から逃げることができた。

25 people who evacuated to Mizue Kanno's house were able to escape from a dangerous situation by evacuating again thanks to the information from the "men in protective clothing" and Mizue's urging.

　大量の放射性物質が飛び散り、住民が被曝（ひばく）するかもしれない緊急の時期だった。しかし政府も東京電力も、それを住民に教えなかった。

It was a period of emergency when a large amount of radioactive materials were being dispersed and endangering the residents. But neither the national government nor TEPCO told the residents about it.

　しかし２５人は、混乱を起こすこともなく、冷静に動いている。

However, these 25 people have acted calmly, without panic.

　みずえは今、福島市に近い桑折町（こおりまち）の仮設住宅で暮らす。

Mizue now lives in the temporary housing in Kori-machi, near Fukushima City.

　「ほら、見てください」。みずえは空き地で遊ぶ子どもたちを指さす。

"Take a look over there", Mizue says, pointing to children in the open space.

　「あんな小さな子が、避難生活の苦労を背負ってこれから生きていくんですよ。もし被曝していたら……」

"Small children like that will have to live with the hardship as evacuees. What if they've been irradiated on top of it..."

　それにしても、あの白い防護服の男たちは一体だれだったのか。みずえは今も考える。

Who were those men in white protective clothing anyway? Mizue still wonders.

　そのころ福島県内は、文部科学省や福島県、日本原子力研究開発機構、東京電力、東北電力などの計測車が走り回っていた。

At that time, radiation monitoring cars from the Ministry of Education and Science, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, TEPCO, and Tohoku Electric Power were all over Fukushima Prefecture.

　例えば新潟県からの応援車もきていた。３月１２日夕のちょうどその時刻、津島地区を通っている。

There was even a monitoring car from Niigata Prefecture. Around the time when the men in white protective clothing visited Mizue in the evening of March 12, the car from Niigata passed through Tsushima District.

　新潟県の職員２人は、原発事故対応の支援のため、ワゴン車に乗って福島県に入った。１１４号を浪江町に進み、津島地区を通った。午後４時ごろ、その先の川房地区で警官に止められて引き返している。

Two personnel from Niigata Prefecture came to Fukushima in a wagon in order to support the effort to deal with the nuclear plant accident. They proceeded on Route 114 to enter Namie-machi, and passed through Tsushima District. About 4PM, they were stopped by the police in Kawabusa District and turned back.

　その職員に話を聞くことができた。ただ、内部被曝してしまったので、名前が出るのは困るとのことだった。

The reporter was able to talk with the two. However, they asked me to withhold their names because they suffered internal radiation.

　職員によると、当時、測定器は激しく鳴りっぱなしで、焦っていた。

According to them, their radiation survey meter was constantly beeping and they were fretting.

　津島地区を通ったとき、車がたくさん止まっていたので避難所だと思った。

When they passed through Tsushima District, they saw a lot of cars parked. They assumed it was an evacuation shelter.

　「防護服？　いいえ、着ていませんでした。車を降りてもいません」

"Protective clothing? No we weren't wearing. We didn't get out of our car, either."

　１４日未明には、放射線医学総合研究所のモニタリングカーが津島地区を通過している。まだ大勢の避難民がいたころだ。

In the early hours of March 14, a monitoring car from National Institute of Radiological Sciences was passing through Tsushima District. There were still many evacuees remaining.

　車には測定器などを積み込んでいたが、「資材を運ぶのが目的だった。放射線量は測っていない」（広報課）という。

The car carried the radiation measurement equipoment, but according to their PR department, "The purpose was to carry the equipment, and they didn't measure the radiation level."

　みずえが会った２人は、そうした計測チームの一つだった可能性が高い。

The two that Mizue met are likely to have been one of those survey teams.

　「あの２人の警告のおかげで逃げられた。それをなぜ国や東京電力は組織としてしてくれなかったのだろうか。もっと多くの人が逃げることができたのに」（前田基行）

"Because of the warning of the two men, we were able to escape. Why didn't the national government or TEPCO give a warning like that? So many more could have escaped."

(Reporting by Motoyuki Maeda)

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防護服の男（１２）区長は逃げなかった

Men in Protective Clothing (12) District chief remained

菅野家の２５人が再避難した３月１３日、下津島区長、今野秀則（６４）は、家を訪ねてきた菅野みずえから白い防護服の男の話を聞かされた。

On March 13 when the 25 evacuees at Kanno's house re-evacuated, Hidenori Konno (age 64), district chief of Shimo Tsushima, heard about what the men in white protective clothing had told Mizue, who came to visit him.

　しかし、逃げなかった。確かな情報もなしに右往左往すべきではないと思った。なにより、区長として先に逃げるわけにいかなかった。

But he stayed. He thought he should not run around in confusion without solid information. More than anything else, as the district chief, he felt he couldn't escape before anyone else.

　３月１５日の午前１０時。津島支所の対策本部に呼ばれ、支所が二本松市に避難すると告げられた。

At 10AM on March 15, he was called to the headquarters for countermeasures at the Tsushima Branch, and was told that the Branch would move to Nihonmatsu City.

　なぜだ。原発から３０キロ離れた津島は安全のはずではなかったのか。しばらく事態がのみ込めなかった。

Why? Wasn't Tsushima safe, being 30 kilometers away from the nuke plant? He couldn't grasp the situation for a while.

　そのとき、テレビが政府の会見を放映していた。２０～３０キロに屋内退避の指示。職員が食い入るように画面を見つめている。これなのか。

The TV was showing the press conference by the national government. Instruction to stay indoors for the residents in 20 to 30 kilometer radius from the plant. The branch personnel were staring into the TV screen. Was this the reason?

　午後から下津島の５０軒を１人で回り、避難を呼びかけた。

In the afternoon, he went to each of the 50 households in Shimo Tsushima, and asked them to evacuate.

　大半の家はカーテンが引かれ、避難していたが、１０軒が残っていた。避難を促したが、拒まれた。３軒は「牛がいるので避難できねえ」といった。寝たきりの老人もいた。

Curtains were drawn in most houses and people had already evacuated, but 10 households still remained. He urged evacuation, but was refused. 3 households said to him, "We can't go anywhere because of our cows". There was a bedridden old man.

　今野は妻（５５）と長女（２３）を先に逃がし、そのまま津島に残る。

Konno evacuated his wife (age 55) and his eldest daughter (age 23), and remained in Tsushima.

　大勢の避難民でごった返した地区から物音が消えた。夜、雨が雪に変わり、路面は真っ白になった。静かだった。

The district, which had been crowded with many evacuees , went completely silent. At night, rain turned to snow, and the roads were covered with white snow. It was quiet.

　昨日はたまたま留守だった家があるかもしれない。１６日、もう一度、５０軒を回った。いったん避難した５軒が戻ってきていた。

There may be households who happened to be away yesterday. So, on March 16, he visited the 50 households again. 5 families who had evacuated had come back.

　妻が車いすで、避難所ではトイレに行くのも大変だから帰ってきた――。１軒で、老夫婦がそう答えた。夫は「いいんだよ放射能なんか。もう年だし、ここで生活する」といった。今野は、車いすでも不自由しない別の施設をさがして伝えた。

In one household, they told him they had come back because the wife was wheelchair-bound, and had a hard time at the shelter even to go to the bathroom. The husband said, "It's OK if there's radiation. We're old. We will live here". Konno told them of another shelter that was wheelchair-friendly.

　「地域が消滅してしまう」

"The community will disappear."

　無人となった地区を車で走りながら、今野は悔しかった。

Running around in the empty district in his car, Konno was frustrated.

　今野は元県庁職員で、今後は地元の伝統芸能保存活動に力を入れるつもりだった。しかし、そんな老後の夢は消え去った。

Konno used to be an official at the prefectural government. He was planning to be active in preserving the local traditional performance art. But his dream was gone now.

　今野は町から測定器を借り、７月から毎月、地区の一軒一軒の放射線量を測り、その住人の避難先に郵送で知らせている。

Konno borrowed a survey meter from Namie-machi, and he's been measuring the radiation level at each house in the district since July. He mails the results to the residents at their temporary addresses.

　県や町からいわれたわけではない。防護服の男の話を聞いたとき、津島が高い線量だと知っていたら、もっと強く避難を呼びかけたのに……。そんな後悔があるからだ。

It's not that he was asked to do so by the prefectural government or Namie municipal government. It is from his regret. When he heard about the men in protective clothing, if he had known that Tsushima had a high radiation, he would have told people to evacuate more strongly.

　ひと月前と比べ、どの家の軒先も雑草が生い茂っている。３年前に亡くなった父が大事に育てていた庭の植木も枯れた。（前田基行）

Compared to a month ago, weeds infest the front yard of the houses in the district. The plant in the garden of his house died; his late father, who died three years ago, had grown the plant with great care.

(Reporting by Motoyuki Maeda)

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Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (9, 10) "500 Microsieverts/Hr Radiation"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

Asahi Shinbun's series "Trap of Prometheus" - Men in Protective Clothing documents what happened in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture right after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.

In these 9th and 10th installments, the Namie-machi residents learn all too late that the radiation levels of their area were extremely high (in hundreds of microsieverts/hour) but the authorities (police, Self Defense Force, etc.) did not tell them because the government told them not to reveal.

If you read Japanese, you can read all installments (1-12) in one location, at this blog.

Even if the series is written by a reporter at a major Japanese newspaper, not many Japanese are aware of it, which, after the initial launch, was buried in the 3rd page of the printed version.

"To be buried in the 3rd page" is symbolic in the context of the history of Japanese newspapers. Traditionally, particularly before the newspapers were beefed up with many pages, the articles that appeared in "the 3rd page" of a newspaper was considered "insignificant" - with "significant" or "important" articles being politics (1st page) and economics (2nd page). The "3rd page" was filled with "other" articles - crimes, corruption, sex, gossips, and articles that the newspaper editors didn't want to attract much attention from the public. The newspaper would fulfill its social obligation of reporting the news but the news is "buried in the 3rd page" so as not to attract too much attention.

That's where this series appears in Asahi Shinbun, I was told.

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防護服の男（９）
Men in Protective Clothing (9)

　浪江町の赤宇木（あこうぎ）地区に住む三瓶（さんぺい）ヤスコ（７７）は隣の飯舘村から嫁いで５５年になる。菅野みずえとは公民館の民謡サークル仲間だ。

It's been 55 years since Yasuko Sanpei (age 77) married and moved from the neighboring Iitate-mura. She lived in Akogi District of Namie-machi. She and Mizue Kanno were members of a "minyo" [traditional Japanese folk music] singing circle.

　ヤスコは８月初めまで、細い山道を上った一軒家に１人で住んでいた。

Yasuko lived in her home at the end of a narrow mountain road all by herself, until the beginning of August.

　地震直後は、神奈川県の孫娘の１ＤＫのアパートに、富岡町の長女と孫息子の３人で避難した。

Right after the earthquake, she and her eldest daughter and the daughter's son moved to a 1-room (plus dining and kitchen) apartment of her granddaughter in Kanagawa Prefecture.

　しかし、隣室の食事の音まで聞こえる。周りにも気を使う。「この年になると都会の生活は合わない」。犬と猫のことも気になり、４月末に赤宇木に戻った。

However, you could hear the noise of the next-door neighbors, and you would have to be careful not to offend people around you [in a big city]. "I cannot adjust to city living at my age." She went back to Akogi at the end of April. She wanted to take care of her dog and her cat, too.

　そのころは、まだ地区に数世帯が残っていた。そのうち１軒減り、２軒減り、誰もいなくなった。警察が３０キロ付近で通行規制を始めると、車も通らなくなった。

Around that time, there were still a few families remaining in the district. But one family left, then another, and finally there was none. When the police started to control traffic at around 30 kilometers [from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant], there was no car passing through the district.

　さみしくなった。夜は真っ暗だ。何も考えないように思っても手が震え、食べ物がつかえた。

She felt lonely. There was no light. No matter how she tried not to think about things, her hands shook, and she couldn't eat much.

　気晴らしに近くをドライブした。しかし、帰り道はどの家も明かりはない。山道を落ちてもだれも助けにきてくれないと思うと、ドライブが怖くなった。

She went for a ride in her car to relax. But on the way back from the drive she saw dark houses with no light. If her car fell off the cliff in the mountain, no one would come to rescue her. She became afraid of driving.

　日曜になると、背中に「文部科学省」と書かれた作業服の男たちが、地区に放射線量を計測にきた。ヤスコは車がくると出て行き、「今日はなんぼですか」と尋ねる。

On Sundays, men in work clothes with "Ministry of Education and Science" on the back came to measure the radiation. Every time when their car came, Yasuko would go out and ask "How much is it today?"

　「１５マイクロシーベルトだよ」。男は気軽に教えてくれた。

"15 microsieverts/hour", answered the man.

　「私の家も測ってくれんかね」

"Can you measure my house?"

　別の日、男は家の周辺を測ってくれた。家の外で１０マイクロシーベルト、居間で５．５マイクロシーベルトあった。平常値をはるかに上回る量だ。

On another Sunday, the man measured around her house. 10 microsieverts/hour outside the house, 5.5 microsieverts/hour in her living room. They far exceeded the normal level.

　男はそれを紙に書いてヤスコに渡した。

The man wrote down the number on a piece of paper and handed it to Yasuko.

　６月初めのある日曜日、男がポツリと言った。

On one Sunday in early June, the man told Yasuko unexpectedly.

　「今だからいうけど、ここは初め１００マイクロシーベルトを超していたんだ。そのときは言えなかった。すまなかった」

"It was over 100 microsieverts/hour here, in the beginning. I couldn't tell you at that time. I am sorry."

　その後も、男は「参考にして」といって、各地域の放射線量が書かれた地図をヤスコにくれた。

Afterwards, the man gave Yasuko the map that had radiation levels in various locations for her reference.

　だが、ヤスコは８月初めまで赤宇木にとどまる。

However, Yasuko ended up stayin Akogi until early August.

　「放射能は目に見えるわけでないし、数値を聞いてもよく分からなかったのよ」

"You can't see radiation. Besides, I didn't know what the numbers meant."

　８月初め、二本松市の仮設住宅に当たったため、赤宇木を出た。

She left Akogi in early August when she was selected for the temporary housing in Nihonmatsu City.

　しかし、今も２日おきに、約２５キロ離れた自宅まで車で通う。

But she still commutes to her home by car, 25 kilometers from Nihonmatsu, every 2 days.

　犬と猫にえさをやるためだ。

To feed her dog and her cat.

（前田基行） (Reporting by Motoyuki Maeda)

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防護服の男（１０）口止めされた警察官

Men in Protective Clothing (10) Policeman who was told to be quiet

関場和代（５２）は３月１４日、会津若松市の親類宅に避難した。家は菅野みずえの家に近い浪江町南津島にあった。

Kazuyo Sekiba (age 52) moved to her relative's house in Aizu Wakamatsu City on March 14. Her house was in Minami Tsushima in Namie-machi, close to Mizue Kanno's house.

　その後も避難指示がないため４月２日、ひとまず自宅に戻った。数日して、家の前に自衛隊のジープがとまり、隊員が降りてきた。安否確認で来たという。

But since there was no formal instruction to evacuate, she came back home on April 2. Several days later, a Self Defense Force jeep stopped in front of her house, and a SDF soldier alighted from the jeep. He said he came to make sure the residents were safe.

　そのころ浪江町の放射線量が高いことが報道されていた。それが心配で、おそるおそる尋ねた。

Around that time, it was being reported that the radiation level in Namie-machi was high. Worried, she asked the soldier nervously.

　「この辺の線量はどのくらいですか」。隊員はにっこり笑い、ここは大丈夫だと答えた。

"What is the radiation level around here?" The solder smiled brightly, and answered it was all right.

　「私たちは線量計を付けています。１日にどのくらい線量を浴びたか分かるんですよ」。和代はそれで安心した。家に閉じこもるのをやめ、近所に出かけていった。

"We are fitted with dosimeter. We know how much radiation we get every day." Kazuyo was relieved. She stopped staying indoors all the time, and went about in the neighborhood.

　４月１７日。近くの橋の上にいると、男が近づいてきた。フリージャーナリストの豊田直巳（５５）だった。和代が、自宅の線量を測ってほしいと頼んだ。豊田は敷地のあちこちを測りはじめた。

April 17. When she was on the bridge near her house, a man approached her. He was Naomi Toyoda (age 55), a freelance journalist. Kazuyo asked him if he could measure the radiation at her house. Toyoda started to measure at various locations at her house.

　玄関の雨どいの下を測ったとき、豊田が「ワッ、これは大変だ！」と叫んで立ち上がった。

After he measured the level under the rain gutter at the front entrance, Toyoda stood up in surprise, shouting "Oh my goodness!"

　ためらう豊田に、和代は「本当のこといってください」と頼んだ。

Kazuyo begged the hesitant Toyoda. "Please tell me the truth."

　「２時間いたら、１ミリ吸います」と豊田は答えた。

"If you stay here for 2 hours, you will get 1 millisievert", answered Toyoda.

　豊田によると、そのときの線量は毎時５００マイクロシーベルトを超えていた。２時間いただけで年間許容量の１ミリシーベルトを超える値だ。

According to Toyoda, the radiation level was over 500 microsieverts/hour. If one remained there for 2 hours, he/she would get more than 1 millisievert which was the annual radiation exposure limit set by the government.

　具体的な数字を初めて聞かされ、大変なことだと初めて自覚した。和代はあわてて身支度し、豊田に見送られて家を飛び出した。

On hearing the actual number for the first time, Kazuyo realized this was a big deal. She hastily packed her belongings and fled the house as Toyoda saw her off.

　数日後、ネコを引き取りに再び家に帰った。警視庁のパトカーが敷地に入ってきた。

Several days later, she came back to get her cat. A police patrol car came in.

　「ここって高かったんですね」と３０代ぐらいの警察官に聞いてみた。

"So the radiation was high here, wasn't it?" She tried to draw information out of the policeman who looked in his 30s.

　「そうなんです、高いですよ。でも政府から止められていていえなかったんです」

"Yes it was. But we couldn't tell you because the government told us not to."

　警察官はそう答えた。

The policeman answered.

　和代はびっくりした。ジープの自衛官がいったことは何だったのか。

Kazuyo was shocked. Then what was it that the SDF soldier had told her?

　「もし自分の家族だったら、同じことがいえますか。真っ先に逃がすでしょう。私らのことは、しょせんひとごとなんですかね」

"Would he have said the same thing to his family members? No. He would have made them escape as soon as possible. But us, we are just strangers, I guess."

　７月、中国の高速鉄道事故で証拠隠しが発覚した。日本のメディアは中国政府の対応を厳しく批判した。和代は腹が立ってくる。

In July, the Chinese government was found hiding the evidence of the high-speed rail accident. The Japanese media heavily criticized the response by the Chinese government. Kazuyo was angry.

　「日本だって同じじゃないの」

"It's the same thing in Japan."

（前田基行） (Reporting by Motoyuki Maeda)

====================================

It's the same thing, or worse in Japan, for the pretense that what they have is so-called "democracy".

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Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (7, 8) "No One Helped My Parents"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

Asahi Shinbun's series "Trap of Prometheus" - Men in Protective Clothing documents what happened in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture right after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.

If you read Japanese, you can read all installments (1-12) in one location, at this blog.

Even if the series is written by a reporter at a major Japanese newspaper, not many Japanese are aware of it, which, after the initial launch, was buried in the 3rd page of the printed version.

===================================

防護服の男（７） 早く東京へ来なさい

Men in Protective Clothing (7) Come to Tokyo ASAP

東京に住む娘の携帯電話の指示で転々と避難を続けた者もいた。菅野みずえの家に避難した門馬洋（もんま・ひろし）（６７）と昌子（しょうこ）（６８）の夫婦だ。

There are people who moved from one place to another on instructions from their daughter in Tokyo via cellphone. Hiroshi (age 67) and Shoko (age 68) Monma, for example, who evacuated to Mizue Sugano's house [in Namie-machi].

　自宅は浪江町の権現堂地区で、原発まで１０キロない。３月１２日朝、町の防災無線が「津島に逃げてください」と避難を呼びかけた。車で知り合いのみずえの家に避難した。

The couple's house was in Gongendo District of Namie-machi, less than 10 kilometers from the nuclear plant. In the morning of March 12, the town's emergency radio communication system alerted the residents to evacuate to Tsushima District. The couple went to Mizue's house in Tsushima; Mizue was their acquaintance.

　菅野家には昼前に着いた。昌子はみずえの炊き出しを手伝い、お握りを握った。夕食後、２５人の避難民たちが自己紹介しあった。知り合いが何人もいた。

They arrived at the Suganos before noon. Shoko helped Mizue prepare food for the evacuees. After supper, 25 evacuees introduced themselves to each other. There were many that the couple knew.

　みずえから白い防護服の男たちの話を聞かされたときは、夫婦はずるずる居残った。

When Mizue told them about the men in white protective clothing, they stayed on.

　しかし、翌１３日朝、再びみずえから逃げるようにいわれ、昼前に菅野家を出発した。

But the next morning on March 13, Mizue told them again to flee, and they departed before noon.

　とにかく北へ逃げようと、南相馬市を目指した。コンビニも商店も閉まっていた。レストランを見つけた。納豆定食が残っていたので、それを食べた。３軒のホテルに断られ、ようやく見つけたホテルに泊まった。

They headed north toward Minami Soma City. Convenience stores and shops were all closed. They found a restaurant that was still open, and ate the only available set meal. 3 hotels turned them down, the 4th agreed to put them up for the night.

　１４日夜、福島空港から飛行機に乗り、１５日に東京の長女と合流した。

They hopped on the plane at the Fukushima Airport on March 14 night, and met with their eldest daughter in Tokyo on March 15.

　長女の真理子（３６）は地震のあと、両親の携帯を呼び続けた。１１日の地震直後に、一度通じただけで連絡が途絶える。あとはメールだけだった。

Their eldest daughter Mariko (age 36) kept calling the parents' cellphone after the quake. She got connected only once, right after the March 11 quake; after that, only by emails.

　しかし、メールの返信も途絶えた１２日の午前８時４３分。

But the last reply to her email was at 8:43AM on March 12.

　「お父さんとお母さんの無事を神様にお祈りしています」

"I'm praying for your safety."

　テレビやインターネットで、原発事故の新しい情報を必死で探し、両親に送り続けた。

She did her best to look for the latest information on the nuke plant accident from TV and the Internet, and kept sending it to her parents.

　１号機が水素爆発した１２日の午後９時。真理子はテレビで専門家が「大丈夫」と言っているのを聞いた。「爆発は外壁だけで、放射能をまき散らすものではなかったと判明」。そんなメールを送った。大変な誤りだった。

At 9PM on March 12 after Reactor 1 had a hydrogen explosion, Mariko heard the experts on TV saying, "Not a problem". "The explosion just blew out the outer walls, and not the kind that would release radioactive material", she wrote to her parents. That turned out to be totally false.

　両親が南相馬市に再避難した１３日には「女川原発まで放射能が飛んでいる。そこも危ない。東京に来なさい」。

When her parents evacuated to Minami Soma City on March 13, she wrote to them, "Radioactive fallout even to Onagawa Nuke Plant. It's dangerous there. Come to Tokyo."

　そして１４日の正午。「３号機が１１時半に爆発した。早く東京へ」

And at noon on March 14, "Reactor 3 exploded at 11:30. Come to Tokyo ASAP."

　父は「そこまで行かなくてもいいじゃないか」と返してきた。真理子は「とにかく早く来なさい！」と叱った。

Her father replied, "I don't think we need to go that far". Mariko scolded her father. "Just do as I say!"

　責任のある人たちは、だれも両親を助けてくれようとしなかった。真理子にはその不信感だけが残る。（前田基行）

People in the position of authority did nothing to help her parents. That feeling of distrust is what Mariko is left with. (Reporting by Motoyuki Maeda)

---------------

防護服の男（８） 「ふるさと」歌えない

Men in Protective Clothing (8) Can't Sing a Song About Home

　菅野みずえの家に避難した門馬洋（６７）は元高校教師だ。福島第一原発がつくられた４０年前から反原発運動にかかわっていた。

Hiroshi Monma (age 67), who first evacuated to Mizue Sugano's house, used to be a high school teacher. He had also been involved in anti-nuclear movement for 40 years since Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant was built.

　当時住んでいた楢葉町（ならはまち）の町営住宅に、住民３人が集まって始めた運動だ。県知事や町長らに危険性を訴え続けた。東京電力とは数年前から毎月１回交渉し、３月２２日も交渉が予定されていた。

It started with 3 residents when they got together in Monma's then-house in Naraha-machi. They continued to appeal the danger of the nuclear plant to the governor of the prefecture and the town's mayor. They had also been meeting with TEPCO once a month for several years, and the monthly meeting was scheduled on March 22.

　原告４０４人で隣の福島第二原発について裁判を起こしたが負けた。そのとき仙台高裁の裁判長が述べた言葉を今もはっきり覚えている。

The group of 404 people sued over Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant and lost. Monma still clearly remembers what the chief justice of the Sendai High Court said.

　「反対ばかりしていないで落ち着いて考える必要がある。原発をやめるわけにはいかないだろうから」

"Instead of just blindly protesting against the nuclear power plant, we need to calm down and think. For we probably cannot afford to stop the nuclear power plant."

　それから２１年。原発は安全だという幻想はあっけなく崩壊した。

It's been 21 years since the verdict. The illusion that nuclear power plants are safe has been shattered all too easily.

　「東京電力の想定がいかに甘いか。そのために多くの人に、どれだけの被害を与えたか。いったいどう責任を取るつもりなのか」

"It shows how optimistic TEPCO's assumption was. Because of that, so many people have suffered so much damage. How is the company going to take responsibility?"

　しかし、浪江町が今回の事故で「殺人行為だ」と国や東京電力を非難していることについても、同様に違和感がある。

However, he also feels ill at ease with the accusation of Namie-machi against the national government and TEPCO, saying what they did [or didn't do] was "homicide".

　浪江町にも、東北電力の原発建設計画が４０年前からあった。浪江町議会が誘致を求めていたものだった。

There is a plan for Tohoku Electric to build a nuclear power plant in Namie-machi; the plan was first floated 40 years ago. The Namie-machi Town Assembly has been actively inviting the plant.

　昨年、町内会の会合で町議が洋を見ながらいった。「原発で浪江町の未来は明るくなる。門馬先生は反対でしょうが……」

Last year, one assemblyman told Hiroshi in a neighborhood meeting. "The nuclear power plant will brighten up the future for Namie-machi. I know you are against it, but..."

　７月に一時帰宅したとき線量を測った。家の近くで毎時４マイクロシーベルトあった。

When he returned to his home temporarily in July, he measured the radiation. Near the house, it was 4 microsieverts/hour.

　畑には大きな柿の木がある。長女の真理子（３６）が生まれたときに植えたものだ。３００個以上の実をつけた年もあった。

There is a big persimmon tree in the field. He planted the tree when his eldest daughter Mariko (age 36) was born. There were years when the tree had more than 300 persimmon fruits.

　「もう実がなっても食べられませんね。汚染されてしまったから」

"We can't eat the fruits anymore. They have been contaminated."

　３０年ほど前、町内の体育館を借り、東京の劇団を呼んで放射能漏れ事故をテーマにした劇をやったことがあった。原発事故で町民が逃げ惑うというストーリーだった。それが現実になった。

About 30 years ago, [his anti-nuke group?] rented a school gym and invited a theatrical company from Tokyo to put on the play about an accident where radioactive materials leaked from a nuclear power plant. It was a story of town's residents running around trying to escape a nuclear accident. It now became the reality.

　夫婦は東京都北区の団地に身を落ち着けている。

The husband and wife now lives in a housing development complex in Kita-ku in Tokyo.

　家賃は１３万５千円と高いが、長女の家の近くに住むため、そこに決めた。東京電力からもらった仮払金１００万円を家賃の支払いにあてる。

The monthly rent is rather high at 135,000 yen [US$1,774], but they decided on that location to be close to their eldest daughter. 1 million yen temporary advance from TEPCO is being used to pay the rent.

　洋は福島にいたころから合唱が好きだった。７月、北区で合唱団の催しがあるのを知り、妻の昌子（６８）と参加してみた。

Hiroshi always liked singing in a chorus when he lived in Fukushima. In July, he knew about a chorus in Kita-ku, and tried it out with his wife Shoko (age 68).

　兎（うさぎ）追いしかの山、の「故郷（ふるさと）」を歌った。洋も昌子も途中で歌えなくなった。（前田基行）

They sang "Furusato (Home)". "The mountain that I used to chase a rabbit.." Hiroshi and Shoko could not finish the song. (Reporting by Motoyuki Maeda)

==================================

The song is in formal, written-style Japanese, and it roughly runs like this in English (which just doesn't do justice to the original Japanese):

The mountain that I used to chase a rabbit
The river that I used to fish
I still dream of my old home
I cannot forget my old home

How are my parents who still live there?
How are my old friends?
When it rains, when the wind blows
I always think about my old home

Someday when I achieve my dream
I shall return to my old home
Where the mountains are green
Where the water is clear

Well, they have destroyed my "home", too. I don't have a clean, radiation-free place to come home to any more. And they are running around like chickens with heads cut off, promising "decontamination" to people and promising domestic tax hikes to foreign politicians, selling nuke plants, and telling people it's OK to eat contaminated food and forcing school children to attend schools in high radiation areas.

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Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (6) "It Could Have Been Us"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

Asahi Shinbun's series "Trap of Prometheus" - Men in Protective Clothing, which documents what happened in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture right after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.

If you read Japanese, you can read all installments (1-12) in one location, at this blog.

Even if the series is written by a reporter at a major Japanese newspaper, not many Japanese are aware of it, which, after the initial launch, was buried in the 3rd page of the printed version.

===========================================

防護服の男（６）ハエがたかっていた

Men in Protective Clothing (6) Flies were swarming

谷田（やつだ）みさ子（６２）は浪江町で生まれ育った。中学生のころ、東京電力が福島第一原発づくりを始めた。

Misako Yatsuda (age 62) was born and raised in Namie-machi. When she was in junior high school, TEPCO started to build Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant [1960s].

　高校卒業後、上京して就職したが、１年半で浪江町に戻った。そのあとは東電一色の生活だった。

After graduating from high school, she went to Tokyo to work, but came back to Namie-machi after one and a half year. Since then, her life evolved around TEPCO.

　結婚し、３人の子を育てながら焼き鳥屋をやった。客は原発で働く作業員たちだった。

She got married, opened a yakitori restaurant while raising 3 children. The customers were the workers at the plant.

　その後は東電の社員寮に勤める。

Then she worked at the employee dormitories of TEPCO.

　昨年の夏まで１０年間働いた。食事をつくり、若い社員らに「やつだっち」と呼ばれて慕われた。女子寮には、女子サッカーのなでしこジャパンで活躍した鮫島彩選手らがいた。「みんないい子でかわいかったです」

She worked there for 10 years until the summer of 2010. She cooked for them, and she was loved by the young TEPCO workers. In the women's dormitory there were female soccer players who went on to win the Women's World Cup Soccer. "There were all good people, very dear to me."

　子供たちの手が離れてからは、東電の管理職の寮に住み込んだ。

After her children grew up, she became a live-in employee at the dormitory for TEPCO managers.

　思い出すのは選挙の時の東電の力の入れようだ。

She still remembers how hard TEPCO worked the elections.

　町長選挙や県議会議員選挙があると、寮の食堂が東電幹部らの待機場所となった。支援候補が当選すると、幹部はそろってお祝いに駆けつけた。「電力会社は政治とがっちりつながっているんだな」と感心した。

Whenever there was a mayoral election or a prefectural assembly election, the dining hall of the dorm was turned into a staging area for the TEPCO management. When the candidate that TEPCO backed won, the management rushed to the candidate and celebrated. She was impressed. "An electric power company has such a strong connection with the politicians."

　これまでの人生の半分以上を東電とかかわってきた。にもかかわらず、今度の事故では東電から何の情報もなかった。

More than half her life, she has been involved with TEPCO. Nonetheless, there was no information from TEPCO on this nuclear accident.

　愛知県春日井市に避難してからはいっそう情報が入らなくなった。福島県の地元紙を郵送してもらい、隅から隅まで目を通す。

Information is even more scarce in Kasugai City in Aichi Prefecture where she evacuated. She has the local Fukushima newspaper mailed to her, and reads every page.

　これから生活はどうなるのか。補償はどうなるのか。不安だらけだ。

How is she going to make a living? What about compensation? She is full of anxiety.

　６月、浪江町の家に一時帰宅した。冷凍庫は地震でひっくり返ったままで、腐った食材にハエがたかっていた。

In June, she temporarily returned to her home in Namie-machi. The refrigerator was overturned by the earthquake. Flies were swarming on the rotten food stuff.

　８月末、自分の車を引き取りに再び福島に戻った。夫が車を運転し、春日井市から高速道路で８時間かかった。広野町の体育館で防護服に着替え、用意されたバスに乗り込んだ。

At the end of August, she went back to Fukushima again to get her car. Her husband drove, and it took them 8 hours on the highway from Kasugai City. She changed into a protective clothing in a school gym in Hirono-machi, and got on a bus arranged by [the government].

　バスが止まると、首輪をつけた２匹の犬が足元に寄ってきた。途中、道ばたで猫が２匹死んでいるのを見た。

When the bus stopped [at the destination], two dogs with collars came to her. She saw two cats dead on the side of the road.

　「一歩間違えたら、私たちがああなっていたのかな」

"It could have been us."

　事故後、長女は郡山に、次女は新潟に、家族は散り散りになっている。

After the accident, her eldest daughter's family lives in Koriyama City. Her second daughter's family lives in Niigata Prefecture. Her family has been scattered.

　９月、福島県の仮設住宅に入居を申し込んだ。

In September, she applied for the temporary housing in Fukushima Prefecture.

　「福島は何十年も暮らした土地ですから。戻りたい」。涙がこぼれた。（前田基行）

"I have lived in Fukushima for decades. I want to go back." She cried. (reported by Motoyuki Maeda)

=======================================

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Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (4,5) "This Is a Homicide"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

Asahi Shinbun's series "Trap of Prometheus" - Men in Protective Clothing, which documents what happened in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture right after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.

=====================================

防護服の男：４　殺人罪じゃないか

Men in Protective Clothing (4) This is a homicide, isn't it?

　ＳＰＥＥＤＩ（スピーディ）というコンピューター・シミュレーションがある。政府が１３０億円を投じてつくっているシステムだ。放射線量、地形、天候、風向きなどを入力すると、漏れた放射性物質がどこに流れるかをたちまち割り出す。

There is a computer simulation system called SPEEDI, which the national government has spent 13 billion yen to develop. If you input the amount of radiation, topography, weather, wind direction, etc., the system will calculate where the leaked radioactive materials may go.

　３月１２日、１号機で水素爆発が起こる２時間前、文部科学省所管の原子力安全技術センターがそのシミュレーションを実施した。

On March 12, two hours before Reactor 1 had a hydrogen explosion, the SPEEDI simulation was carried out by Nuclear Safety Technology Center under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education and Science.

　放射性物質は津島地区の方向に飛散していた。しかし政府はそれを住民に告げなかった。

The simulation showed radioactive materials flowing toward Tsushima District [in Namie-machi]. But the national government didn't tell the residents.

　ＳＰＥＥＤＩの結果は福島県も知っていた。１２日夜には、東京の原子力安全技術センターに電話して提供を求め、電子メールで受け取っていた。しかしそれが活用されることはなく、メールはいつの間にか削除され、受け取った記録さえもうやむやになった。

The result of the SPEEDI simulation was known to the Fukushima prefectural government. The Fukushima government even called up Nuclear Safety Technology Center on March 12 night to ask for the simulation result, which was then sent via email. However, the prefectural government never acted on it. The email has been deleted since, and the record of the receipt of the email is lost.

　３月１５日に津島地区から避難した住民に、県からＳＰＥＥＤＩの結果が伝えられたのは、２カ月後の５月２０日だった。県議会でこの事実が問題となったためだ。

Residents evacuated from Tsushima District on March 15, but it was not until May 20 that they were informed of the SPEEDI result by the Fukushima prefectural government, because the subject was brought up in the Prefectural Assembly.

　福島県の担当課長は５月２０日、浪江町が役場機能を移していた二本松市の東和支所を釈明に訪れた。

A manager in charge at the prefectural government visited the temporary town hall of Namie-machi in Nihonmatsu City on May 20 to explain.

　「これは殺人罪じゃないか」

"It is a homicide, isn't it?"

　町長の馬場有は強く抗議した。

Namie-machi Mayor Baba strongly protested.

　馬場によると、県の担当課長は涙を流しながら「すみませんでした」といい、ＳＰＥＥＤＩの結果を伝えなかったことを謝ったという。

According to Baba, the manager in charge apologized in tears for not having passed on the SPEEDI result.

　知らされなかったのはＳＰＥＥＤＩの情報だけではない。

It was not just the SPEEDI information that had been withheld.

　福島県は、事故翌日の３月１２日早朝から、各地域の放射線量を計測している。

Fukushima Prefecture had measured the radiation levels in various locations since early morning of March 12.

　同日午前９時、浪江町酒井地区で毎時１５マイクロシーベルト、高瀬地区では１４マイクロシーベルト。浪江町の２地点はほかの町と比べて異常に高い数値を示した。１号機水素爆発の６時間以上も前で、近くには大勢の避難民がいた。

At 9AM on March 12, it was 15 microsieverts/hr in Sakai District, and 14 microsieverts/hr in Takase District. These two locations in Namie-machi showed abnormally high radiation levels compared to other towns. It was more than 6 hours before the hydrogen explosion of Reactor 1, and there were many evacuees in these districts.

　これらの数値は６月３日に経済産業省のＨＰに掲載された。しかし、ＨＰにびっしり並ぶ情報の数字の中に埋もれ、その重大さは見逃された。

These numbers were uploaded on the homepage of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on June 3. However, the significance of these numbers were lost among the copious data on the METI's homepage.

　８月末、浪江町の災害救援本部長、植田和夫にそれらの資料を見せると、植田は仰天した。

At the end of August, [I] showed the data to Kazuo Ueda, who is in charge of disaster assistance. He was flabbergasted.

　「こんなの初めて見た。なぜ国や県は教えてくれなかったのだろう」

"I've never seen these before. Why didn't the national government and the prefectural government tell us?"

　菅野みずえはいう。

Mizue Sugano [from installments 1, 2, 3] says,

　「私たちは、国から見捨てられたということでしょうか」

"I suppose we were abandoned by the government."

　（前田基行）

(Reported by Motoyuki Maeda)
------------------------------

防護服の男（５） 私、死んじゃうの？

Men in Protective Clothing (5) Will I die?


菅野みずえの家にいた２５人の人々は、その後どこに向かったのだろう。

Where did the 25 people in Mizue Sugano's house go?

　その一人、谷田（やつだ）みさ子（６２）はいま、愛知県春日井市の市営住宅で避難生活を送る。

One of them, Misako Yatsuda (age 62) have evacuated to Kasugai City in Aichi Prefecture. She lives in a municipal housing.

　みずえの遠い親戚だ。同じ浪江町の小野田地区に家がある。みずえの家からは約２０キロ海寄りで、福島第一原発から１０キロ以内の距離にある。

She is a distant relative of Mizue. Her house is in Onoda District of Namie-machi. It is located about 20 kilometers east of Mizue's house, and within the 10 kilometer radius from Fukushima I Nuke Plant.

　３月１１日午後、自宅で地震に襲われた。

In the afternoon of March 11 when the earthquake hit, she was at home.

　翌１２日早朝、隣の双葉町に住む次女一家が「ここは危ないから逃げるのよ」と駆け込んできた。朝９時、家を出た。

Early next morning, on March 12, her second daughter who lived in neighboring Futaba-machi came with her family to get her. "It's dangerous here, we have to get out." They left on 9AM.

　みずえの家がある津島方向に向かう国道１１４号はすでに大渋滞。国道６号に出て北に進み、南相馬市小高区の長女宅に向かう。ここで１号機の水素爆発を知り、さらに全員で津島を目指した。

Route 114 was clogged up with cars going in the direction of Tsushima District where Mizue lived. They took Route 6 and headed north, and went to the house of Misako's eldest daughter in Kodaka District in Minami Soma City. There, they heard of the hydrogen explosion of Reactor 1, and all headed for Tsushima District.

　みずえの家に着いたのは夕方６時を回っていた。他の避難者が炊き出しの握り飯を食べ終わったところだった。

When they arrived at Mizue's house, it was past 6PM. Other evacuees there had just finished eating supper.

　一日中走り回って疲れていたが、避難者の会議には出席した。共同生活ルールのうち、使用済みトイレットペーパーを段ボール箱に捨てるよう提案したのは、みさ子だった。以前メキシコ旅行をしたときの経験を思い出したからだ。

They were tired from running around all day, but they joined the meeting of the evacuees. It was Misako who suggested that they throw used toilet paper in the box, from her experience when she traveled in Mexico.

　しかし、ほっとしたのもつかの間、白い防護服の男たちの警告をみずえから聞かされた。

They were barely settled down when Mizue told them of the warning from the men in white protective clothing.

　生後１カ月の赤ちゃんを抱えた次女一家７人と、長女一家４人を、夜中に逃がした。翌１３日夕、みさ子も発った。

Misako had the family of 7 of her second daughter with a 1-month-old baby, and the family of 4 of her eldest daughter evacuate during the night. Misako herself evacuated on March 13 evening.

　行くあてはなかったが、「少しでも遠くに」と郡山市を目指す。

She didn't know where to go, but she headed for Koriyama City to get as far away as possible.

　郡山市では、避難して来る人たちの放射能測定をしていた。みさ子に測定器が向けられると、針が大きく振れた。「私、死んじゃうの？」と測定係に叫んだ。

In Koriyama City, they were measuring the radiation on the evacuees. When they tested Misako, the needle of the meter swung significantly. " Am I going to die?" Misako shouted.

　その晩は車で寝た。１５日朝、地震当時は相馬市にいた夫（５４）と携帯電話でようやく連絡が取れた。会津若松市で合流し、新潟県経由で、２２日、姉が暮らす春日井市に逃れた。

That night, she slept in the car. On March 15 morning, she was finally able to talk over the cellphone with her husband (age 54) who was in Soma City when the earthquake struck. They met in Aizu Wakamatsu City, and went, via Niigata Prefecture, to Kasugai City [in Aichi Prefecture] on March 22 where her sister lived.

　国や東京電力から的確な指示が一切ないまま、１２日間の逃避行だった。

It was the 12-day flight, without any clear direction from the national government or TEPCO.

　「原発は安全」。これまで、そんな説明を何度も聞いていた。それを前提とした生活がすべて崩れた。

"Nuclear plant is safe". She had heard such explanation a number of times. Her life, based on that word, has crumbled to pieces.

　しかし、原発のおかげで住民が恩恵を受けてきたのは事実なのだ。「原発だけ悪いなんて、私たちはいえないのよ」。みさ子はため息をつく。（前田基行）

However, it is also true that the residents have benefited from the nuclear power plant. "We cannot say that only the nuclear plant is bad", Misako sighs.

=========================================

Not only the Fukushima prefectural government had the SPEEDI data, but it also had the simulation data given by TEPCO. It decided to sit on both sets of data. The same is true for the national government.

Futaba-machi, where Misako's second daughter lived and where Fukushima I Nuke Plant is located, did receive at least the simulation data from TEPCO, and the town duly informed the residents to evacuate. The national government did tell the town to evacuate.

Namie-machi did benefit from nuclear power, as it received the special subsidy from the national government for a number of years for having agreed to let Tohoku Electric Power Company plan a nuclear power plant construction in the town.

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Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (2,3) "We Were the Only Ones Who Didn't Know"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

In the first installment, two mysterious men in white protective gear told Mizue Sugano, resident of Tsushima Discrict in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture, to flee the place. She had been taking care of the evacuees from the area near Fukushima I Nuke Plant all day.

============================================

防護服の男（2）

Men in Protective Clothing (2)

　３月１２日夕、菅野みずえは自宅に駆け戻り、防護服の男たちの話を避難者に伝えた。議論が始まった。

Evening of March 12. Mizue Sugano ran back inside her house, and told what the men in protective gear just told her. Argument ensued.

　「本当に危険なら町や警察から連絡があるはずだ。様子をみよう」。やっと落ち着いたばかりで、みんな動きたくなかった。

"If it is really dangerous, the town or the police will surely tell us. Let's wait and see." People were just settling down, and didn't want to move.

　しかし深夜、事態が急変する。数台のバスが、避難所になっている公民館に入って行った。それに避難者の１人が気付く。バスの運転手は「避難者を移動するのだ」といったという。

But in the midnight, the situation changed. Several buses went in to the community center which was used as emergency shelter. One evacuee noticed the buses. One of the bus drivers told the evacuee that he was to "move the evacuees".

　当時、浪江町は、逃げ遅れた２０キロ圏内の町民たちを津島地区までバスでピストン輸送していた。しかし、みずえはそんなことは知らず、やはりここは危ないのではないかと思った。みずえは寝ていた人々を起こし、再び議論となった。

At that time, Namie-machi was shuttling the remaining residents within the 20-kilometer radius to Tsushima District. Mizue didn't know that, and concluded that this place was in danger, as the men had told her. She woke up the evacuees, and they discussed the situation again.

　多くは動きたがらなかった。しかし、一人の女性が「みんながいたら、菅野さん家族が逃げられないでしょう」といった。それで決まった。

Many still didn't move. But one woman said, "If we all stay, then Sugano's family cannot escape." That decided it.

　「車のガソリンが尽きるところまで避難しよう」

"Let's escape as far as the gasoline lasts."

　深夜０時すぎ、若い夫婦２組が出発した。２月に生まれたばかりの乳児や、小さい子どもがいた。

Just past midnight, two young couple with small children departed. They had a baby who was born in February, and small children.

　夫婦は最初、「こんな深夜に山道を逃げるのはいやだ」と渋ったが、「子どもだけでも逃がしなさい」とみずえがいい、握り飯を持たせた。

At first, they were reluctant. "We don't want to escape through the mountain route in the middle of night." Mizue persuaded them by saying "Let your children escape", and gave them rice balls.

　翌１３日の朝食後、再び話し合った。前夜「逃げない」といっていた若い夫婦連れが「子どものために逃げます」といった。年配の女性が、夫婦に自分の車を貸した。

They discussed again after breakfast on the next day, March 13. A young couple who had said they wouldn't escape now said "We will escape, for our child." An elderly woman let the couple use her car.

　「私は１人だから、避難所でバスに乗るわ」

"Since I'm alone, I can ride the bus at the shelter."

　夕方までには、２５人全員が福島市や郡山市、南相馬市などへそれぞれ再避難した。

By evening, all 25 evacuees at her house re-evacuated to Fukushima City, Koriyama City, and Minami Soma City.

　みずえは近くの家で避難している人たちにも、防護服の男たちのことを伝えた。１人が笑って答えた。

Mizue told what the men in protective gear had told her to the evacuees in the nearby houses. One of them said to her, laughing.

　「おれは東電で働いていた。おれらのつくった原発がそんなに危ないわけねえべ」

"I used to work for TEPCO. The nuclear power plant that I helped build cannot be that dangerous."

　男は原発事故からではなく、津波から逃れてきたのだ。みずえはこれで気が抜けた。みずえと長男の純一（２７）は避難を取りやめた。

The man had escaped from tsunami, not the nuclear accident. Mizue was relieved at his word. Mizue and her eldest son Junichi (age 27) decided not to evacuate.

　純一は避難所の活性化センターの炊き出し係で、握り飯をつくっていた。

Junichi was in charge of cooking for evacuees at the shelter, making rice balls.

　「おれだけ逃げるわけにいかないよ」。このとき津島地区から１０キロほどの地点で、３０マイクロシーベルト用測定器の針が振り切れていた。（前田基行）

"I cannot just escape by myself." At that time, the survey meter that could measure up to 30 microsieverts/hour went overscale 10 kilometers from Tsushima District. (Reported by Motoyuki Maeda)

------------------

防護服の男（３）警察官、なぜあんな格好を

Men in Protective Clothing (3) Why are policemen dressed that way?

３月１３日に菅野家の２５人が出て行った後も、津島地区の避難者は大半が残っていた。

Even after 25 people at the Sugano's house evacuated on March 13, most of the evacuees remained in Tsushima District.

　避難指示は１２日午前５時４４分に１０キロ圏内に拡大。１号機が水素爆発した後、午後６時２５分に２０キロ圏内に広がった。

The evacuation order was expanded to 10-kilometer radius at 5:44AM on March 12. After the hydrogen explosion of Reactor 1, it was expanded to 20-kilometer radius at 6:25PM.

　しかし官房長官の枝野幸男は１２日夜の記者会見で、「放射性物質が大量に漏れ出すものではない。２０キロ圏外の地域の皆さんに影響を与えることにはならない」と語った。

However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said in the press conference on March 12 evening, "It is not that a large amount of radioactive materials is leaking. People outside the 20-kilometer radius won't be affected."

　要するに、たいしたことはないが念のため避難してくれ、という趣旨だ。人々は３０キロの津島地区は安全だと信じていた。

The gist of his message was, "It is no big deal, but please evacuate just in case". People believed Tsushima District, 30 kilometers from the plant, was safe.

　東電の社員が１２日と１３日に浪江町の津島支所を状況報告に訪れた。彼らは防護服ではなかった。「ここは危ない」ともいっていない。菅野みずえが会った男たちの様子とは大きく違っていた。

TEPCO employees came to the Tsushima branch of Namie-machi town hall on March 12 and 13 to report on the situation. They were not in protective gear. They didn't say "this place is dangerous". They were totally different from the men Mizue had met [on March 12 evening].

　役場職員も区長も、みずえの会った防護服の男を見ていない。しかし、みずえは見聞きしたことをしっかりメモに書きとめていた。

The branch officials and the district chief didn't see the men Mizue had met. However, Mizue wrote down what she had seen and heard.

　１５日早朝、前日の３号機に続いて、２号機で衝撃音がし、４号機が爆発した。政府は初めて２０～３０キロ圏内の「屋内退避」を要請する。

March 15 early morning, after Reactor 3 had exploded the previous day, there was an explosive sound in Reactor 2 and an explosion in Reactor 4. For the first time, the national government asked the residents to "evacuate indoors" for the area between 20 and 30 kilometer radius.

　津島地区の住民が避難したのはそのころだった。町長の馬場有らが１４日の３号機の爆発をテレビで知り、隣の二本松市に１５日から自主避難することを決めたのだ。

It was about that time the residents of Tsushima District started to evacuate. The Mayor Baba and his staff had learned of the explosion of Reactor 3 on March 14 on TV, and decided to evacuate voluntarily to the neighboring Nihonmatsu City starting March 15.

　福島第一原発の正門では、１５日午前９時に毎時１万１９３０マイクロシーベルトの高い放射線量が観測された。それでも枝野の発言は楽観的だった。

At the front gate of Fukushima I Nuke Plant, 11,930 microsieverts/hour radiation was recorded at 9AM on March 15. But Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano still sounded optimistic.

　「放射性物質の濃度は２０キロを越える地点では相当程度薄まる。人体への影響が小さいか、あるいはない程度になっている」

"The density of radioactive materials is significantly diluted past 20 kilometer radius, to the degree that it has only a small or no effect on humans."

　「１号機、２号機、３号機とも今のところ順調に注水が進み、冷却の効果が出ている」

"Water injection to Reactors 1, 2 and 3 is proceeding smoothly, and the reactors are being cooled."

　原子炉が１２日のうちにメルトダウンを起こしていたことが国民に知らされるのは、後になってからだ。

It would be some time before the Japanese were told that the reactors had had a meltdown on March 12.

　１２日朝、浪江町で交通整理などにあたる警官が、防護服を着用した。

On March 12 morning, policemen controlling traffic in Namie-machi were wearing protective clothing.

　「警官はなぜあんな格好をしているのか」

"Why are policemen dressed like that?"

　住民は不安を抱いた。浪江町議会議長、吉田数博（６５）は津島地区の警察駐在所を訪れ、「不安を与えるので防護服は着ないでほしい」と要請した。

The residents wondered and feared. Kazuhiro Yoshida (age 65) was the Chairman of the Town Assembly. He visited the police station in Tsushima District, and requested that the police stop wearing the protective gear as they were making the residents fearful.

　吉田はいう。

Yoshida now says.

　「知らないのはわれわれだけだったんだ」（前田基行）

"We were the only ones who didn't know." (Reported by Motoyuki Maeda)

===========================================

(Yukio Edano is the current Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. We should never forget what he said since the start of the accident, and hold him accountable for the lies he spewed "to prevent panic", supposedly.)

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Must Read: Asahi Shinbun "Trap of Prometheus" Series Part 1 - Men in Protective Clothing (1) "Why Are You Here? Flee!"

(Installment 1, Installments 2 and 3, Installments 4 and 5, Installment 6, Installments 7 and 8, Installments 9 and 10, Installments 11 and 12)

Asahi Shinbun print version (including digital print) has started a series called "Trap of Prometheus (プロメテウスの罠)" - comparing nuclear energy to the mythical fire that the Greek god gave to humans. The first installment of Part 1 "Men in Protective Clothing" was published on October 3, 2011. The series is written by the Asahi Shinbun journalist Motoyuki Maeda.

It is an astonishing read. Part 1 "Men in Protective Clothing" deals with 25 people in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture, where no information about the seriousness of the plant accident reached, and where many evacuees from within 10 kilometers radius from the plant sheltered. There are 12 installments for the Part 1 so far.

Tsushima District of Namie-machi in the article is about 30 kilometers northwest of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, considered very safe from radiation. The government and the experts who appeared on TV right after the accident were all saying "The further you evacuate from the plant the safer it gets, and there is no worry for people outside the 10 kilometer radius".

It looks Asahi, after nearly 7 months after the accident, finally feels guilty enough to report the truth for a change.

The following is my quick private translation of the 1st installment of Part 1, as it appeared in Asahi Shinbun digital version on October 3, 2011. It deals with March 12 night in Tsushima District in Namie-machi.

=========================

防護服の男（１）

Men in Protective Clothing (1)

　福島県浪江町の津島地区。東京電力福島第一原発から約３０キロ北西の山あいにある。

Tsushima District in Namie-machi, Fukushima Prefecture lies in the mountains about 30 kilometers northwest of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

　原発事故から一夜明けた３月１２日、原発１０キロ圏内の海沿いの地域から、１万人の人たちが津島地区に逃れてきた。小中学校や公民館、寺だけでは足りず、人々は民家にも泊めてもらった。

On March 12, one day after the nuclear accident, 10,000 people fled from the coastal area within the 10 kilometer radius from the plant to Tsushima District. Elementary school, middle school, community center, temples were used to house them, but there were not enough public shelters. People were housed in private residences in the district.

　菅野（かんの）みずえ（５９）の家にも朝から次々と人がやってきて、夜には２５人になった。多くが親戚や知人だったが、見知らぬ人もいた。

Mizue Kanno (age 59) welcomed these evacuees at her home all day. By nightfall there were 25 people. Most of them were her relatives and acquaintances, but some were total strangers.

　築１８０年の古民家を壊して新築した家だ。門構えが立派で、敷地は広い。２０畳の大部屋もある。避難者を受け入れるにはちょうどよかった。門の中は人々の車でいっぱいになった。

Her home is a newly built home after demolishing the 180-year-old house. It has a large gate, and the compound is large. It has a big room with 20 tatami mats [32.4 square meters, or 349 square feet]. Quite ideal for accepting evacuees. Soon, inside the gate, the yard was full of evacuees' cars.

　「原発で何が起きたのか知らないが、ここまで来れば大丈夫だろう」。人々はとりあえずほっとした表情だった。

"I don't know what happened at the nuke plant, but we should be OK here". People looked relieved, at least for now.

　みずえは２台の圧力鍋で米を７合ずつ炊き、晩飯は握り飯と豚汁だった。着の身着のままの避難者たちは大部屋に集まり、握り飯にかぶりついた。

Mizue cooked 7 cups of rice in each of the two pressure cooker she had. The supper for the evacuees was rice balls and miso soup with pork and vegetables. The evacuees, with only the clothes they happened to wear when they fled, gathered in the big room and ate supper.

　夕食の後、人々は自己紹介しあい、共同生活のルールを決めた。

After supper, people introduced themselves, and decided on the community rule.

　一、便器が詰まるのを避けるため、トイレットペーパーは横の段ボール箱に捨てる。

- To avoid clogging up the toilet, toilet paper should be discarded in the paper box next to the toilet.

　一、炊事や配膳はみんなで手伝う。

- Everyone helps in cooking and laying out the dishes

　一、お互い遠慮するのはやめよう……。

- Let's not be too shy.

　人々は菅野家の２部屋に分かれて寝ることになった。みずえは家にあるだけの布団を出した。

The evacuees were to sleep in two rooms in the house. Mizue rounded up all the futons there were in the house for the evacuees.

　そのころ、外に出たみずえは、家の前に白いワゴン車が止まっていることに気づいた。中には白の防護服を着た男が２人乗っており、みずえに向かって何か叫んだ。しかしよく聞き取れない。

Then, Mizue stepped outside and noticed there was a white wagon parked in front of her house. There were two men in white protective gear in the wagon, and they shouted at her. But she couldn't hear well.

　「何？　どうしたの？」

"What? What is it?"

　みずえが尋ねた。

Mizue asked.

　「なんでこんな所にいるんだ！　頼む、逃げてくれ」

"Why do you remain here? Please, we beg, flee."

　みずえはびっくりした。

Mizue was shocked.

　「逃げろといっても……、ここは避難所ですから」

"Flee? But this is a shelter."

　車の２人がおりてきた。２人ともガスマスクを着けていた。

Two men came out of the wagon. Both were wearing gas masks.

　「放射性物質が拡散しているんだ」。真剣な物言いで、切迫した雰囲気だ。

"Radioactive materials are spreading." They spoke seriously and urgently.

　家の前の道路は国道１１４号で、避難所に入りきれない人たちの車がびっしりと停車している。２人の男は、車から外に出た人たちにも「早く車の中に戻れ」と叫んでいた。

In front of her house was the Route 114, lined with cars of people who couldn't find shelters. Two men shouted at people who were stepping out of their cars, "Get back inside the car quick!"

　２人の男は、そのまま福島市方面に走り去った。役場の支所に行くでもなく、掲示板に警告を張り出すでもなかった。

Two men then drove away toward Fukushima City. They didn't go to the town office branch or post a warning on the message board.

　政府は１０キロ圏外は安全だと言っていた。なのになぜ、あの２人は防護服を着て、ガスマスクまでしていたのだろう。だいたいあの人たちは誰なのか。

The national government said it was safe outside the 10-kilometer radius. Then why were these two men wearing the protective clothes and gas masks? Who were they anyway?

　みずえは疑問に思ったが、とにかく急いで家に戻り、避難者たちにそれを伝えた。（前田基行）

Mizue didn't know the answers. But she hurried back inside the house, and told the evacuees what the men just told her. (Reported by Motoyuki Maeda)

----------

ギリシャ神話によると、人類に火を与えたのはプロメテウスだった。

According to the Greek mythology, Prometheus gave fire to humans.

　火を得たことで人類は文明を発達させた。化石燃料の火は生産力をさらに伸ばし、やがて人類は原子の火を獲得する。それは「夢のエネルギー」とも形容された。しかし、落とし穴があった。

By obtaining fire, humans developed civilizations. Fire from fossil fuel increased the productivity. Then, humans obtained fire from nuclear energy. It was dubbed as "dream energy". But there was a pitfall.

　プロメテウスによって文明を得た人類が、いま原子の火に悩んでいる。福島第一原発の破綻（はたん）を背景に、国、民、電力を考える。

Humans, who obtained civilization by Prometheus fire, are troubled by the nuclear fire. This series will consider the nation, the people, and the electricity in the backdrop of the failure of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

　　　　　◇

　「プロメテウスの罠（わな）」は、数カ月にわたり長期連載します。第１シリーズ「防護服の男」は十数回の予定です。文中はすべて敬称を略します。

"Trap of Prometheus" series will be written over the next several months. The 1st in the series "Men in Protective Clothes" will have over 10 installments. In the series, names will be listed without honorifics.

================================

(Translation for the 2nd and 3rd installments are on this post.)

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