'Shadowlands' photographs highlight human cost of Fukushima nuclear disaster  Shadowlands features the work of award-winning photographer Robert Knoth and documentary maker Antoinette de Jong (1) and can be viewed at:www.greenpeace.org/shadowlands. Using social media links and its website, Greenpeace will also collect messages of support for the Japanese people. "The Fukushima nuclear disaster is having a dramatic impact on the environment and the lives of the people from a wide area around the nuclear plant," said Knoth. "We sought to document this through landscape and portrait photography, as well as interviews with people from the affected region – some of whom may never be able to return to their homes. What we found was a profound sense of loss." Since the beginning of the crisis on March 11 2011, Greenpeace radiation specialists have documented (2) the on-going impacts of radiation contamination on the environment, food and seafood to demonstrate that Japanese authorities have consistently underplayed, underestimated and underreported the radiation impacts around Fukushima. "The underestimation of the disaster by the authorities has exacerbated the suffering of the people of Fukushima," said Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan Executive Director. "Now, the government is rushing to restart reactors against public opinion, and without learning any lessons from Fukushima. We hope our exhibition will give it pause to reflect upon the ramifications of its decisions." "The Fukushima nuclear disaster happened because the Japanese authorities failed to protect people, instead choosing to protect the nuclear industry. For this reason, people in Japan continue to be exposed to radiation hazards, even a year later. They have not been compensated for all they have lost, and they have not received the support they need to rebuild their lives," said Jan Beránek, head of Greenpeace International's energy campaign. "This reminds us that millions of people living near reactors anywhere in the world are at risk of suffering the same consequences of a major nuclear disaster." The Shadowlands photos show beautiful landscapes – but something is clearly missing: people. More than 150,000 people had to flee the Fukushima area because of radioactive contamination. "Nature is already taking over. In the early morning, monkeys look for food on the outskirts of villages, wild boars roam the fields, cranes majestically soar over breath taking scenery, and there is silence," said Knoth. Greenpeace Japan also launched the first of a series of exhibitions of Knoth’s photographs (3). The Fukushima collaboration by Knoth and De Jong continues their earlier work with Greenpeace on the on-going effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on the Ukrainian people (4). Greenpeace is calling on the Japanese government to not restart any nuclear plants and for a global phase out of inherently dangerous nuclear reactors. ENDS Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment, and to promote peace. Contacts: Greg McNevin, Greenpeace International Communications, greg.mcnevin@greenpeace.org, +81 80 5416 6507 Yuki Sekimoto, Greenpeace Japan Communications, yuki.seikimoto@greenpeace.org, +81 80 5088 3048 Greenpeace International Press Desk Hotline, Amsterdam +31 20 7182470 Notes: 1) Photographer Robert Knoth and his partner documentary maker Antoinette de Jong have collaborated on many projects, including the 20th and 25th anniversaries of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster with Greenpeace International. Both are renowned in the Netherlands and internationally for beautifully capturing gritty subjects such as the effects of toxic waste, the global impact of the Afghan heroin trade and the after effects of radiation. Their work has been viewed all over the world including: London, Amsterdam, Moscow and Sydney and has been published in the New York Times, Der Spiegel, The Guardian and National Geographic. Both have won awards at World Press, PDN Awards and the Dutch Silver Camera. 2) Link to information on Greenpeace radiation testing in Japan: http://bit.ly/gfbhu5 3) The photo exhibition runs from February 19 to 24 in Harajuku, Tokyo. The exhibition will also be shown in 16 other countries. The on line presentation will run on Greenpeace sites in 11 countries, in addition to running on the Greenpeace International site.  In between beautiful green mountains the villages of Iitate and namie are located more than 40 kilometres away from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Though outside the 20 kilometres exclusion zone, most if he people in the surrounding villages have all but left. Only elderly and those who cannot leave their businesses stayed behind, despite the dangerous levels of radiation. “The village of Iitate is more than 2000 years old” according to mister Hiroshi Tada, who is the keeper of a 900 year old shrine in the village. With great precision and care people have been attuning themselves into their environment, living in almost perfect harmony with the landscape. You can see their respect for nature in the way they build their houses, work their gardens, the way the farmers grow their crops and keep their animals. The local culture is deeply rooted in nature itself – and it has been carefully preserved for centuries. I sought to document the aftermath of the nuclear accident through the landscape. I sensed a profound feeling of loss while being there: the loss of beauty, the loss of land and husbandry, the loss of local tradition, with families scattered all over the country. You can see nature already taking over. In the early morning monkeys are looking for food on the edges of the villages, wild boars are roaming the fields, cranes fly over majestically in breathtaking scenery. And there is silence. An eere silence. The grass is creeping through the tarmac, gardens are slowly overgrown by wild plants. Scattered artefacts lying around. suggesting a hasty escape out of the area. Houses and farms abandoned. The paint starting to peel from doors and windows.  FOTODOCUMENT |
| Stralend landschap |
| Vrij Nederland • 2 maart 2016 |
| Al in de herfst na de kernramp van maart 2011 renden de everzwijnen door de straten van Tsushima, een dorp waarvan alle inwoners geëvacueerd werden. Ook andere dieren kregen in de gaten dat hun territorium groter was geworden. Priester Hiroshi Tada zag het jaar erop vanuit zijn huis bij de tempel in Itate een troep makaken de bergen afkomen. ‘Het waren er wel tweehonderd. Zoveel had ik er nog nooit gezien.’ Tijdens ... |
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