Antinuclear Citizens: Sustainability Policy and Grassroots Activism in Post-Fukushima Japan

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan in 2011 was the worst nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl crisis of 1986. It led to a change in Japanese nuclear policymaking, with antinuclear citizens being the primary agent. Akihiro Ogawa's book "The Battle for Japan's Future: Ordinary People and the Crisis of Nuclear Power" presents an historical record of ordinary people's actions as they sought to survive and navigate a new reality post-Fukushima. He argues that effective sustainability efforts require collaborations that are grounded in civil society and challenge hegemonic ideology to build a productive symbiosis between industry and sustainability.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 27 June 2023
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Following the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant located on Japan's Pacific Coast was tragically engulfed by tsunamis, resulting in the most severe nuclear disaster the world has witnessed since the Chernobyl crisis of 1986. Prior to this calamity, Japan had the third-largest commercial nuclear program globally, trailing only the United States and France. Nuclear power played a significant role in Japan's economic prosperity, accounting for nearly 30% of the country's electricity generation. Reactor installations were scattered across the archipelago, from northern Hokkaido to southern Kyushu.

However, this prolonged period of institutional stagnation was punctuated by the crisis of March 11, which emerged as a pivotal moment in shaping Japanese nuclear policy. As argued by Akihiro Ogawa, the primary catalyst for this transformative shift is what he refers to as "antinuclear citizens"—a conscientious segment of the Japanese public who envision a sustainable future in a nuclear-free society. Drawing upon extensive ethnographic research spanning over a decade, encompassing antinuclear rallies, meetings with bureaucrats, and visits to renewable energy production sites, Ogawa presents a comprehensive historical account of ordinary individuals' actions as they endeavored to survive and navigate the aftermath of Fukushima.

In conclusion, Ogawa argues that successful sustainability efforts necessitate collaborations that are firmly rooted in civil society and challenge dominant ideologies. These efforts should aim to reimagine societies and landscapes, particularly those dominated by industrial capitalism, to foster a mutually beneficial symbiosis between industry and sustainability. By doing so, Japan can strive towards a safer, more resilient, and environmentally sustainable future.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503635401