誰かが言わなきゃならない

1. Advance compensation payment

The application process for the advance compensation was started by TEPCO in Hall C. The Hall also accommodates the reception for the application for donation, a branch of the prefecture emergency headquarters and the bar association’s office for free legal consultation. The applications for the donation are processed smoothly and the waiting queue is not very long.
The applicants filled the application form in advance. To the contrary, tens of people are seated before the reception for the application for the advance compensation. Today is the first day of explanation and form distribution.
The team of TEPCO employees is seated in suits style in front in a row. After the apology message of the team leader, explanations start for each applicant.
Their suits style looks a kind of strange in the evacuation camp. They might have wanted to be polite to the people in a feeling of apology. But, their
top managers were in working suits in interview. Their managers visiting our mayor were also in working suits. Working suits will fit better while the
fight to terminate the accidents is still underway.
Their suits style looks a bit strange in this atmosphere. Some complaints were heard at the opening from among the applicants about delayed payment. But the process went smooth: US$10,000 for each family and US$7,500 for a single.
Some dissatisfaction among recipients: Singles get too much (US$7,500) as compared with families; Unfair that some families get US$17,500 simply because its one member living together is registered as a separate family. Such sort of complaints may come further with time.

2. Evacuation is not compulsory, no penalty “Scheduled” evacuation is provoking.

A question and answer when Deputy-cabinet secretary explained it to the people of I-idate-mura:
Q; I will NOT evacuate? Will I have a penalty?
A; No, you will be not.Q; Thank you, my question is finished.
This explains well how the people on evacuation think. The people in the Big Palette are concerned about the report that the “evacuation zone” (our home town Tomioka-cho included) would be re-designated as a “caution zone.” People think:
? I have to visit once again (Unauthorized visitors who fetched belongings or fed the dogs),
? I have to visit the town once as early as possible before it takes effect (First time visitors).
A possibility of authorized short visit is being explored, but nothing becomes clear. This is another frustrating element to the people.
3. Volunteer TV-talents and media More or less, TV news is coming back to the routine programs as the days before the disasters. Commercial channels are more so than NHK. Reports on restoration are increasing.
TV-talents,professional athletes and other celebrities are often highlighted in the reports. They show up in outdoor catering activities, sport exercises, etc. Some refugees present look merry with those stars and give a pleasant comment, “Very encouraged,” etc. It is obvious that the media manipulates the story for their report. That makes me embittered.

4. Our town can survive?

Three towns (Tomioka, O-kuma, Futaba) and one village (Kawauchi) in the evacuation zone moved their offices to different locations. My hometown Tomioka-cho has only 1,500 people together at the Big Palette, out of 15,000. All others are scattered. This gives the office a lot of difficulties in administering the town as a unit.
People are willing to keep their registration in town for the compensation issue. Everybody of the town (Mayor, town staff, people) wants to keep solidarity as a unity, hoping to return home some day. But in the prolonged evacuation life with no specific time horizon foreseen for it, some may find a job or buy a house in the camp area.
The mindset as a town member may gradually decay. Some families may prefer moving to a new place for their children’s high schools or universities. The town may lose its people. Only the house owners and the land owners may be left. It cuts the town revenue and jeopardizes the town itself. If people cannot
return home for years ahead, even in part of the town, can the town survive?