Justice of Sharing Information as Commons After the Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima

Abstract

"The term 'commons' refers to common space shared or managed by people. Included in this space are various institutions and infrastructures foundational to human lives. We also count information regarding contents of shared space as commons because people cannot choose appropriate actions for their well-being without sufficient knowledge. The explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, had a significant impact on people who lived in and around Fukushima Prefecture. The most serious of many difficulties that ensued after the disaster was the issue of sharing and managing information about radiation and its influence on peoples health. Parents have experienced substantial anxiety about the possible effects of contamination on themselves and on the younger generations; their frustration has been exacerbated by the lack of specific information regarding this issue. Such information should be regarded not only as personal but also as common and of public interest. Regarding 'informed consent,' it is usually thought that a medical diagnosis and recommended treatment are to be treated as confidential patient information. In the case of Fukushima, however, threats to health arising from an environmental factor could, arguably, mandate the sharing of information regarding health risks with all people living in an affected area. The aim of this study is to acknowledge the integrity of sharing environmental and health-related information through the questionnaire to residents of Minami Soma City, Fukushima. An additional objective is to determine how to construct an appropriate sharing system for common information."