‘Don’t make the mistake we did’: Fukushima survivor to Queensland

By Marty Silk
12 March 2013 (AAP) – A survivor of the Fukushima nuclear accident is urging the Queensland government to reinstate a ban on uranium mining. Japanese dairy farmer Hasegawa Kenichi is in Brisbane with a delegation from the Japanese disaster relief organisation Peace Boat. “Uranium is something the human body cannot handle, cannot cope with. It’s like opening Pandora’s box,” he said. “This government, all governments, must stop using this substance. “It must be left underground.” Premier Campbell Newman has said Queensland has about $10 billion worth of known uranium deposits. “Uranium mining and export is already providing jobs, royalties and crucial regional development in other parts of Australia,” he said in January. “It’s time Queenslanders shared in these benefits too.” […] But Peace Boat spokesman Akira Kawasaki is urging the government to think carefully about the Fukushima accident, which has devastated thousands of lives. “Think about all those people, all those lives this substance destroyed, before making your decision,” he said. “Don’t make the mistake we did.” [more]