Doctors of Onagawa Town Hospital saw off a helicopter carrying doctors who belong to the Japan Association for Development of Community Medicine, leaving the hospital and heading back for Kanto area. Mitsuru Saito, director of the hospital, said “we cried when we saw off the first few groups. When health care is not available nearby, people are forced to move to somewhere else. As long as there are people left here at our hospital, we need to continue providing health care services to them.” Onagawa Town, Miyagi Prefecture
Daily Sports Newspaper, "Photo Gallery," April 6, 2011
http://photos.nikkansports.com/general/genki/archives/20110406_14278.html
Translated by Takako Takata
(by Mr. Tetsuo Tadano, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
I was searching for the memorial tablets for my late wife and father. I wish I could find any memorabilia, but none. I am a rice farmer. There are about fifty rice farming families in this area, and this is the northern limit of Koshihikari (very famous brand of rice). The family rice fields that we cultivated and took great care for years are now covered with debris and cars. They do not look any good for growing rice; saltwater is still standing in the fields, too. I would say it must take a hundred years for the restoration because of the nuclear plants accidents.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(Mr. Yuji Imamura, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
I lost my home and my parents to the tsunami. I came here with a hope to find some photo albums, but could not find any.
Q) Have you been here many times?
I came here several times, but everything is scattered and I cannot find anything.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
( by Mr. Shoichi Yokoyama, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
I am the fifth generation of pear farmer. The orchard is on the hill, so it remained as it was. I could start to grow even tomorrow. Even we could get crops and passed the radiation check, but rumor damage would be enormous.
Q) During the past fifty years, have you tried various methods to improve in growing pears?
We were practicing eco farming, and using very little agricultural chemicals. We established excellent reputation, but everything is ruined. I have got a successor, but ….
Q) What did your son say?
He encouraged me to try together. Oh, I just hope they could end the problems at the nuclear plants. That’s my only wish for now.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Ms. Nobuko Terashima, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
My husband and I were running octopus fishery. All the house and boats were completely washed away. There is nothing left at Seriyachi area now. I am worried about the great affects when we will not be able to sell any fish or vegetable because of the events at the nuclear plants. I earnestly wish we could catch fish to supply them to the people again.
(to Ms. Mizue and Fumie Sakakibara in Sendai City)
Dear Mizue and Fumie,
I heard that you called my home in Isobe so many times worrying about me. Thank you so much. Please be relieved that I am doing fine. I’d like to talk to you when I restore my life sometime. But I am managing my life like this right now. Please take care of yourselves and live well.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Ms. Ayako Terashima, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
After the earthquake, we evacuated from Souma city, but we came back to our hometown since the amount of radiation was reported not harmful to the health. There are many people from the same area at this evacuation center, and we do not have to relocate.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Mr. Noriyuki Terashima, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
What will they take for the next step at the nuclear plants? Is everything going to be settled? - That’s my main concern.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Mr. Takayuki Yatsumaki, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
Our child attends a senior high school near the nuclear plant; that worries me a lot. (Ms. Eiko Yatsumaki)
I am worried about the accidents at nuclear plants; it seems that we are not getting any accurate information. I don’t know if we’ll be alright or not.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Ms. Chiyo Terashima, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture)
We were playing gateball ( a type of ground golf). There was a terrible shake; too big to keep standing. I anticipated that a big tide wave should follow soon, so I called to my wife, “Grandma, let’s run”. And we ran away from that place as fast as we could. It was about 15 minutes before the tsunami attack. Only 15 minutes!
We can reconstruct the places destructed by the tsunami by the human power, but the problems at nuclear plants are beyond the power of human being. It is enormously grave problem, I think. There are too many nuclear plants in Fukushima Prefecture. Come to think about it, it is reckless to have built six nuclear plants in this area alone. We must move to another place, if we cannot live here. (Mr. Tadashi Terashima)
I am glad that we ran away in a hurry. We had a really narrow escape from the tsunami.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Ms. Yoko Hakozaki, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture )
We were a farming family, but we lost all the fields to the tsunami. They were submerged by saltwater, and I don’t know what to do at all. The rice we stored for one year was damaged as well. We cannot grow rice in this area, but I want to live in Isobe area. After all I’ve lived here for decades, so I cannot leave this area.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
(by Mr. Yoshinori Abe, evacuee from Isobe area, at General Welfare Center in Souma City, Fukushima Prefecture )
Almost all the houses were completely destroyed by the tsunami in Isobe area of Soma City. A massive tsunami gushed into the town with the force of breaking the embankment and washed away the foundations of houses. My family of four was hit by the tsunami on the way to the evacuation center, and my sister did not survive. I just wish they could find as many people as possible for everybody’s sake.
Victims’ Voice aired on NHK, April 7, 2011
Translated by Makiko Tajima Asano
