Interview mit der japanischen Greenpeace-Aktivistin Hisayo Takada
Das Interview wurde von Alexandra Baszak und Michelle Wally am 6. Juli 2011 in englischer Sprache durchgeführt.
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(Hisayo Takada) |
Die Energie- und Klimaaktivistin Hisayo Takada, tätig bei Greenpeace Japan, wurde von Greenpeace Deutschland eingeladen, um sie bei deren Arbeit für einige Zeit zu unterstützen. Nach dem verheerenden Erdbeben in Japan und der daraus folgenden nuklearen Katastrophe in Fukushima, möchte sie sich in Deutschland ein Bild über die Schaffung von erneuerbaren Energien machen. Hier erlebt Hisayo Takada den bereits beschlossenen Ausstieg aus der Atomkraft und sieht ihn als eine Motivation es in Japan gleich zu tun, wie sie im folgenden Interview erzählt…
Interview on the nuclear disaster in Fukushima with the Greenpeace activist Hisayo Takada
Textinitiative Fukushima Mrs. Takada, where have you been when you first heard about the Fukushima accident? What have your personal experiences been? How did you feel about it?
Hisayo Takada Everything, as you know, started because of the big earthquake of eleventh of March. Actually on that day, I had a day off. I had lunch with my sister. We were on the 13th floor of a building and it was really shaking for a long time. There was a huge earthquake. At the beginning we thought, the earthquake happened in Tôkyô. Tôkyô is the most dangerous area. I found out from my iPhone, that actually the earthquake was not in Tôkyô and that in Tôkyô was only a wave of the big earthquake that happened in Tôhoku area. Then I immediately thought about the Fukushima power plant. But at that time, the earthquake happened around 2:30 in the afternoon, until evening, five hours later, communication was not available, because too many people tried to use it at once. So I couldn't get any information and I kept worrying. Then, at first, I found out, that it was not damaged, but later in the evening I found out, that it was really, really damaged. Then I thought, this thing isn't really happening, it's like a movie. In the first few days, Fukushima was a really big accident, but with the tsunami and more earthquakes, it was really like in a horror movie. Including me, most people were worried about the tsunami and the other disasters. Then gradually we thought Fukushima seems to be in big trouble. I really thought about, if I should leave Tôkyô or not and if it was save to stay here or not.
Textinitiative Fukushima Did you have much information about the accident at first?
Hisayo Takada The information sources, newspapers and internet, where not available for two days. Because the situation changed too rapidly, like every hour something happened, you didn't expect it was really difficult for me and many people to understand and digest the information.
Textinitiative Fukushima What are the issues Greenpeace Japan addresses? What are your responsibilities with Greenpeace Japan?
Hisayo Takada I'm a climate and energy campaigner. Climate change, energy policy and renewable energy and such sort of things. Greenpeace Japan is a sociable office compared to the German office. We have a staff of 15 people working and those 15 people have to cover whole Japan. So I sometimes cover other projects as well, like forest or water projects. Before Fukushima happened, the main issue of our office in Japan was the ocean. It was about tuna fishing, overfishing, illegal fishing and that sort of things. And then Fukushima changed everything. Now, of course, our main topic is energy. What to do with nuclear power and how the people should be protected. And then, when you provide nuclear energy, what you should do for alternative renewable energy. Like other countries like Germany are doing. Also much radioactivity has been released into the ocean already, so maybe, for some time, we don't have to worry about overfishing because all fishing stopped. Maybe we should worry more about radiation, including in fish and the marine environment around Japan. So we're doing oceans as well, but with a little different angle.
Textinitiative Fukushima Why are you visiting Greenpeace Germany? What where your expectations when you came here? Have they been met?
Hisayo Takada The reason why I am here is, that I was invited by Greenpeace Germany to join a historical day of Germany, the 13th of June as the phasing out of nuclear power. I've been in Germany since last Monday, the 27th, and tomorrow will be my last day of two weeks. So the first goal was to join the historical day. For this I was in Berlin and was one of five people who handed over the [nuclear phase-out] petition signed by 260.000 people from all over Germany to a person of Mrs. Merkels office. So that was a great opportunity for me. And then my other purpose is to meet people and to learn, how Germany is doing in terms of renewable energy. And that's quite successful. I was on top of a windmill this morning. I've climbed up to 70 meters high; it was a great experience because I've never done that before. I also talked to people of Greenpeace Energy. Greenpeace Energy is not Greenpeace Germany, but a consortium that supplies 100% renewable energy to German households. So having the meeting with them was very nice and a very good opportunity for me. Because in Japan, at that time, we don't have any choice to pick an electricity company. If you're living in Tôkyô, you can only get electric energy from TEPCO, and it hasn't changed after Fukushima. So even if you really hate nuclear, you have no choice. So Greenpeace Energy is already well known and getting more known in Japan, I really wanted to come to talk to real people here and to visit one of the windmills. It was really successful and I am very pleased that Greenpeace Germany gave me this opportunity.
Textinitiative Fukushima What role, do you think, does the Fukushima accident have for the work of Greenpeace Japan? How important is Fukushima for the work of Greenpeace Japan?
Hisayo Takada At the moment Fukushima is of course very important, no doubt. But the problems we are facing are not only Fukushima, but other things like toxics responsible for environmental destruction. Important is the involvement of Japanese companies. Of course Fukushima will remain as the most important work for us in Japan, but I think, we have to do other things too, to protect the environment in Japan.
Textinitiative Fukushima How do you think the Fukushima accident has changed the Japanese perception of nuclear power?
Hisayo Takada It’s a huge change, but not an easy or simple change. Of course people are really scared of the nuclear power generation. But that doesn't mean "ok, no nuclear", it's not that simple. Right after Fukushima, at the end of March, a newspaper published a public survey, and more than 80% of the people were scared of the Fukushima accident. However, less than 50% of the people thought, Japan should not use nuclear power plants, so less than 50% of the people supported the phasing-out of nuclear in March. It was surprising. But in a public survey in June, it was different. The survey was done by a different newspaper, so maybe that's a reason. Now there were 77% of the people who supported Japans phasing-out of nuclear power. It’s only a public poll, but it really shows, that the opinion is changing.
Textinitiative Fukushima What projects has Greenpeace have planned for the future regarding nuclear power?
Hisayo Takada We have several approaches. I can separate them into two. The first is, to protect the people from radiation. So we have a project or campaign against the government to evacuate children and pregnant women from highly contaminated areas in Fukushima. The second project in that group is about seafood/food. We will have a research in Japan, so we can monitor the radiation level of food more regularly. And then we can provide information to the local people. So these are the main two things for the protecting-people-side. The other theme, I am much more responsible for, is the energy shift. 30% of Japans energy has been produced by nuclear power plants. But we want to phase-out, so what can you do for the lost 30%? We need renewable energy. How we expel nuclear rapidly… or what is needed and that sort of things. So for more detail, Greenpeace has a scenario from now to 2050, called energy revolution scenario. We are currently updating that scenario to accommodate Fukushima accident. We will publish it in August and then we will invite the media, business people and academics to share the idea and start the discussion around how to achieve that scenario.
Textinitiative Fukushima So the target is 2050?
Hisayo Takada Yes, the last date is 2050. But more important, I think, is our target that is 2020. With the scenario we will issue, we can achieve about 45% of electricity from renewable energy by 2020. But at the same time we can reduce our CO2 emissions by 25% by 2020. It’s actually more than Germany. Germany will reach like 35% or 38% renewable energy by 2020. The Japanese government wants about 20% by 2020, but Greenpeace says that Japan has more possibilities.
Textinitiative Fukushima Now for our last question; do you plan to come back to Germany? And do you want to come back to Germany?
Hisayo Takada Yes, both. I want to come back to Germany for my work and also for holidays. I think I will have another chance to come to Germany to see what you guys are doing with renewable energy and how to incorporate it in the Japanese situation.
Textinitiative Fukushima Thank you for your time and good luck for your current and future projects.