Letters from Mitsuhei Murata, former Japanese ambassador to Switzerland, to Caroline Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Washington Post

This letter was dated May 7, 2015, Tokyo:

” Dear Ambassador Caroline Kennedy,

Please allow me to send you my message being widely disseminated. It is a serious warning against an eventual severe nuclear accident.

The international community could not remain indifferent for long to the present and increasing dangers of Fukushima.

On individual, regional and national levels, serious efforts are needed to improve the situation.

The Tokyo Olympic Games give the false impression that Fukushima is under control. Japan is, alas, damaging the global environment with never-ending radioactive contamination.

Japan should devote maximum efforts to bring Fukushima under control, mobilizing human wisdom on the widest possible scale.

Please allow me to count on your understanding and support.

With highest and warmest regards,

Mitsuhei Murata

Former Japanese Ambassador to Switzerland
Executive Director, Japan Society for Global System and Ethics ”

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This letter was dated Nov. 18, 2014:

” Dear President Jimmy Carter,

I hope all goes well for you.

The new political development in Japan could remind the responsibility of the IOC [International Olympic Committee] to have been influenced by the lack of understanding of the real situation of the Fukuichi.

I am attaching below my letter sent to the Washington Post last September. Tepco announced yesterday that contaminated water is flowing into the sea from the trenches at Fukuichi, due to the failure to freeze the water. The situation is dangerously worsening.

The IOC continue to ignore Dr. Helen Caldicott’s  legitimate request to send to Japan a team of independent scientists to reasure the safty problem. The credibility of the IOC is at stake.

I am informing you of an important initiative taken by a Swiss friend of mine, Mr. Andreas Nidecker, Co-Founder of IPPNW-Switzerland in response to my message attached below.

It is very timely and its impact will be extensive.

With highest and warmest regards,

Mitsuhei Murata ”

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” Prof. Mitsuhei Murata
Former Ambassador to Switzerland
Executive Director, Japan Society for Global System and Ethics
Dr. Jean Jacques Fasnacht, MD, President PSR / IPPNW Switzerland
Basel, 17.11.2014

Dear Mitsuhei Murata and Jean Jacques Fasnacht,
Dear friends in IPPNW in Switzerland and worldwide,

Mitsuhei, reading Your description of the current events in the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant I am as alarmed as You about the worsening situation: the failure of the „freezing concept“ of TEPCO for the underground water flow indeed may facilitate a lasting increase of the Pacific seawater contamination, which is of global concern. You are also absolutely correct in Your assessment, that the Internatl. Olympic Cttee should seriously consider withdrawing the 2020 Olympic Games from Japan.

By Your previous political position You have a close connection with our country, Mitsuhei. We activists in Switzerland and in many countries are involved in a politically tenacious and difficult struggle to get our Nuclear Power Plants phased out. I therefore propose to You, Jean Jacques, to publish Mitsuhei’s letter to the Washington Post in Swiss Newspapers, translated into German obviously. Other IPPNW affiliates may also decide to do the same.

Both the state of the damaged reactor and the failing efforts by TEPCO and the fact of expensive Olympic Games still planned in Japan in 2020 deserve wide public attention. i feel that we as IPPNW  have a responsibility to publish these facts

Best regards and thanks for Your continued efforts to stand-by in observing the evolving disaster in Fukushima and report about it.

Andi Nidecker, MD ”

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This letter was sent to the Washington Post and dated Sep. 16, 2014, Tokyo:

” Mitsuhei Murata
Former Ambassador to Switzerland
Executive Director, Japan Society for Global System and Ethics

The worsening situation at Fukushima Daiichi has some experts fearing the worst; collapse of the 4 reactor buildings due to the softening of the soil caused by excessive underground water. It could be the beginning of a catastrophe for Japan and the world. Experts say within weeks a radioactive plume could reach the West Coast of the United States.

The total volume of cesium 137 of the Fukushima Daiichi is equivalent to 5000 Hiroshima Atomic Bombs. The release of their total radiation could bring about the nuclear winter that would fatally affect the United States for hundreds of years. The dangers are real and incomparably terrifying than many are led to realize by Tokyo Electric Company (Tepco) and the Japanese Government.

Fukushima is forgotten, but the reality remains; Fukushima is a global security issue.

Japan knows more than any other country the real and present dangers of nuclear reactors. It is a serious security problem that the mainstream of the world continue to promote nuclear power generation even after Fukushima, totally ignoring its lessons.

The problem of protecting the security of the residents of the US West Coast will soon awaken the world to the uncontrollable and spreading consequences of the Accident. We cannot deny that Fukushima, if badly managed, could become the beginning of the ultimate global catastrophe.

The withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympic Games seems inevitable. “