Thank you to everyone who came down to the screening of our film ‘Japan, One Year After 3.11’and the talk event held at our People Tree shop in Juyugaoka last night. We are so grateful for all your feedback.
Here are some comments we received from the viewers:
“All we can do at the moment is try to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Seeing the support from overseas gave me the courage and energy to keep going and take action myself ”
” I thought that Yu Tanaka’s comment on ‘how March 11 changed the citizens’ awareness summed up the motivations behind the whole movement that’s been happening here in Japan since last year. Things are changing fast!”
” I thought that a variety of issues were summarised well despite the short length of the film. Personally, I was touched by the Octopus project. I think the best way for reconstructing the affected areas is to create job opportunities for the local community with the sort of work that they are familiar with”
” The comments by Yamamoto san from Peace Boat gave me a strong impression – ‘ I don’t mind if people come here for their own self satisfaction. The important thing is, as long as they are useful, they come. The second thing is that they come here and they understand what’s going on in Ishinomaki”
Ms Yayoi Tanaka, People Tree customer, who also helped with our filming
Ms Fumie Saito from Daichi wo Mamoru Kai
We should have had 6 months to work on this film, but we only had 4 weeks to do it, I feel confident that we’ve been able to show the new social movements emerging from the grass roots level in Japan. To show how people are demanding a greener, more democratic society, and the commitment and energy of people from different generations and backgrounds and those who take leading part to change for a sustainable and nuclear free Japan. On the screening day, my friend Dean Newcombe, a model and the founfer of IMA, joined us and talked about his experience.
” When he saw the news about the spreading disaster on telly at home in Nottingham, I packed my stuff and jumped on a plane to join other volunteers. Although my friends said I wouldn’t be useful, I found I was never short of work to do and people to help”
I would like to thank Dean, Rika and all the contributors who kindly agreed to help us make the film. A big thank you also to Pete Beighton, the film maker and editor!
What should we do now? I am confident that Japan can go Nuclear free. Let’s spread the word. I have already signed up to this campaign LOVE! HAIRO by Green Peace.
I love 'Japan', therefore Love! Hairo
A lot of information can be found on the websites of Green Action, Green Peace, FoE Japan, Peace Boat, ISEP and Citizen’s Nuclear Information Centre. People Tree/Global Village will keep appealing for Japan to become Nuclear Free, more sustainable, safer and a transparent society. We first need to stop the restart of Fukui Power station. There are so many ways we can go forward in Japan – check it out and think about nuclear in our country too! As Tanaka Yu san said, March 11th 2011 will be remembered in history as the day the new citizen’s movement was born in Japan. There are a lot of things that we need to do. People Tree/Global Village will keep engaging in educational activities, raise awareness of the issues and support the solutions. If any of you would like to help and get involved, please spread the links of this video to your friends.
