On the 11th of each month, the evacuees from Futaba-machi, Fukushima Prefecture living in the premise of a former high school in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, and visiting supporters observe a moment of silence to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the tsunami of March 11, 2012 and in the evacuation that followed. On Feb. 11, Mayor IDOGAWA Katsutaka (center in the photo) made a farewell speech to those who gathered as usual. "It's been 23 months since the tsunami and nuclear power plant disasters hit our hometown. I have to leave the office without positive development," he started.
"I am stepping down, suddenly. I still have a lot that I want to do, but I am forced into a situation where I cannot pursue what I think I should." "I led you to come all the way down to Saitama Prefecture. Here, we have to endure a hard life as evacuees. I have made every effort to let the government hear us and understand that this is not the kind of life we want. If your car is damaged in a traffic accident, you can get a substitute while yours is repaired. But does our life here sufficiently substitute what we used to have back in Futaba? No. We need more humane living conditions where, at least, family members can live together." "It is radiation that is most difficult to tackle with in the problem that we have. Because we cannot see it, we are disguised: we errornously feel we are safe. I have always made warnings not to be disguised and will keep doing so. The resignation does not mean that I will not see you any more: I will keep doing my best with you as an ordinary citizen of Futaba just like every one of you." Then he shook hands with the people there, saying "Take care," or "Don't cry. We'll see each other more often from now on," and tapping their shoulders.
The people and the town hall of Futaba moved to the present location in April 2011. There were 1400 residents in the substitute town in the beginning, but many have moved out since then. Less than 100 remain now, most of them are elderly citizens who do not have any other places to go.They have lived in former classrooms and gymnasium in groups without privacy for respective families, being blamed for running away from Fukushima.
In the autumn session last year, the town assembly decided to move the town hall to Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, but Mayor Idogawa has been opposing to the closure of the make-shift town. "My desire is that the children of Futaba reach adulthood and get married without being impaired by any aftereffects of the nuclear disaster," he told the reporters. "The government ordered us to evacuate from the town without providing any particular guidance or assistance. We had to identify where to and how all by ourselves. It is too inconsiderate for the government to tell us now to return to Fukushima without duly reflecting what they have done, or haven't done, for us since the nuclear disaster."
Idogawa took office in 2005 when the town was in a financial crisis: The budget could not be established then. It was soon after the town finance was reconstructed that the unprecedented disaster struck. He will leave the office after having been navigating the town through repeated crises for more than 7 years.The election will be announced on Feb. 28. Voting day is March 10. (By HORIKIRI Satomi)
双葉町・井戸川町長 最後の一日～「家族一緒に暮らせる生活こそが代車」
埼玉県加須の騎西高校では、毎月11日に津波や避難生活の中で亡くなった人のため故郷・双葉町の方角に向かって、黙とうを捧げてきた。2月11日。いつものように双葉町民や支援者が集まる中、井 戸川町長（写真中央）が町民に向けて、最後の挨拶をした。震災と原発事故から1年11か月、皆さんにいい 報告が出来ませんでしたと切り出した。
「突然辞職しました。まだまだやりたいことがありましたが、そ れが出来ない環境になってしまいました」「私は皆さんをこちら（埼玉）に連れてきた。この避難所の生 活はきびしい。決して皆さんが望んでいるわけではないことを、政府には声を大にして訴え続けてきまし た。交通事故でいうなら、事故を起こせば代車を借りることができる。でも、この避難所の生活が代車と 言われては困ります。人間的な、家族一緒に暮らせる生活こそが代車です」「この事故で困るのは、目に見えない放射能です。見えないがゆえに、安全だと錯覚させられてしまう。私はつねづね警告を発してきたし、これからもそうするつもり。ここで皆さんとお別れすることなく、今度は皆さんと同じ立場で一緒に頑張っていきたい」 集まった人たち一人一人と町長は握手を交わし「とにかく健康に注意して」「泣かないで。今までより身近になったんだから」と肩をたたいた。
2011年4月。旧騎西高校（埼玉県加須市）に役場ごと避難した双葉町。当初1400人いた双葉町民も今は百人を切り、他に行く場所のないお年寄りがほとんどだ。プライバシーのない教室や体育館での集団生活は「なぜ県外に逃げた」という批判と闘いながらの避難生活でもあった。昨年秋の町議会で、双葉町役場を福島県いわき市にうつすことが決まっていたが、井戸川町長は騎西高校を閉鎖することには反対しつづけた。この日も「双葉町の子どもが大人になり、何の障害もなく婚期を迎えるのが一番の願い」「一方的に避難指示をうけて、どこにどのようにと言われることもないまま、手探り状態でこの場所に来た。無策だった国が、その総括をしないまま『福島に帰れ』というのは乱暴だ」と取材陣に語った。
2005年に町長に就任してから7年2ヵ月。予算が組めないほどの財政難から町を再建させた矢先に、未曾有の原発事故が起きた。「海図のない航海」その舵取りに粉骨砕身してきた井戸川克隆町長は、この日を最後にバッジをはずす。町長選は2月28日告示。3月10日に新しい町長が決まる。（堀切さとみ）
"Kick Koreans out of Takeshima Islands!" "Burn down the whole of Seoul City!" The marchers were chanting as they proceeded. Many were holding large Hinomaru Flags in their hands. Policemen in riot gear were standing along the road. A street demonstration by Zaitokukai, a right-wing group that claim to be protesting against privileges enjoyed by permanent residents of Korean decent, and various other groups and their sympathizers was held again in the evening of Feb. 17 in Shin-okubo, a major Korean Town in Tokyo. These right-wingers have had a series of ween-end Anti-Korea demonstrations in this town. There was however a new development last Sunday: A number of citizens staged protest against the right-wingers' demonstration holding signs that call for peace and friendship. 
「竹島から韓国をたたき出せ！」「ソウルを焼け野原にしろ！」ぶっそうなシュプレヒコールを上げ、日の丸を林立させて、在特会系のデモ隊がやってきた。2月17日夕方、東京・新大久保のコリアタウンは乱闘服の機動隊も出動し、騒然とした雰囲気。しかし、この日「反韓デモに対する意思表示」をする多数の市民が登場した。デモ隊に向けて「仲良くしようぜ」などのプラカードを掲げた。
The 21st program of Tentcolor, the ustreaming program by the Occupy tent in front of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry webcast every Friday since September last year, was aired on Feb. 15, featuring WATANABE Miyoko from Tamura City in the Voice of Fukushima segment. Watanabe, a native of a district of the city about 25 km away from the nuclear power plant, evacuated from her hometown with her grandchildren soon after the disaster and is now renting a house in another district in the same city that is more than 40 km away from the nuke plant. "So many sad things have happened and nobody around me can smile any longer. I've learnt to persevere, but still desire that my hometown and people's lives there will be restored as soon as possible. If it is impossible, I still hope that we be the last ones to experience such a tragedy: I want all the nuclear power plants to be stopped. I don't want the world to be full of sad people like us; that would be the end of the earth. I love the earth seen from the universe that shines blue and I love the people living on this planet. People in the world should help with one another instead of fighting. I want them to stop destroying the mother earth," she said live in the program.
"Four of us were packed into one room of 8 tatami-mat size. Food was poor. We had to prepare masks by ourselves. In addition, we did not receive any hazard allowances that the national government must have paid to the original contractors," said two ex-decontamination workers who worked within the evacuation zone of Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant in their report in the February 15 Workers' Rally in Solidarity with Fukushima that was held in central Tokyo with 480 participants. 
ピンハネと劣悪な労働環境～除染作業員「福島とつながる2.15労働者集会」で語る
On the 11th of each month, the evacuees from Futaba-machi, Fukushima Prefecture living in the premise of a former high school in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, and visiting supporters observe a moment of silence to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the tsunami of March 11, 2012 and in the evacuation that followed. On Feb. 11, Mayor IDOGAWA Katsutaka (center in the photo) made a farewell speech to those who gathered as usual. "It's been 23 months since the tsunami and nuclear power plant disasters hit our hometown. I have to leave the office without positive development," he started. 
On Feb. 3, a rally to report back on the victorious settlement in the case over disguised contracting by Canon Co. Was held in Tokyo. A total of about 160 former plaintiffs, members of Canon Non-Regular Workers Union and supporters gathered to refresh the joy that the settlement reached on December 20 last year brought to them. "On Oct. 17, 2006, I sent a letter to Canon. 'In order to concentrate on work and keep producing excellent products, I want to be free from anxiety over my employment status. Please make me a regular employee.' That was all I wanted then. I joined forces with colleagues who had the same problem as mine. We went to the Diet to request lawmakers for help. But Canon completely refused to talk with us. They forced us to choose between an exceptional offer of retirement allowance or lay-off. Many of the colleagues took the money and left. Then I filed a suit in June 2009. I was already in a situation where I was working day and night to earn living. Three years have passed since then. I did not take good care of myself and got cancer. But now I'm almost cured after two operations and chemotherapy. Due to the illness, I was fired by a transport company soon after I started working there. I don't have a job now,but I am proud of the struggles I survived and hope for my future," said ONO Hideyuki, one of the former plaintiffs. (By SATO Kazuyuki) 
2月3日、エデュカス東京 で「キャノン偽装請負争議 勝利和解報告集会」が開催された。約160名が集まり、喜びを分かち合った。 当該の大野秀之さんは語る。「2006年10月17日、私はキャノンに対して手紙を出しました。『安心して働 き、いい製品を作りたい、そのために正社員にして欲しい』、願いはたったこれだけでした。また、同じ 苦しみを持つ仲間たちと連携し、想いを伝えるために国会にも行きました。しかし、キャノンはかたくな に門を閉ざしてしまいました。そして、休業か特別退職金という形で、仲間達と引き裂きかれた後の2009 年6月にキャノンを提訴しました。この時すでに、生活を支えるために昼夜を問わず働く、そんな生活になっていました。それから3年、体調不良を軽く見てしまい、がんを患ってしまいましたが、二度の手術を重 ね、抗癌剤治療をし、現在はほぼ完治と言える状態まで回復しました。病気が見つかったため、入社した ばかりの運送会社を解雇されてしまったため現在は無職ですが、闘った日々に胸をはって未来に希望をもって生きていきたいと思います」（佐藤和之） 
