After 3.11: 2011

2011-07-11

母乳の放射能調査と母子支援について／Significance of research on breast milk and support for mothers and children affected by radiation exposure

[From http://bonyuutyousa.net/?p=185]

Significance of research on breast milk and support for mothers and children affected by radiation exposure

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant catastrophe, a disaster of yet unknown proportions, has been sending large amounts of radioactivity into the environment since March 11 2011 causing widespread contamination throughout the northern half of Japan. For over two months after the accident, the residents in the vast areas have been forced to face constant exposure to radiation.

Despite the widespread contamination of radioactivity, internal exposure is not under serious consideration. The legal limits of food and water still remain high, creating a situation where residents in the affected areas are not able to protect themselves from potential internal exposure.

Even five years after the Chernobyl accident, about 20% of 206 breast milk samples from BRYANSK of the Russian Federation found to be contaminated with cesium-137 over the legal limit of 37 Bq/l. The survey that took place in Belarus in 2007 shows that even 21 years after the accident, contamination levels of 2-3 times the legal limit were identified in breast milk. We should not repeat the tragedy of Chernobyl that has still been affecting the people for a quarter century.

Under these circumstances, we founded the Support Network for mothers and children and started investigation on breast milk.

Initially, we examined nine samples that mothers in Fukushima, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures offered and four of them were found to be contaminated with iodine. Unfortunately, our concerns were confirmed.

Following the test, we published the result in the press conference at the Ministry of Health/Labor/Welfare on April 21. We also called on mothers in Fukushima/Irabaki/Chiba for more support for the testing.

On May 18, we published the results of 49 samples including the first 9 samples. We called on the affiliated government and private institutions as well as the citizens for support. On June 2, we updated the data with additional results. On June 11, we published about 100 updated results. (See the figure at the bottom)

It is crucial to run research on breast milk contamination because:

1. It is an indication for possible internal exposure among infants.

Due to the fact that infants are said to be 3-10 times susceptible to radiation compared to adults and there is said to be no threshold for internal exposure, we consider the data of radioactive substances in breast milk to be crucial information for measuring internal exposure of infants.

2. It offers important information to know internal exposure of mothers

Along with other measurements such as blood/urine tests and whole body counts, it also can be an important indication for internal exposure among the residents of the affected areas.

3 It is effective for prevention of further internal exposure

It can also be possible to make assumption how they were affected by combining personal information of mothers such as their lifestyle and what they have eaten and where they went. It leads to avoidance of further risk, along with the other monitoring of air, soil, water and foodstuffs.

4 It builds important data for potential health problems among children and adults, offering useful information for identification of the cause and providing better treatments

*Breast milk plays a great role for infants’ immune system. Therefore we’d like to confirm safety of breast milk.

We, the Support Network for mothers and children for the breast milk testing, are calling for nursing mothers in the affected areas to join the test. We also ask people across the country to donate and support. (currently, the cost of testing is 15,000yen/sample)

Donate to: Japan Postal Bank(Yucho Bank)
Account Holder Name : 母乳調査・母子支援ネットワーク

Bank name : Yucho Bank
Branch:218
Account Number: 12170-7008999

2011-06-23

イベントのお知らせ：山川菊栄のドキュメンタリー上映×震災・原発・ジェンダーをめぐるパネルトーク／Film and Talk: Disaster, Nuclear, Gender and the Heritage of Kikue Yamakawa

人として共に生きる——3.11後の未来像を結ぶために
ドキュメンタリー映画「山川菊栄の思想と活動姉妹たちよ、まずかく疑うことを習え」上映会
×パネルトーク「震災・原発・ジェンダー」

6月24日（金）18：00〜21：00
東京外国語大学研究講義棟2階226教室　http://www.tufs.ac.jp/access/
入場無料・予約不要

パネリスト
山上千恵子：ドキュメンタリー映像作家、「山川菊栄の思想と活動」監督
栗田隆子：有限責任事業組合フリーターズフリー組合員、女性と貧困ネットワーク呼びかけ人
野本京子：日本近代史研究、東京外国語大学教員

　地震と津波によって暮らしを破壊された多くの人たちがいること、先の見えない原発事故。被災地から遠く離れたここでも、日常の一瞬一瞬に決断を要求される緊張感がつづくなか、ともすれば私たちは不安をひとりで抱え込んでしまう。その重みがジェンダー的な偏りをもってのしかかっていることも、見逃すことはできない。
　ひとりひとりがもつ力を信じ、同じ課題に向き合う人がつながってゆくことを実践して激動の時代を生きぬいた女性、山川菊栄のドキュメンタリーを手がかりに、いまこのとき、どのような未来像を結ぶことができるのかを考える。

山川菊栄（1890〜1980）：女子英学塾（現津田塾大学）を卒業後、「母性保護論争」や女性労働の問題について、社会主義の立場から批評を展開する。関東大震災直後から太平洋戦争期にかけての社会主義者への弾圧をのりこえて、戦後、新設された労働省の初代婦人少年局長に就任した。辞職後、婦人問題懇話会を設立し、さまざまな分野の女性たちと横断的な対話を重ねながら、社会に女性の問題を問い続けた。

〔企画〕山川菊栄ドキュメンタリー上映実行委員会
〔主催〕科研「ジェンダーを巡る〈暴力〉の諸相―交差・複合差別における「家族親密圏」の学際的研究」
〔問合〕東京外国語大学海外事情研究所　042-330-5405　ifa@tufs.ac.jp

2011-06-12

写真展終了　ご来場ありがとうございました／Thanks for coming to the Exhibition

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