Tokyo, 6 August, 2016
Your Holiness Pope Francis,
Please allow me to express my profound respect as regards your
incessant determined endeavors to heal the ailing world.
The main stream of the world allowing the existence of 440 nuclear
reactors, has increasingly been required to change course. The Brexit
has sown a seed for this change. Symptoms of this change already seem
to be surfacing.
The decision of the new British government to postpone a deal on
Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, to be built by France with major
Chinese investment, has shocked both of those countries. Prime Minister
Theresa May had nominated eight female ministers and this has led me to
expect the effects of maternal culture. The new decision is, as the New
York Times writes, a potentially major step away from the policies of
former Prime Minister David Cameron. Moreover, it could lead to
accelerating the so-called meltdown of the nuclear industry.
The role of women is visibly increasing worldwide as foreseen. This
hightens the hope for the shift of the current paternal civilization
based on power to a maternal based on harmony.
The Japanese Government continues to remain quite reserved in coping
with Fukushima, as is shown by the recently announced stimulus package
amounting to 28.1 trillion yen to boost the Japanese economy. Fukushima
is not mentioned at all. No funding for international cooperation is
envisaged.
Tepco has recently admitted the failure of the sole national project of
constructing a frozen wall to prevent the release of contaminated water
at Fukushima Daiichi. This denies the infamous “under control”
assertion. Japan’s retreat from the Tokyo Olympics 2020 could now be
realistically envisaged.
The State of Nuclear Emergency Declaration promulgated on 11 March 2011
remains valid. It verges on lunacy to hold the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
under such circumstances.
The supporters for retreating from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in favor of Fukushima and Kumamoto are notably increasing.
Under the current increasingly chaotic situation, the importance of
ethics is keenly felt. I wish to reiterate my ardent hope for a UN
Ethics Summit. The general assembly meeting of the U.N. taking place
next September would be the appropriate occasion for it. I am pinning
hopes on the initiative of President Obama in
this regard.
Please allow me to count on your understanding and support.
With highest and warmest regards,
Mitsuhei Murata
Former Japanese Ambassador to Switzerland
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