Current Status and Issues of Health Risks Among Residents Affected by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Abstract

The Fukushima nuclear accident has posed multiple risks including non-radiation health effects (e.g., nursing home evacuation, lifestyle diseases, and psychological distress), stigma, economical damage, splitting of community, and ethical issues. On the other hand, life expectancy in Fukushima after the accident was longer than that before the accident. Total fertility rate in the present has been also recovered to be higher than that before the accident. Subjective emotional wellbeing of young evacuees was comparable to or higher than that of the whole Japanese. Fukushima is never tragic, whereas we have still several issues to resolve. Risk science has an orientation of solution-focused approach against various interdisciplinary risk issues and its challenges in Fukushima are of special significance. Risk science has a role in development of cooperative wisdom among communities. Furthermore, the antecedent achievements will advance the global society.