The Annual General Meeting of the NPO Fukushima Dialogue was held last June 14, 2023. At this occasion, the NPO Members approved the business report for 2022 along with the planned activities for 2023.

Activity Report for 2022:

– Dialogue Projects: The 24th Fukushima Dialogue, titled “Thinking with the Next Generation about the Future of Fukushima,” took place on November 5th and 6th at Naraha CANvas in Naraha Machi. The event was also broadcasted live online.

– Dialogue Record Preservation and Dissemination: The content and articles of the 24th Fukushima Dialogue were posted on the website.

– Dialogue Record Preservation and Dissemination: The report paper on the 23rd Fukushima Dialogue, titled “Thinking about issues surrounding treated water in Fukushima, thinking with the world,” held in FY2021, was submitted to the Journals of the Japan Society of Health Physics and the Japan Risk Analysis Society. An English translation was also submitted and published in Radioprotection, the Journal of the French Society for Radiation Protection.

– International Exchange: Director Ryoko Ando participated in the OECD/NEA 3rd Stakeholder Workshop held in France from September 5th to 7th, 2023, as a member of the Extended Programme Committee.

– NPO Management: Discussions have commenced within the NPO to review the organization’s management policy, ensuring its sustainability and continued contribution to the long-term recovery process of Fukushima. – The financial report is as follows (in Japanese) : The budget for this year is smaller as we did not apply for any grants or subsidies.

– Dialogue Project: The 25th Fukushima Dialogue will be held on October 14th and 15th. The venue will be the conference room of the Futaba Industrial Exchange Centre in Futaba-machi, and the Dialogue will also be broadcasted online. The French IRSN will support the simultaneous translation and in addition we will be partnering with other organizations in Japan to make the event more inclusive for a broader range of stakeholders than ever before.

– Dialogue Record Keeping and Dissemination: Similar to previous years, the 24th Fukushima Dialogue will be posted on the NPO web site in both English and Japanese, allowing the continued dissemination of Fukushima’s recovery status domestically and internationally while highlighting what role the Dialogue plays.

– Communication: We will enhance communication with local community by collaborating and cooperating with the community revitalization project in Yamakiya, led by the NPO’s Deputy Director, Genkatsu Kanno, from the Yamakiya area of Kawamata Town, as well as other partner organizations’ projects.

– International Exchange: Director Ryoko Ando is scheduled to participate as a panelist in the OECD/NEA 3rd Stakeholder Workshop to be held in France from September 7th to 9th, 2023. We aim to deepen exchanges not only with research institutions and government organizations but also with participants from civil society NGOs and other organizations worldwide. – International Exchange: Director Ryoko Ando is scheduled to present at the ICRP Symposium 2023 to be held in Tokyo from November 7th to 9th, 2023.

– NPO Management: To strengthen the organization’s management function, we aim to increase the number of people participating in our activities and the income from donations by strengthening the recruitment of supporting members. We also plan to enhance partnerships with other organizations at home and abroad. Additionally, we have decided to create a leaflet and also to review our website to facilitate a better understanding of the Dialogue’s activities. The budget plan is as follows: Once we have finalized our new policy of the organization, we will apply for grants and subsidies.

Amendments to the Articles of Association:

– The Articles of Association have been partially amended in line with the review of the management function to ensure the organization’s sustainability. Specifically, changes have been made to the membership options.

 – Active membership with voting rights is now limited to individuals only.

   – Supporting membership for legal persons (A) and supporting membership for legal persons (B) have been newly established.

   – A new Volunteer Membership category has been introduced, with no annual membership fee for students. – The new Articles of Association can be found here. (in Japanese)

Appointment of Board Members for the year 2023-2024

– The following six outgoing members who were representing themselves have been re-appointed to the Board of Directors:

   – Chairperson Yoko Kamata: Ryoko Ando Fukushima Ethos

   – Deputy Director Genkatsu Kanno: NPO Yamakiya Okara Network

   – Deputy Director Yumiko Kanai: Yamakiya Volunteer Group

   – Director Takahiro Hanzawa: Former Date City Hall

   – Director Shinya Endo: Suetsugu, Oue Homeland

   – Director Jacques Lochard: Nagasaki University

– Professor Jacques Lochard (Nagasaki University) has been approved as a new board member.

– The following two internal auditors have been appointed:

   – Auditor Shoji Nishida: Former Date City Mayor

   – Auditor Eiji Hiraoka: Specially Appointed Professor (part-time), Tohoku University

Professor Jacques Lochard, the new member of the board of directors of the NPO, expressed his honor to join the management team of the Association and assured that he would devote himself to the advancement of the activities of the NPO and indirectly to the recovery of Fukushima. He stressed the importance of increasing the number of members and supporting members, as well as establishing and expanding networks with international organizations as crucial functions of the NPO in the medium and long term.

Establishment of the Advisory Committee

–  The Members decided to establish an Advisory Committee, consisting of members from Japan and abroad in order to exchange views and seek advice on the NPO activities. The Committee will be in charge to establish a liaison system with national and international organizations interested in the NPO’s activities, maintain contacts with them, and confirm joint projects. – Dr. Thierry Schneider from the Nuclear Protection Evaluation Center in France (CEPN) has accepted to serve as the first Chair of the Commttee for the 2023-2024 period.

Concluding remark

The members of the Association reiterated their firm will to continue in 2023 to facilitate the dialogues between the stakeholders involved in the Fukushima recovery process and also to strengthen its organizational structure in order to effectively meet the long-term challenges to which the people and territories affected are confronted.

Finally, they reminded that all those who wish to join the association as a member are welcome and that those who wish to support it can become a supporting member or make a donation using the options provided below. They look forward to working with you.
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