From November 3 to 8, 2024, Professor Franck FALCO and four students from the Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Program at Aix-Marseille University in France visited the Hamadori region for a study tour. The NPO Fukushima Dialogue served as their guide during the visit.
The program included visits to the Decommissioning Archive Center, the Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum, and the Interim Storage Facility. They also attended lectures to learn about the post-nuclear accident situation, delivered by Pr. Tetsuo Yasutaka, Group Leader at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Pr. Masaharu Tsubokura, Professor at Fukushima Medical University, and Pr. Kunpei Hayashi, Professor at Fukushima University.
To understand how the accident has affected local communities, the group listened to farmer Mr. Akihiko Hirono in the Yamakiya district of Kawamata Town, and Mr. Norio Kimura of the Okuma Hometown School provided an introduction to Okuma Town. They also visited the Suetsugi district of Iwaki City to observe radiation measurement activities.
Thanks to the support of Pr. Yasutaka’s team at AIST and Pr. Hayashi at Fukushima University, we were able to arrange opportunities for students to interact with one another, making the program even more enriching.
The Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Program at Aix-Marseille University emphasizes the importance of those working in radiation protection not only understanding the technical aspects of nuclear disasters but also being aware of their societal impacts. This philosophy led to the organization of this study tour. We feel deeply honored to have contributed to ensuring that the lessons from Fukushima can be applied effectively. We look forward to welcoming their visit again next year.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who cooperated in this program. Special thanks go to Pr. Yasutaka’s team at AIST for their extensive support. Thank you very much!
