March 11 will mark 10 years since the devastating Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.
Measuring a magnitude of 9.0, it was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan, triggering a monster tsunami that swept the east coast of Japan.
Japan is well prepared when it comes to earthquakes, but no one had predicted the scale of the tsunami and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that followed.
An electrical failure caused by the tsunami led to the loss of cooling of the reactors, causing meltdowns and explosions, that eventuated in the leakage of radiation to the surrounding atmosphere.
154,000 residents that lived within a 20-kilometre radius of the power plant was evacuated.
With the government's cleaning efforts, these evacuation zones are gradually shrinking. However, even 10 years after the disaster, well over 30,000 people are still living in temporary housing, unable to return to their homes.
Toshiyuki Takeuchi and Emiko Fujioka, President and Executive Director of Fukushima Beacon for Global Citizen Network, and member of the Fukushima Booklet Committee has been actively sharing with the world the experiences of Fukushima. Their booklet 10 Lessons of Fukushima has been translated into 14 languages.
10 Lessons from Fukushima produced by the Fukushima Booklet Committee has been translated to 14 languages Source: Fukushima Booklet Committee
However, he says some people displaced by the nuclear disaster refrain from commenting about their experiences, as they are afraid that their comments will be used as rhetoric to abandon nuclear power plants.
"They simply want to share, as a lesson to the world."
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the Fuskushima Booklet Committee also actively engaged with children in Jordan.
A picture book based on the true story of a former beef cattle rancher in Namie Fukushima was translated into Arabic, and children performed a skit based on how they felt about the book. The cattle rancher opposed to government's direction to slaughter the cattle after the nuclear accident, kept his cattle alive.
Mr Takeuchi says that this experience was valuable, as it was not one-way communication.
Children in Jordan performed skit based on the real story of a farmer in Fukushima and his struggles after the 2011 disaster Source: Fukushima Booklet Committee
"Instead of just proving information to them, the children actually went away, thought about it, and expressed it in their own way"
However, what struck him most during his work, was that children in Fukushima were not educated about the disaster that struck Japan on March 11 2011.
"This makes me very sad, and is a realization that we must not forget to do what we do within Fukushima as well, and not just abroad."
Ms Fujioka wishes to tell the world on the anniversary of the disaster that, "nuclear energy is not a clean energy".
Fukushima Booklet Committee member Emiko Fujioka, holding workshop in Bangkok Source: Fukushima Booklet Committee
Although some may see nuclear power plants as a source of carbon-free, clean energy, once accidents like Fukushima Daiichi occurs, she fears that 100 years will not be enough to return to the ecosystem that once existed.
"Although radio-active wastes may have been removed from housing, they have just been relocated, and still exists. We are still surrounded."
On the 10th anniversary of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, a day-long online conference, Global Conference for a Nuclear Free, renewable Energy Future will be held.
The Fukushima Booklet Committee will be presenting as well and will look into the relationship between the "Coronavirus pandemic and Fukushima" - the unseen fear.
The conference is free and can be joined from anywhere around the world.
For more information, visit
