Criticality accident victim in Tokai Village sues JCO for damages

Three years have passed since a criticality accident at a JCO uranium processing plant in Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture occurred. More than 600 people near the nuclear fuel processing plant were exposed to radiation, and two employees later died due to large doses of radiation.

Oizumi Shoichi, 74, one of the residents affected by the accident, recently filed a lawsuit demanding compensation from JCO and its parent company Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.

At the time of the accident, Oizumi and his wife were working at his auto parts manufacturing factory, 120 meters away from JCO plant. Immediately after the accident, he began to suffer from skin reactions on his hands. His wife had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Constantly in need of hospital treatment, Oizumi had to close his 30-year-old factory.

He has chaired the Criticality Accident Victims' Group, working with JCO to compensate them. JCO refused to do so, and he decided to file a lawsuit.

"From the beginning, JCO has had no intention to compensate us," said Oizumi angrily. "They have only paid compensation monry for damage to sweet potatoes and Chinese cabbages. Are human beings less important than vegetables? Money is not what we want; we want people to remember the accident."

Oizumi has visited many places throughout Japan to talk about his experience. When he says that the government has only told them not to worry because nuclear fuel processing plants are safe and that JCO is insincere because all they want is the earliest possible end to the matter, people give him warm encouragement with a big round of applause.

Oizumi wants to continue to work. Although he sometimes feel uncertain about his physical condition or thinks he may not live much longer, he strongly hopes to get better and reopen his factory.

"I am very angry at JCO. If possible, I would like to splash all the neutrons that were poured over me onto JCO," said Oizumi. (end)