We want to share Fukushima's environmental recovery. Three high school students living in Fukushima Prefecture are broadcasting to the world.

In Fukushima Prefecture, where the nuclear accident occurred during the 2011 earthquake, reputational damage based on numerous misunderstandings has become a problem. To convey accurate information and improve this situation, three high school students residing in Fukushima Prefecture are conducting activities both domestically and internationally to widely share reports on scientific survey results regarding radiation levels and their own lives in Fukushima.

This initiative is supported by Professor Emeritus Ryugo Hayano, a physicist at the University of Tokyo. It originated from the paper "D-Shuttle Project: Comparison of Individual Radiation Doses Among High School Students Inside and Outside Fukushima Prefecture," authored by Fukushima High School students with Professor Hayano's cooperation. Published in 2015, this paper was also featured in a UK academic journal, boosting momentum for Fukushima students to actively disseminate information.

On September 23rd of this year, a special online lecture titled "Special Radiation Education Lecture: Six Years Since the Great Earthquake and the Future, in Conversation with Fukushima High School Students" was livestreamed as a special class for the online learning platform "Aoi Zemi." The panel included Professor Hayano, two Fukushima High School students, and a student from Futaba Mirai Gakuen High School.

A scene from the "Special Radiation Education Class" live-streamed on Aoi Zemi

Aoi Zemi is a live learning service for junior high and high school students. In this special class, three Fukushima high school students who experienced the disaster as elementary school children shared their personal experiences from the time of the earthquake and introduced various scientific data they had researched themselves. They conveyed knowledge about the recovery status of Fukushima's environment and food safety to participants nationwide.

Then, on October 30th, with the cooperation of Professor Hayano, Dr. Haruko Murakami of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States, and the Ministry of the Environment, the three high school students participated in the event "The Future of Fukushima; A New Generation Rises to the Challenge," hosted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. They gave a presentation conveying the current situation in Fukushima.

The event, held at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, California, drew 122 attendees, including students from the University of California, Berkeley.

The event venue gathered 122 attendees, including members of the public, UC Berkeley students, and university staff. They listened to the voices of the three students.

Shunya Okino, a second-year student in Fukushima High School's Super Science Club, presented data from their analysis of external radiation exposure, stating, "Radiation levels in Fukushima are decreasing now." He conveyed that the levels are not high compared to other regions in Japan or other countries.

Her classmate, Honoka Araho, also a second-year student, expressed her hope: "Fukushima has many delicious foods. I want to share this message both domestically and internationally so people can see Fukushima as beautiful."

Ryo Endo, a second-year student at Futaba Mirai Gakuen High School, cited "being involved in the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant" as his future goal and spoke of his desire for the recovery of his hometown, Okuma Town.

At the event, Dr. Murakami, journalists with experience staying in Fukushima, and Environment Ministry officials also spoke about the current situation in Fukushima. After the event, exhibits and video presentations about Fukushima were displayed.

Dr. Murakami, Professor Emeritus Hayano, three high school students, journalists with experience in Fukushima, and Daisuke Uesako from the Ministry of the Environment

Additionally, ahead of the talk event, the three high school students conducted a media caravan visiting local broadcasters and newspapers during their trip to the U.S. They passionately presented in both English and Japanese, aiming to dispel the negative perceptions surrounding the word "Fukushima" in America.

They visited NBC, one of America's three major networks, and delivered a presentation in English.