Interview Survey on Parents and Children in the Semipalatinsk Area: Perceived Causality between Children’s Diseases/Disabilities and Nuclear Tests

We interviewed children with diseases and/or disabilities and their parents from nine families in the Semipalatinsk Area from 2009 to 2013. Whether their disabilities/diseases were officially certified or not, most parents pointed to the nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Site as the cause of their children’s health problems. Reasons given by the parents for linking the children’s medical problems to Nuclear Tests were classified into three categories: The grandparents of the children had been exposed to radiation directly; the parents themselves grew up in a contaminated area; the area that they currently reside is contaminated and their children are being affected directly. We also explored whether the sense of guilt felt by the parents was eased when their children’s ill health was officially certified as caused by nuclear tests. A detailed analysis of the survey responses revealed that these parents tend to blame themselves for their children’s ill health, regardless the circumstances, and were left thinking ‘if only there were no nuclear tests’. Exploring such layers of thought would shed light on the reality of adverse mental effects on the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site victims.本稿は日本学術振興会科学研究費補助金【基盤C】（平成20-22年度）『セミパラチンスク地区の核被害実態調査研究： アンケート・証言・遺伝子解析を通して』（研究代表者：川野徳幸）、【基盤B】（平成23-25年度）『カザフスタン共和国セミパラチンスク地区住民の被ばく被害に関する総合的研究』（研究代表者：川野徳幸）、【基盤B】（平成27-30年度）『被ばく被害の国際比較研究：セミパラチンスク、チェルノブイリ、広島・長崎、福島』（研究代表者：川野徳幸）の研究成果の一部である。 また本稿は、日本平和学会2016年度秋季研究集会での報告に加筆修正を行ったものである

セミパラチンスク核実験場近郊被曝証言の日本語版全文データベース化

The present paper is an initial report of the project for a full-text Japanese database of the testimonies of those exposed to radiation near the nuclear test site of Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan. 139 testimonies were gathered in four villages near Semipalatinsk in 2002. We translated them into Japanese from Russian and Kazakh, and created a full-text database by using a Japanese text retrieval program, KR. In this paper, we attempt to show how the database can be used to understand tragic realities of the effects of exposure to radiation from nuclear tests. In the attempt, we try to demonstrate that radiation exposed residents near the test site are affected physically and mentally, by citing retrieved testimonies complaining illness and bad health, environmental pollution, and mental disorder, resulting finally in suicide. We also try to clarify differences between experiences in Semipalatinsk, and those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Predicting the Start of the Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Female Adult Biting Season Using the Spring Temperature in Japan

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) is distributed widely and is common in much of Japan. In Japan, female adults begin to bite in between April and June, except in the southern subtropics where the mosquito has no dormant period. It is difficult to estimate the first Ae. albopictus biting day because it varies annually depending on the location. Over several years, we surveyed the mosquitoes at different locations that covered a range of warmer to cooler areas of Japan. We found an association between the timing of first biting day by Ae. albopictus and spring temperature. In spring months, the strongest correlation was found with mean April temperatures, followed by March. Based on these data, it may, therefore, be possible to apply a simple formula to predict the timing of the first biting day at various geographical locations in Japan. Forecasting maps were created using a simple prediction formula. We found that the first biting day for Ae. albopictus changed depending on early spring temperatures for each year. There was an approximate 20-d difference in first biting day between years with warmer and cooler springs. This prediction model will provide useful insight for planning and practice of Ae. albopictus control programs, targeting larvae and adults, in temperate regions globally.ArticleJournal of Medical Entomology.54(6):1519-1524(2017)journal articl

A Preliminary study on attitudes toward nuclear weapons and nuclear tests of the residents of Kurchatov, Kazakhstan

The town of Kurchatov was a secret city newly built in the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site as the headquarters of the nuclear tests. The present paper is a pilot study, first, to explore how the current Kurchatov residents think and feel about nuclear weapons and nuclear tests, and secondly, to compare the results of the survey with those of the similar survey near Semipalatinsk. Though the present study is based upon a small and limited survey conducted in the city, it is hoped that it will shed some new lights on the residents' attitudes toward nuclear tests and nuclear weapons. It is shown that the negative attitudes toward nuclear weapons and nuclear tests of those exposed to radiation near Semipalatinsk which characterize the Semipalatinsk survey are shared by the majority of the respondents of Kurchatov, as well as the concerns about the adverse health effects of nuclear tests. It is also shown, however, that there is a striking pro-nuclear minority in Kurchatov. Though the small and limit nature of our data does not allow us to confirm the existence of such a minority, our result suggests a possibility that there may be a certain pro-nuclear minority even in the region which have been severely affected by nuclear tests

A full-text english database of testimonies of those exposed to radiation near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, Kazakhstan

The present paper is a sequel to the initial report (Kawano et al 2003a) of the project for a full-text Japanese database of the testimonies of those exposed to radiation near the nuclear test site of Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan. 139 testimonies were gathered in four villages near Semipalatinsk in 2002. We translated them into English from Russian and Kazakh, and created a full-text database by using a Latin script text retrieval program, TERESA. The present paper attempts at essentially the same thing as our first report mentioned above, using the English version of the database. We attempt to show how the database can be used to understand tragic realities of the effects of exposure to radiation from nuclear tests. In the attempt, we try to demonstrate that radiation exposed residents near the test site are affected physically and mentally, by citing retrieved testimonies which complain of illness and bad health, environmental pollution, and mental disorder, resulting finally in suicide. We also try to demonstrate differences between experiences in Semipalatinsk, and those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Besides, we add our conceptual and methodological premises for conducting this kind of research, as well as some new findings concerning the radiation exposure in Semipalatinsk

Support Measures for Victims of Soviet Nuclear Testing in Kazakhstan

CPHU Research Report Series No.35: Investigation on Compensation Measures for the Nuclear Victims/Survivors around the World: in Light of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Edited by Seiichiro TAKEMINE, Noriyuki KAWANOThis work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP19H04355 and JP20K02650

2005年-2008年インタビュー記録

核の被害再

カザフスタン共和国セミパラチンスク核実験被害に関する近郊住民インタビュー

核の被害再

The psychological effects and their causes among residents living near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site

The present paper is an attempt at clarifying the psychological effects and the causes among residents living near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, Kazakhstan. Our research team conducted the survey by questionnaire and interview from 2002 to describe overall image of sufferings from Nuclear Tests. In this paper, we focus on the answers from those who responded to questions concerning psychological symptoms. The result showed that; (1) 17.3 % of the residents reported some kind of psychological symptoms. (2) The villages in higher percentage of respondents who complain their psychological symptoms are Kainar (63.5 %), Saryzhal (54.4 %) and Dolon (40.0 %). (3)Some symptoms have a possibility that related to bad health condition, distance from the center of explosions, and concrete experiences of nuclear tests (for example, seeing flush light etc.) Our results suggest that the understanding or awareness of exposed to radiation is one of the main causes of their psychological effects. Bad health condition might also be one of the causes of psychological effects