“I wish I had died” October 31, 11:52

"I wish I had died"
Suddenly I got a chest. Fukushima's cry.
Great earthquake, nuclear accident. The people who were trying to overcome the unbearable pain were again devastated.
I will write down my resentment and my own answers to the site.
I want everyone to think about what they can do now. And politics, I want you to move now.
(Kesuke Sakuma)

"Edaban" holiday

October 13 (Sun)
On that day, the TV told the state of the various places where the embankment broke down and the muddy stream flowed.
Nagano, Saitama, Fukushima, Miyagi, etc ... What is the overall picture of the damage?

At that time, a message entered the smartphone of all club members from the opposition cap.
"There is a possibility of support coverage, so prepare yourself".

To briefly explain my usual work, it is “the reporter of Edano's representative of the Constitutional Democratic Party”.
Two years ago, he was transferred to the political department of the news agency in Tokyo and is now a member of the “opposition club”. The day and night, Edano's trend is covered and the manuscript is written.
This weekend was spent at home in Tokyo, as Edano's lecture was canceled due to the typhoon.

However, from 12th of the previous day, the smartphone rang out loud with area emails such as evacuation preparation information, and NHK was also informed 24 hours of Typhoon No. 19 information.
“Recording heavy rain and storms can cause enormous damage.”
Obviously it was a different way of telling the mode.

And on that day, “simultaneous flooding” that I have never seen before has become a reality.

The day before “To“ Hometown ””

October 14 (holiday / month)
On that day, Mr. Edano attended the Niigata consecutive convention of the Constitutional Democratic Party. Of course, as Edanoban, you will accompany him and watch you not miss a word.

I returned to Tokyo at 7pm. Representative Edano goes to the Diet.

When I went to the Diet, all the party officers gathered and sat down with a more nervous face. The lawmakers who gathered information in the stricken area returned to Tokyo and were urgently notified of damage.

What about the party's response ... While I was interviewing, there was a phone call from the cap.

"I want you to go to Fukushima for support from tomorrow"

Fukushima ...

My second hometown is Fukushima Prefecture.
I joined NHK in April 2012. Yes, the year after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
I was assigned to the Fukushima Broadcasting Station in the midst of the ongoing nuclear disaster caused by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

And for five years, we interviewed people who lived vigorously for recovery and reconstruction, while others were exhausted.

At that level, it may be said that it is “hometown”, but there is a strong awareness that the first assignment is special for the reporter. This is because it is important to interview people in the area and connect with the community.
That is why we often refer to the “first home” as a “second hometown” with appreciation.

The Fukushima suffered great damage again ... When I hurriedly contacted the Fukushima Broadcasting Station, I was told to enter Iwaki Branch.

At 10:00 pm, I got home and changed my clothes and packed my computer in a carry bag.

This time, it is not an easy “homecoming” to “the second hometown”.
Tensions increased without needlessness.

Day 1 “Tell politicians!”

October 15 (Tue)
9:53 am Departure from Tokyo Station. Aim at Iwaki Station on the Hitachi Express on the Joban Line.

I checked the manuscript related to the damage situation in Fukushima Prefecture in the car.
"18 people died in Motomiya City and Koriyama City, 4 missing"
I thought vaguely whether the main battlefield was Motomiya City or Koriyama City.

However, when I checked Twitter, I noticed posts from people in Iwaki City.
In both cases, the actual situation of serious damage was reported and support was sought.
How should we develop the coverage?

Arrived at Iwaki Station at 0: 7 pm.
Look around the station. There were few people, but I couldn't feel any change.

First, aim for a branch office about 10 minutes away on foot.
On the way, when I stopped at a convenience store, I had enough items such as bread and lunch boxes. Logistics does not seem to stop.

However, sales of over-the-counter coffee were suspended due to water outages.
The use of toilets is also prohibited. Certainly, Iwaki was affected by the disaster ...

Iwaki Branch is an old nest that used to work every day.
There was no time for nostalgia. “Iwaki mayor announced that seven people had died in the city.”

"Go to the spot immediately"
I jumped out of the branch office and headed for the Hirasashi-Hiraikubo district, where the city was most damaged.

In the district, the Natsui River that flows nearby is flooded, and the embankment also broke down.
Many houses were flooded and killed.

The scene was full of mud all over. Part of the mud is dry and dust is rolling up.
Just by walking, the mouth gets rough and hides.

Residents in masks scooped out mud and carried furniture and tatami mats out of their homes.
They are placed on a light truck and taken to a temporary garbage collection site.

I asked people who were working.

“When I was at home, the first floor was filled with water and I was evacuated to the second floor.
“I should have died if I had this kind of experience since the earthquake.” (A woman in her 80s)

“I wish I had died”… stuck in my chest.
Those who suffered from the earthquake are facing great hardship again.

I also talked to a woman in her 30s who evacuated to the second floor of her roof at that time.
“The road in front of the house was like a torrent river, and cars and people were swept away. I didn't want to show it to my children.

This woman looked at the business card that I gave and said with a serious look.

"Isn't it the political department? This area is the limit of garbage disposal, it doesn't get any water. The children and the elderly don't have enough clothes, it's muddy and hygienic. It's the worst."

How do you answer it? If someone tells a politician, what can they do?
What can I do now for the people in the disaster area?

“This disaster will be reported firmly”
It was hard to respond.

A man in his 60s who lived in this area was able to guide the site where Natsui River broke down.
A part of the dike about 5 or 6 meters high was no longer about 10 meters wide.

“There was no sound, and when I noticed, a part of the dyke was gone, and water was flowing from there. It quickly became a height higher than my height.”
I was overwhelmed by the enormous amount of damage, and I finished the interview on the first day.

Day 2 “Saving”

October 16 (Wednesday)
This day, I had the hardest feelings in this interview.

A 77-year-old woman who was rescued by the Tokyo Fire Department with a helicopter was accidentally dropped and killed.

A helicopter is a lifeline in the event of a catastrophe. In order to prevent the recurrence, it is important to interview the situation at that time. In the morning, I went around the site looking for people who knew what happened.

“I've been watching for a long time, but the woman went up slowly while being held by the crew. Then, she fell down on the way.” (Male in her 70s)

“I was evacuated at the time of the accident, so I learned later in the news. The dead woman was sad because she also spoke to our children.” (Women with children)

“The one who passed away was the one I was very close to. I can't speak very much right now.” (Neighborhood housewife)

I received a reprimand saying, "Why are you interviewing me?

The accident is explained to have been caused by a mistake that rescue workers forgot to put on the hook.

However, the members should have been desperately rescued to save their lives. I don't think I was relaxed because I was witnessing the town where the muddy flow swallowed.
Will all the problems be resolved by blaming the painful mistake that occurred in such a situation as "Your responsibility"?

On the other hand, it is also a strict fact that the life that could have been saved has been lost.
How should we face each other? I can't find the answer right away.

I headed for the afternoon interview with painful thoughts.

In Iwaki City, more than 40,000 households were out of water at the time.
Serious impacts were seen on toilets, baths, and mud disposal.

Meanwhile, the hot spring resort facility will be opened free of charge to water-stopping households.
"Spa Resort Hawaiians"

When I was in Iwaki, it was a facility where I often visited Hula Girl.
Many inhabitants who came to clean up while being covered with mud and dust visited to sweat.

A woman in her 40s who visited with her children. It is said that the house is flooded and the water continues to stop.

“Children sweat a lot and want to relieve stress, which is really helpful.”

A man in his 60s who took a bath answered in this pose.

“It was the first bath in 4 days and it was very comfortable.
The expressions of the returning people seemed to be brighter than the heart.

Hawaiian representatives said they had a hard time without taking a bath during the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Was the experience of the earthquake disaster used?
I felt a little warm in my heart.

Day 3 “Cannot enter the evacuation center”

October 17 (Thursday)
It is forecast that it will rain on the weekend while the recovery is not going on.
We headed to the site for concerns about the secondary disaster.

I visited one house in Joban Yumotocho, Iwaki City.
The stone wall of another house on the slope of the mountain was about to collapse.
A part of the stone wall was broken and poured into the garden with earth and sand.

The people who live are men and daughters in their 70s.
If it rains next, it will cause serious damage to the house.

Won't you go to the shelter?
“I wanted to evacuate to a nearby gymnasium, but I was told I could n’t open as a refuge in one household, and I was told to go to a refuge in the next district. He refused to accept pets. ''

The man said that he had to spend the second floor away from the slope in case of emergency.
A man who says, “Pets are like a family, so you ca n’t leave them.”

Certainly, he is an irreplaceable existence for him. However, if there are allergies among the people entering the evacuation shelter, health may be affected.

In the past reports, we saw evacuation shelters for pets and shelters for people with pets. How many local governments can prepare such shelters immediately? It is said that it is important for pet owners to prepare how to evacuate in advance. However, not many people were expecting this damage. I am confused about what I should do and I have lost my place.

The typhoon has passed, but the disaster is still ongoing.

Day 4 “Typhoon is the reconstruction ...”

October 18 (Friday)
On that day, there was a reunion with the interviewee who was indebted to me.

I visited Naraha, about 30km north of Iwaki city centre.

The Kido River flowing through the town was once the nation's leading salmon fishing ground. However, salmon catches drastically decreased due to the earthquake and nuclear accident. The annual number has dropped from 70,000 to thousands.

The local fishery cooperative resumed the release of fry four years ago to restore salmon fishing.
Salmon fry grows down to the sea and returns in about four years.
That was the fourth year, the year when the fry returned.

When I visited the Kido River fishing cooperative, there was a nostalgic face.
Mr. Kentaro Suzuki is the head of the Hatchery Hatchery at the fishery cooperative.
"Long time no see!"

Unintentionally holding each other and shaking hands.
Mr. Suzuki's calm expression remains the same.

I was guided to a place where there was a trap called “Kayaba” to catch salmon.

What I saw there was a driftwood, that is, a place where some were distorted and broken.

The road leading to the downstream is also collapsed.

“This year was the year when the released fry came back. Many people were looking forward to it and we canceled the event“ Kashiwa Matsuri ”that was planned.
Suzuki drops his shoulder.

The damage from the typhoon was unexpected.
A disaster just before the salmon returns.
To what extent will government support be available for recovery? I'm worried.

A typhoon poured water into the movement to recover from the earthquake and nuclear accident.
An unfocused anger has come up.

Day 5 "If it doesn't rain even"

October 19 (Sat)
It took almost an hour by car to head to Kawauchi Village in the mountains.
This is a scene where a man in his 60s is missing.

The man came from Fukushima City for tunnel construction and stayed in the village.
On the night of the 12th, on the way to the evacuation center from the worker's dormitory, it seems that the whereabouts were lost.
While it was raining heavily, the police, fire department, and the Self-Defense Forces were searching around the river with about 100 people.

The water level of the river is rising due to rain.
Even from an amateur's perspective, it was clear that searching was extremely difficult.

"If it's not raining, you can see the bottom of the river and search efficiently."
Said a police officer on the scene.

According to the summary of NHK, 30 people died in Fukushima Prefecture at this point. This was the only man who didn't know where he was going.

No man was found during the search of the day.
I finished a series of interviews in hope of "finding as early as a day".

And I left my second home with my back hair.

What we can do

I returned to Tokyo. I thought about what I could do.

The government is pushing for push-type assistance to urgently transport supplies needed by the victims. The use of contingency funds was also decided promptly. Based on the lessons learned from repeated disasters, I think we can see a certain improvement in our ability to respond after the disaster.

However, even if I interviewed for only 5 days, the problems seemed to be every day.

Why did the embankment break down? How should it be maintained in the future?
The disposal of disaster waste such as debris and broken furniture has not caught up.
How do we know who is “evacuated at the home of a disaster” and prevent secondary disasters?
How to evacuate pets. It is also important to call the owners in advance for preparation as well as the local government.
Detailed restoration support for “Nariwai” such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Everything is a serious issue that is deeply related to each person's life and life.

I want to tell all the things I have seen and heard on the scene to politicians and bureaucrats as much as I know. Let's talk about everything you interviewed, including the fact that it wasn't broadcast.

Of course, it goes without saying that the government and political parties are collecting information.
But I can't help but tell. It's a human responsibility that you've seen, no matter how loud you feel.

I would also like to discuss what to do to prevent similar damage again.
I can't think of anything that seems useful for now.
To search for something that will lead to the next, even with a slight effort.

Once visited, Kidogawa overcame the earthquake and surely was on the road to reconstruction.

Without shame, I keep saying Fukushima Prefecture as “the second hometown”.
Don't let the grandma say "I should have been dead" anymore.

Keisuke Sakuma, political reporter
Joined in 2012. Worked at Fukushima Bureau until 2017 and the last year at Iwaki Branch. Then go to the political department. Currently, the reporter of Edano's representative of the Constitutional Democratic Party.