Our Response in the Aftermath of the Great Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake and Tsunami

Abstract

First of all, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the people who suffered from the Great Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake and Tsunami. In the aftermath of the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami, the Board of Directors of the Japan Epidemiological Association (JEA) conducted the following activities to provide our colleagues and fellow citizens with useful information that will assist them in coping with the disaster and accurately assessing the health effects of radiation exposure: (1) Tips and guidelines for coping with the effects of the earthquake and tsunami, as well as information from relevant websites, were posted on our website and sent to our members by email. (2) On March 25, the Board of Directors made a public announcement on our website entitled “Possible health effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident”, which explained the health effects of radiation exposure, based on information contained in the reports of UNSCEAR (United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation), and presented our understanding of the situation. (3) Questions and Answers—a revision of the explanation in our initial announcement, with additional explanatory information, was posted on our website on 13 April. The direct and indirect effects of the quake and tsunami are enormous, and our society has been seriously affected by this disaster. It will be remembered as a turning point in the history of Japan. For the JEA, it is important to develop and conduct activities that address the consequent health and social problems. As our first academic activity, we plan to hold a symposium related to these concerns at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the JEA, which is being organized by Professor Naohito Yamaguchi. The themes and topics to be addressed are now being discussed by the Academic Activities Committee. The Japanese government is now making plans to initiate periodical health check-ups and long-term follow-up of residents in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima, the prefectures most affected by the quake and tsunami. There are also plans for similar programs and epidemiological studies of residents evacuated from designated areas and workers who have been mobilized to cope with the nuclear accidents. A number of JEA members are expected to participate in these endeavors, and the JEA will discuss how to provide necessary support for those efforts. Last, but not least, we offer our thanks for the condolences and support extended by our foreign colleagues.