Support the 3.11 Children's Thyroid Cancer Lawsuit!

Creating a better future for all the children affected by the nuclear accident enabling them to look ahead and feel safe to speak out

2022 marks the 11^th memorial year since the Great East Japan Earthquake. For 10 years, children suffering from thyroid cancer have been unable to speak out. But finally, they decided to break their silence.

Six young plaintiffs have filed a class-action lawsuit against TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), claiming they developed thyroid cancer due to exposure to radiation after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster. They were between 6 and 16 years of age at the time.

The 3.11 Children's Thyroid Cancer Network was launched to support this lawsuit.

Did you know? - TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident released a large amount of radioactive materials. And the number of children who have thyroid cancer is increasing in Fukushima.

Children’s thyroid cancer is considered to be an extremely rare illness, and the occurrence rate is usually 1-2 cases per million per year. The study shows that a large number of thyroid cancer cases were recorded in the area surrounding Chernobyl after the 1986 disaster.

The Japanese government and TEPCO have established the 100-billion-yen prefectural health management fund to conduct a thyroid screening survey on 380,000 Fukushima residents who were under the age of 18 at the time of the nuclear accident. Nearly 300 cases of childhood thyroid cancer have been detected in the past 10 years, and some patients suffered from cancer relapses and metastasis. However, the Japanese government insists there is no relationship between the nuclear accident and the increase in the number of children suffering from thyroid cancer.

Why did I develop this rare illness?

Do I have to be worried about relapses and metastasis in the future?

Many patients struggling with thyroid cancer kept silent their doubts and fears about how they contracted the illness for 10 years. They have faced various hardships, and the burden of continued medical treatments has caused difficulties such as dropping out the college and giving up careers. For a long time, they were isolated in fear of discrimination and prejudice. But they are finally coming forward to raise their voices.

Preparing for a lawsuit requires a lot of work. The 3.11 Children's Thyroid Cancer Network aims to encourage and support the plaintiffs during the duration of the lawsuit.

This lawsuit asks the court to confirm the relationship between the radiation exposure and the illnesses caused by the nuclear power plant accident and to compensate the victims. This is the first lawsuit by the residents over health issues connected to the nuclear disaster in Fukushima. It may take a long time for it to be adjudicated.

We shouldn’t let them fight alone. Together we can create a better future that provides chances for the children affected by the nuclear accident to look ahead and feel safe to speak up. Please join us now.

After you access the paypal site, you will see a screen showing 井戸謙一. That is the name of Kenichi Ido,  a lead attorney for the plaintiffs. Please click the "send" button below his name.