Empowering Thousands of Fukushima's Children

From autumn 2017 to winter 2018 we continued our efforts to nurture the youth of Fukushima by creating opportunities for a variety of experiences for young people from elementary school to university age. Teams have now started planning the projects that arose from the "Asubito Fukushima Community" intergenerational entrepreneurs' camp held during the 2017 summer. Activities continue to move ahead.

(1) Experiences to think about "the other side" of the power outlet

In November and December 2017, participants learned about the mechanics of electricity generation, with activities that included fun experiences riding in a solar-powered car and competing to generate electricity with solar panels. The solar car ride was made possible through sponsorship by a company that supports our efforts. Students from the Odaka Industrial Technology and Commerce High School electrical program taught children how to generate electricity using hand-made generators that don't use fossil fuels. Participants also measured the amount of electricity generated by hand-cranked generators and solar panels and learned about the workings of thermal and hydro power generators.

The interest in energy issues has skyrocketed due to the nuclear plant accident after the major earthquake in 2011, and through actual experiences our activities are not only deepening participants' perceptions of the energy issues themselves, but also encouraging them to develop their own thinking about the issues. At the end of the sessions, participants were able to present their own ideas within their groups, and also to share them with other groups.

(2) Progress with projects selected from the Intergenerational Entrepreneurs' Camp

Progress is being made in implementation planning for two projects that were selected by the August 2017 "Asubito Fukushima Community" project incubator camp for high school students and working adults. A meeting was held in February 2018 for mid-term reporting on progress, and there were active discussions about moving forward with the projects.

For the "Manhole Art Project" depicting a local dragon legend in Minamisoma City, plans moved ahead for an event in late May 2018, and coordination is under way for the participation of children in classes at the Odaka Elementary School. Also, progress is being made for collaboration with Zero Emissions activities by local high school students to collect litter. Plans include an experiential walk through town by a variety of local residents.

Meanwhile, for the "Namie Flower Project" discussions continue on plans to plant flowers in a public space in front of a guest house, which will serve as a focal point for activities in Namie Town, which was also stricken by the disaster of 2011.

(3) Efforts to clear harmful rumors affecting Fukushima

Participants conducted interviews, writing and editing for the twelfth edition of the "Fukushima Taberu Tsushin" (Eating Fukushima) magazine, which carries stories with a food perspective. The magazine started from the desire of one high school student who wanted to do something to address the negative rumors that were circulating about agricultural products from Fukushima Prefecture after the nuclear accident. For this edition, student reporters interviewed the Nakanome family, which raises pigs, and processes and sells pork products in the town of Izumizaki, and Mr. Usuba who grows strawberries in the neighboring town of Yabuki.

In addition, the student editing team, Fukushima farmers and magazine readers participated in a discussion forum to exchange views and opinions from the perspective of both producers and consumers, and there was an earnest discussion about what the magazine's students editors could do.

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• Asubito Fukushima

This autumn we continued our efforts to nurture the youth of Fukushima by creating opportunities for a variety of experiences for young people from elementary school to university age. Teams have now started planning the projects that arose from the “Asubito Fukushima Community,” an intergenerational entrepreneurs’ camp held during the summer. Things are now beginning to take shape.

(1) Workshops on theme of bioenergy

Our hands-on learning workshops were held twice for elementary and middle school kids on the theme of “Let’s create energy from the pumpkin field,” with collaboration from Associate Professor Chika Tada of the Faculty of Agriculture at Tohoku University. Participants are stimulated to think about the potential for creating renewable energy through the experience of creating biogas from field “waste,” including residue from squash crops harvested from the “solar sharing” field (farmland being used for both growing crops and photovoltaic power production). With support from local high school volunteers, the kids learn through the whole process of producing methane gas by the fermentation of organic waste, bringing water to a boil with energy from the gas, and confirming what they learned through countless questions, to the point where they can articulate their knowledge by reporting in an article for the local newspaper

(2) Promoting discovery-based learning

Many children are having the opportunity to experience renewable energy through discovery-based learning at the Minamisoma Solar Agripark, using the time allocated for integrated learning in the curriculum at primary and middle schools in Minamisoma City. Meanwhile, we received a steady stream of visits this autumn from primary schools in other cities in Fukushima Prefecture, including Soma and Date. We witness the kids’ cumulative development in little steps as they reflect upon their experiences and report about what they observed and thought, all on the theme of renewable energy.

(3) Progress with project planning from entrepreneurs’ camp

Three projects are starting to take shape since having been selected by the “Asubito Fukushima Community,” an intergenerational entrepreneurs’ camp in August that brought together participants ranging from high school to working age. One of them is called “Creating fun with manhole cover art depicting the dragon legend of Odaka Ward.” After two local tours since August, the team has settled on the goal of turning Fukushima Prefecture into the top destination for tourist satisfaction in Japan. They are now working with key advisors to consider the potential to do something with ideas like history of the dragon legend and farm experience. They hope to incorporate art to create new touristic resources that will be interesting to others, even though the subject may feel so familiar that local people tend to take it for granted. Trials are being conducted now with the aim of implementation in May 2018.

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• Asubito Fukushima