Mums help rebuild lives in Fukushima
Akiko Stockton, left, of Mandurah, and Akiko Kannari, of Rockingham. Picture: Nic Ellis/The West Australian
Growing up in the picturesque city of Fukushima in Japan, Akiko Stockton knew little and cared even less about nuclear power and its potential dangers.
Now, as a mother raising her two children in Mandurah, Ms Stockton cannot fathom living in a country - let alone in a city - where nuclear power plants exist.
Ms Stockton, who moved to WA more than nine years ago, said she was in shock when she heard news of the 2011 earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster in her home city. For the first few days she could not make contact with her parents, brothers or extended family.
When she finally got through to them she learnt they were all safe but many other families had not fared as well.
As those in her hometown sought to rebuild their lives in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear fallout, Ms Stockton teamed up with her friend and fellow mother Akiko Kannari to raise money for those worse affected by the disaster.
"We ran a stall at the market a week after the disaster, selling everything we could spare - clothes, hand-made-crafts, sushi and raised more than $4000 that day," Ms Stockton said.
"We donated money straight to Fukushima - firstly to the city council to help rebuild and also to pregnant women and children who were forced out of their homes.
"Then we started raising money for indoor toys for children who can't still go outside and play because of the radiation."
The two mothers have now raised more than $10,000 for families in Fukushima.
Ms Stockton spoke about her experience at the Remembering Fukushima event in Perth yesterday, marking the first anniversary of the nuclear disaster.
"I'm not a professor, I'm just mother but I can't live with the thought of having nuclear power here in Australia - it is too much of a risk. I don't want that for my children or this beautiful country."
Conservation Council of WA nuclear-free campaigner Mia Pepper said that since the disaster, an Australian official had acknowledged Australian uranium was present in each of the Fukushima reactors.
"In light of this we express our deep sorrow that uranium from Australia is contaminating the Japanese people's sea, water, food chain and community," she said.
"Thanks to our State's recently overturned stance on uranium mining, West Australians can be proud that we did not contribute to this catastrophe.
"However, if we allow the proposed Wiluna uranium mine - or any other uranium projects - to progress, we won't have that assurance in the future."
