Fukushima and Civil Society: The Japanese Anti-Nuclear Movement from a Socio-Political Perspective.

This article discusses the impact of the Fukushima disaster on the Japanese anti-nuclear movement. The disaster, which occurred in 2011, resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 people and forced the evacuation of more than 140,000 residents due to radioactive contamination. The article highlights the ongoing struggle to handle tritium-contaminated cooling water at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) arguing that it is running out of space to store the water. The article also explores the response to the disaster both domestically and internationally, with some countries adopting phase outs or moratoriums on nuclear power while others continue to push for its use. The article recommends a book by Beata Bochorodycz that provides a comprehensive analysis of the anti-nuclear movement in Japan, drawing on a mixed-methods approach and extensive fieldwork. The book examines the origins and functioning of the movement, as well as the tools used by both the government and the movement in contentious politics. It also explores the impact of the movement on government policies and the development of new mobilization mechanisms. The article concludes by praising the book for its contribution to our understanding of social movements in the twenty-first century and recommends it for students studying contentious politics, energy security, and qualitative analysis. [Extracted from the article]