March 11, One Year On: Occupy METI
By Mitsuru Obe
At an intersection in central Tokyo, the concrete towers housing a group of Japan’s most influential government ministries rub shoulders.
- Associated Press
- Anitnuclear protesters gathered outside tents to rally against the use of nuclear power on the premises of the METII on Jan. 27.
In a leafy plaza by one of them, the powerhouse Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, known as METI, sits a ramshackle tent, festooned with colorful banners demanding an end to nuclear power in Japan.
Welcome to “Occupy METI,” Japan’s take on Occupy Wall Street.
March 11 marks the one-year anniversary of the natural disasters that triggered Japan’s worst-ever nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi, igniting a growing movement to protest the country’s reliance on atomic energy. It’s also six months to the day since the makeshift tented structure was set up in the confusion of a rally by 2,000 anti-nuclear protesters.
The occupiers say they didn’t think it would last more than a week. But to their surprise, METI didn’t evict them. Instead, in the consensus style of Japan’s politics, government officials sought negotiations — emboldening the occupiers to stick it out.
For ministry officials, the makeshift tent structure is an eyesore and something of an embarrassment, out of place in the heart of the well-appointed government district of Kasumigaseki, a seat of power visited by many foreign diplomats and business people.
The tent stands on land owned by the national government. Every day, police officers and plain-clothes detectives pay a visit to check who is inside and remind the occupiers that the place needs to be vacated. But the occupiers say they are determined to stay on. “The land we are sitting on is national property. There is nothing wrong about using it for public debates on nuclear energy,” said one occupier in the tent during a recent visit, declining to disclose his/her name.
METI officials say that they actually share a common goal with the occupiers, now that the government has formally adopted a policy of reducing dependence on nuclear energy.
But the occupiers are unconvinced. They want to ensure the government will not restart idled reactors. “We won’t leave the place until the government promises not to restart any reactor,” said Taro Fuchigami, anti-nuke activist and leader of the occupy movement, in an phone interview with JRT.
The tent is sealed with extra tarp at the opening, but inside it remains cold as spring comes unusually late to Tokyo this year. At least two occupiers remain alert at all times to guard against a late-night or pre-dawn raid by police. “You can keep yourself warm with 10 hot pads on the body,” one occupier said, referring to adhesive self-heating strips commonly used and available from Japan’s convenience stores.
There are blankets, mattresses and sleeping bags to allow at least five people to sleep inside. With a dozen coats on the tent’s wall, paper cups and dishes on two foldable desks, and cartons of food, hot pads, documents on shelving structures, the place looks like a college dorm room. A large sign on one tent wall reads, “The rules on the use of the tent house: keep the place in good order, suitable for a public space.”
“We never thought we could stay on for this long,” said one gray-haired occupier coming off overnight guard duty. “METI couldn’t force our eviction probably because they feel guilty about the past nuclear development,” said another.
METI officials acknowledge that they are concerned about the image that might be conveyed if they use force to remove the tent. “That would make us look like we’re trying to quash the anti-nuclear movement, which we are not,” one official said.
Relations between protesters and officials seem cordial for the most part. But one incident toward the end of last year brought a tense standoff.
Over the six months it has been there, the tent has served as a focal point for anti-nuke activists. On Dec. 30, when a movie event was held for a year-end rally, a fire broke out, burning for nearly a minute before being put out, much to the irritation of METI officials.
After the New Year’s holiday, METI issued an ultimatum, ordering occupiers to leave by Jan. 27. But when the due date came around, some 800 protesters gathered at the site, according to the occupiers, making it impossible for METI to enforce the eviction without fuss.
METI officials say they are now considering filing for a court injunction to seek the tent’s removal.
In post-March 2011 Japan, attitudes toward public protest have clearly changed, the anti-nuclear campaigners say. “Such an occupation was never possible, even during the 1960s and 70s, when the social protest movement was very active,” the gray-haired tent occupier said.
