Basic Principles of the Skilled Veterans Corps for Fukushima (SVCF) *

*Registered name; “Skilled Veterans’ Corps for Fukushima (SVCF),” formerly “The Project for Preventing Accidental Discharge from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant”

The SVCF was established based on the proposition that retired engineers and skilled persons, who are less vulnerable to damage by radiation exposure due to their age, should be engaged in sorting things out at the nuclear power plants in Fukushima to reduce young generation’s exposure to radiation.

The SVCF consists of volunteers, as the organization intends itself to be unification of free wills, indifferent to thoughts, beliefs and sentiments of individuals. The principle applies to the controversy of nuclear power plants; amongst the corps are members both for and against them. The only bond that unites the diversified members is the common cause of bringing the nuclear disaster to an end.

Members are free to act on their own creed outside the corps and even when inside can they pour out their emotions as they wish. However, when they voice opinions or take actions in the name of the SVCF, which is a general incorporated association (to be registered as public interest incorporated association in the near future), the opinions or actions must conform with the purposes and activities stipulated in the articles of association. Therefore the members’ individual opinions do not represent the official position of the SVCF.

To move toward realizing its purposes, the SVCF has made important proposals to the government and TEPCO. Accomplishing it requires a drastic change in nuclear security policies and a tough road ahead is predicted. There is an urgent need to adjust our organization structure to deal with changing circumstances and challenges.

The SVCF, with its over 2,000 members, both active and supporting, is a gold mine of talents. Many of them have already assumed specific roles and have been demonstrating their knowledge and capabilities. It is the task of the corps, after almost half a year since foundation, to expand its organization in multiples, establish its public recognition and reach the goal of committing ourselves to the settlement of the nuclear accident.

It is nothing but “work” and our original purpose is to get the work done. The underlying motivation may come from each member’s thought, belief and sentiment, yet the purposes and activities of the corps should be pragmatically carried out, with all politics and ideologies set aside and kept within the heart of each member as a driving force.

All members, whether it is those who called for the establishment of the corps or those who responded to the calling, have their own stories that were woven throughout their lives. The principles of the SVCF, a group of skilled and seasoned veterans, are that we unite for a reason, exercise our full capacity and fight against the unprecedented disaster, while paying respect to each other’s precious stories.