Statue of Child in Radiation Protection Suit Drawing Criticism

August 19, 2018

Fukushima- A statue of a child in a radiation protection suit, installed by the municipal government of Fukushima in northeastern Japan, has been drawing criticism.

Contemporary artist Kenji Yanobe, the creator of the 6.2-meter-high statue, "Sun Child," issued a statement of apology following a flurry of Twitter posts, including a complaint that the statue could newly cause harmful rumors related to the March 2011 accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The city government will consider its response after hearing opinions from citizens in a survey being conducted around the statue erected near Fukushima Station of East Japan Railway Co. or JR East.

A dosimeter is on the chest part of the yellow radiation protection suit worn by the child's statue.

The statue was created to wish for the reconstruction of Fukushima Prefecture from the nuclear accident at the TEPCO plant.

But complaints erupted after the unveiling ceremony on Aug. 3, such as one saying that the statue gives the impression that people cannot live without protection suits in Fukushima.

In the message, posted on his website, Yanobe said: "I offer my apology to those who felt uncomfortable with the statue. I have no intention to hurt people in Fukushima."

Fukushima Mayor Hiroshi Kohata issued a comment defending Yanobe, in which he said the standing statue that looks into the sky makes him feel power and hopes.

The statue's effect of producing harmful rumors is limited, he said.

In the Fukushima city government's survey, people are asked to write freely about their impressions of the statue.

The municipal government will discuss how to deal with the statue based on the results of the survey. Jiji Press