An excerpt of Dr. Tanigawa’s letter from Fukushima
April 18th, 2011
Takeshi Tanigawa, MD
Ehime University, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Health Medicine

http://medg.jp/mt/2011/04/vol132.html#more

I am visiting Fukushima on April 16 through April 19 to work as a TEPCO health care doctor.
I have been checking the medical condition of the workers of Fukushima Daiichi (F1) and
Fukushima Daini (F2) nuclear power plants.

It is obvious that the TEPCO is responsible to this accident and the one who caused the
radiation contamination. However, the workers who are working at F1 and F2 are also victims
who lost their family members and their houses. Some are refugees who evacuated their
communities located in the evacuation zones. They have been working very hard without
the appropriate amount of sleep and without good personal hygiene. Their stress level is
enormous.

In addition to the mandates of the “Industrial Safety and Health Law” I believe it is necessary
to establish a special health management team to be able to treat worker stress and worker
radiation exposure. The central government should also create a framework which includes
people living near the Fukushima power plant.

The chiefs of F1 and F2 are very thankful for the Taniguchi Project. I will meet with the
vice-chief of F2 tomorrow (April, 19th) to get more detailed information. Dr. Taniguchi of
Toranomon will explain his plan for Fukushima soon.