"Letters from Mina"

Mrs. Sachiko Sato (background) and her daughter Mina (age 13), speaking in New York City in September 2011. AP photo.In September 2011, about six months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe began, Beyond Nuclear had the honor and privilege of hosting Mrs. Sachiko Sato, a catastrophe survivor, and her teenage son and daugther.

Also in the delegation were Aileen Mioko Smith of Green Action-Kyodo, and anti-nuclear activists from Hokkaido. The group presented at numerous events in Washington, D.C. and the New York City metropolitan area.

Recently, Aileen Mioko Smith shared the news with Beyond Nuclear that a little booklet has been published, in Japanese language, entitled "Letters from Mina." It includes correspondence between Mrs. Sato, and her daughter Mina, from 2014. It also includes reflections, presented by Mina, to her classmates, about her heartbreak and healing in the aftermath of having to flee their family farm and home, likely forever, due to the nuclear catastrophe and radioactive contamination.

Mina gave her mother permission to share the letters and reflections, and Mrs. Sato has approved Beyond Nuclear posting the English translations here.