''It finally dawned on us. The government was unreliable. Politicians
and bureaucrats were unreliable. The media were untrustworthy. The
brutal reality hit us that we had to protect ourselves...otherwise bury
our heads in the sand or give up altogether.'' *** Written in the
immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Japan and the nuclear accident
at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Koichi Hasegawa's Beyond
Fukushima presents a compelling account of the events of 3/11 against
the backdrop of the history and geopolitics of the nuclear industry
worldwide. The book begins with the nuclear accident and its immediate
impact on Japan, and then expands to form a critical analysis of the
global nuclear power industry, providing a framework through which to
explain Japan's continued reliance on nuclear power despite widespread
public concern. Hasegawa's analysis is convincing. He argues
passionately for de-nuclearization and is highly critical of the
Japanese government for failing to phase out nuclear power in the wake
of the Fukushima accident. In the final chapter of the book, Hasegawa
outlines steps toward a post-nuclear society, arguing strongly that this
transformation must be made to avoid further catastrophe. *** Choice
Magazine Editors' Top 75 Community College Resources for July 2016
*** With a sociological research background in public movement
critiques of nuclear power dating back to 1988, the author is in the
unique position of being able to present wide-ranging, up-to-date,
pertinent data gathered over several decades. Hasegawa very effectively
documents the multiple problems associated with the nuclear power
industry in Japan in a global context. Highly recommended. -- Choice,
Vol. 53, No. 10, July 2016 *** ...a scathing indictment of
bureaucratic incompetence and the risks of nuclear power. Detailed,
critical, and persuasive, 'Beyond Fukushima' is a 'must-have' for
college library social issues and world history collections. -- Midwest
Book Review, Library Bookwatch: March 2016, The Social Issues Shelf
(Series: Japanese Society) [Subject: Energy Studies, Japanese Studies,
Asian Studies, Politics]
