Welcome to our website about the Skilled Veterans Corps for Fukushima. It contains in-depth analysis into this ethical issue and includes the religious, ethical and personal responses associated with this topic. We hope you find the site interactive, accessible and most importantly, thought-provoking.
Introduction to the Skilled Veterans Corps
The Skilled Veterans Corps is a group of several hundred Japanese pensioners who are retired engineers and specialists. They have volunteered to undertake the dangerous and difficult task of cleaning up the nuclear power plant, in order to prevent the younger workers from developing cancers later in their lives. The members of the Skilled Veterans Corps say that they no longer want to be a bystander in this crisis as they feel responsible for having encouraged nuclear power in their generation. They argue that it is not 'brave, but logical' for the elderly to clean up the Fukushima plant, because they will have a lower chance of dying from cancer.
The Skilled Veterans Corps has caused some controversy about the ethics behind the idea, because the SVCF can be viewed as showing an act of suicide. It has also been compared to the Kamikaze pilots who participated in suicide missions during World War II. The leader, Yasuteru Yamada, denies this fact as he argues that they are 'going to come back'. On the other hand, volunteering to give up one's life and to dedicate one's skills to save others is commonly seen as a very heroic act. This website will go on further to explore whether the 'Skilled Veterans Corps' is a moral idea by applying it to various ethical theories. We hope you find this topic thought-provoking and interactive.
Timeline of Events
On 11 March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami killed millions.
On 15 March 2011, 50 employees of the damaged Fukushima Nuclear Plant remained on-site.
On 18 March 2011, these numbers increased to 580 workers.
In April 2011 the Skilled Veterans Corps was formed.
In July 2011 the Skilled Veterans Corps was enlisted as an Ordinary Corporation.
In April 2011 the Skilled Veterans Corps was certified as a Public Service Corporation by the Japanese Cabinet Office.
The Skilled Veterans Corps are now ready to campaign about their plans to save the future generations.
Introduction to the Skilled Veterans Corps
The Skilled Veterans Corps is a group of several hundred Japanese pensioners who are retired engineers and specialists. They have volunteered to undertake the dangerous and difficult task of cleaning up the nuclear power plant, in order to prevent the younger workers from developing cancers later in their lives. The members of the Skilled Veterans Corps say that they no longer want to be a bystander in this crisis as they feel responsible for having encouraged nuclear power in their generation. They argue that it is not 'brave, but logical' for the elderly to clean up the Fukushima plant, because they will have a lower chance of dying from cancer.
The Skilled Veterans Corps has caused some controversy about the ethics behind the idea, because the SVCF can be viewed as showing an act of suicide. It has also been compared to the Kamikaze pilots who participated in suicide missions during World War II. The leader, Yasuteru Yamada, denies this fact as he argues that they are 'going to come back'. On the other hand, volunteering to give up one's life and to dedicate one's skills to save others is commonly seen as a very heroic act. This website will go on further to explore whether the 'Skilled Veterans Corps' is a moral idea by applying it to various ethical theories. We hope you find this topic thought-provoking and interactive.
Timeline of Events
On 11 March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami killed millions.
On 15 March 2011, 50 employees of the damaged Fukushima Nuclear Plant remained on-site.
On 18 March 2011, these numbers increased to 580 workers.
In April 2011 the Skilled Veterans Corps was formed.
In July 2011 the Skilled Veterans Corps was enlisted as an Ordinary Corporation.
In April 2011 the Skilled Veterans Corps was certified as a Public Service Corporation by the Japanese Cabinet Office.
The Skilled Veterans Corps are now ready to campaign about their plans to save the future generations.