Message from Ambassador Kurai: the 35th anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident

  On the day of the 35th anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, I renew my heartfelt condolences to families, friends, and relatives of the Ukrainian “liquidators” who confronted danger by sacrificing themselves and also of all who became the victims of this accident. Also, let me express my highest respect toward those who have been making efforts to ensure the safety of the nuclear power plant and promote reconstruction of the affected areas until today.
  Since the accident in 1986, Japan has consistently assisted the reconstruction of the affected areas by providing medicines and medical equipment for the affected people as well as by dispatching experts to the area. After the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, the people of Ukraine kindly provided us with precious assistance to facilitate further cooperation, including that from the scientific ground, and we have been able to conduct joint studies through sharing knowledge and experience, under our cooperation agreement in the field of post-accident response to emergency situations at nuclear power plants.
  Ensuring the safety and reconstruction of the areas affected by a nuclear accident remains paramount of our common challenge. Japan highly appreciates Ukraine’s efforts to promote the restructure and to make the best use of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone as the nature reserve. In addition, having hoped for the area’s full recovery, the Government of Japan has conducted the joint study with Ukraine on the environmental radiation control and remediation of this zone for more than five years. I would also like to note the completion of the construction of a new shelter two years ago. This achievement is a significant step for the future nuclear safety in Ukraine, and Japan, as one of the main donor states, finds a great meaning in this completion with satisfaction.
  I sincerely wish that both people who share the experience of Chornobyl and Fukushima continue to contribute to the further reconstruction process in Chornobyl, and strongly hope that our countries and people would work together to achieve constructing the world without any nuclear power plant accidents in the future.