Saturday, March 17, 2012

What Is CNIC?


     In this page, I'm going to write about what is CNIC and what kind of group they are.
     First of all, what does CNIC stand for? The answer is Citizens' Nuclear Information Center. Then next question is what that is. According to their website,



"Citizens' Nuclear Information Center (CNIC) is an anti-nuclear public interest organization dedicated to securing a safe, nuclear-free world. The Center was formed to provide reliable information and public education on all aspects of nuclear power to ultimately realize this goal."  (CNIC 2012)
 
These are their website and facebook
http://www.facebook.com/messages/100001607709685#!/CNICJapan
(sorry CNIC has facebook in only Japanese)




     It is informative anti-nuclear group. And according to CNN which was published on 23rd March 2011, CNIC is the biggest antinuclear group in Japan. (CNN 2011)  





History CNIC
     About 40 years ago, in 1974 CNIC was established in Tokyo. Its primary purpose is to collect and analyze information related to nuclear energy including safety of worker and local residents, economic, and proliferation issues and to conduct studies and research on such issues.




Photograph#1

 (Photograph#1 source of photograph: http://nakazora.wordpress.com/category/energy/page/2/)


     It researched Three Mile Island accident. When Chernobyl accident happened in 1986, It participated in an anti-nuclear meeting in Vienna to protest the First Special Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 1987 it published the English letter of 1st edition of "Nuke Info Tokyo" which is one of  their main method to inform people about nuclear problem and their ideas and it started to be open to other countries.

     It participated the 20,000 People Action to Spot Nuclear Power as the secretariat. It hosted or co-hosted many international conference, forums, and symposium since 1991. For example, it co-hostedInternational Conference on Plutonium” with Greenpeace International in 1991 and an “international citizens forum Sustainable and Peaceful Energy Future” with Friends of the Earth Japan in 1997. It co-posted public debate with the Atomic Energy Commission entitled “Thinking about the Reprocessing and Nuclear Fuel Cycle Policy” with Japan Congress against A- and H-bombs.




     And now it keep informing people in Japanese and in English about nuclear. It is criticizing reaction of Japanese government to earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear leak.   
  

Photograph#2
Image was taken when its members protested for decommissioning of the ”Monju” nuclear power plant which is built in Fukui prefecture in Japan with the All Japan Anti-nuclear Liaison Association.
                                                                                                (photograph#2 Photograph by CNIC; Source of photograph: http://cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit146/nit146articles/monju.html )

 


Characteristics of CNIC
  1. This organization acts mainly in Japan. But it works with groups which act not only in Japan.
  2. Antinuclear groups which aims realizing nuclear-free world
  3. Their main activities are gathering, compiling, and analyzing data of nuclear related and supply those information to public 
  4. Specified Non-Profit corporation
     From the characteristic No.1 we can see that International connection of social movement. The nuclear problem is energy problem which is many people who lives in modern era involve this problem. However its core members are all Japanese. There are scientists, photographer, former politician, lawyer, member of Consumers Union of Japan. Its members have various background. Still there are more scientists who can analise information from scientific perspective. And it can explain complex scientific matter to citizen who don't have much background in science. Since it are acting as reliable source of nuclear information, diverse background is really helpful them to be neutral: free from governmental influence, emotional argument, and one-sided opinion.




     The characteristic No.2 is their main idea why it acts. Its aim is realizing nuclear free world. It means their protesting not only use of nuclear power but also use of nuclear weapon.




     The characteristic No.3; its main activities are supplying reliable information to citizen through their website, publication, and newsletter "Nuke Info Tokyo" and by holding discussions, seminars and symposiums. Sometimes, it has chance to discuss with politicians: it has some influence over decision-making.




     Finally it was certified as specified Non-Profit Corporation  by the Government of Tokyo which meant it came to have same status as legal Corporate status. Now it can take more various actions legally. It also means it is NOT direct-actionists or someone who violates law to protest even if it does peacefully. Since it applied as specified Non-Profit Corporation, it doesn't mean to use illegal method to protest. After all, it claims that it is going to against government's the policy of use of nuclear within the existing social frame. So I can say that it is really well-behaved organization and their goal isn't changing social frame, I mean, drastic change of social structural change.              




    As conclusion, Citizens' Nuclear Information Center is an anti-nuclear group dedicated to securing a safe, nuclear-free world which was established in 1974. It hosted or co-hosted many informative activities, such as conferences and discussion, but also physical activities like marching. Their characteristics are: they act in Japan and other countries too, antinuclear group which aims realizing nuclear-free world, their main activities are gathering, compiling, and analyzing data of nuclear related and supply those information to public and specified Non-Profit Corporation.   


     Next, I'll write about their goals. Since soical movement, they should have specific goals to achieve. I can say that goal is one of the identities of the group.


 


References


CNIC.
"Introducing CNIC". http://www.cnic.jp/english/. consulted 13th March 2012
"原子力資料情報室の歴史" http://www.cnic.jp/modules/about/article.php?id=4. consulted 17th March 2012
Photograph#2
"Rallies against the Monju Reactor". http://cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit146/nit146articles/monju.html. consulted 17th March 2012 CNN.
2011. "Japan:Economy slip tot he third". http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/02/13/japan.economy.third/index.html. consulted 17th March 2012
2011. "Nuclear crisis highlights operator's checkered past". http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-23/world/japan.nuclear.operators_1_fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-plant-tepco-citizens-nuclear-information-center?_s=PM:WORLD. consulted 17th March 2012


Photograph#1
SHIKIGAMI "News from Japan". http://nakazora.wordpress.com/category/energy/page/2/. consulted 16th March 2012

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