Regarding the June 12 Kyodo article "Gunma agrees to help dispose of Iwate quake-tsunami debris": I'm glad to hear this news. After hearing earlier that many people in a city of my prefecture had voted against accepting quake-tsunami debris, I was afraid that the number of areas willing to receive it would be insufficient.
More regions should accept the debris. There are still only four prefectures that have helped with its disposal, including Gunma Prefecture. Acceptance of the debris is a complex problem because many people fear the risks of exposure to radioactive materials. But if no area accepts the debris, this problem will never be solved.
Although the effects from exposure to radioactive substances are invisible and may be dangerous to our health, when you think about it, few people actually lead a completely healthy life. So, I think it's strange that people who smoke or drink a lot of alcohol would fear radioactivity so much.
I hope that the overly negative ideas about radioactivity become less influential.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.