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On 11 March, 2011 the TÅhoku earthquake triggered a tsunami that damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Efforts were made to quickly contain the fallout and they continue. The World Health Organisation claim that there is now little human risk from radiation. Contaminated radioactive runoff continues to occasionally leak (and has been intentionally released) into the ocean (World Nuclear Organisation). The risk for the marine environment and ecology is still debated (Vives i Batlle, 2016; Buesseler, 2012). Some local people remain worried about effects of exposure to even low levels of increased radioactivity on themselves and the environment. Anxiety remains high due to uncertainty about scientific information and distrust of government handling of matters (Tateno and Yokoyama, 2013). There is also the anguish of displacement, as 81,000 people still cannot return to their homes due to radioactive contamination. As well as the distress caused by other devastation wrought by the tsunami. The Fukushima prefecture community had a vibrant surfing cohort. Some moved away with their families or have given up surfing. Others continue to paddle out daily at Tairatoyoma beach, located less than 50 kilometers from the power plant. Based on fieldwork with these surfers, in this paper (accompanied by video) I consider how they interpret and understand the disaster and negotiate through surfing what to care (or not) about e.g. for the ocean, the community, themselves, family, and place. This extends to thinking about how they then express care. What care is and how it manifests is not self-evident. I ask: does the surfing sensibility these members of the community evaluate care through help to affirm and shore up it up? Or does it diminish and block care? I suggest these surfers prompt us to account for leisure when coming to terms with negotiating care in anthropogenic oceanic disaster zones.
Author(s): Doering A, Evers C
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Unpublished
Journal: Journal of Sport and Social Issues
Year: 2019
