The nuclear power plant Fukushima Daiichi was hit by an earthquake, a tsunami, and experienced nuclear reactor failures in 3 March, 2011. Six years later, In 31 March 2017, an important step was taken in the program of the decontamination and restoration of the evacuation zone outside the nuclear plant at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan. A number of areas are now considered ready for people to return to. Thousands of evacuees can move back to areas that are considered decontaminated. Questions arise such as: Is the decontamination enough? What is the risk for lingering contamination in my back yard? How will I consider radiation risks in relation to other aspects of resettlement? (Japan Times, 170403, Edahiro, 2016) It is the first time for this large scale resettlement project to take place in a region of high population density, similar to the situation we have around the nuclear power plants in Sweden. Now there is a unique opportunity to study the messages that are delivered by authorities to the people from decontaminated areas and how these messages are influencing people’s choices.
Well-functioning communication is considered as crucial for the effectiveness of a decontamination project. The decontamination campaign benefits from clear messages on the priorities, risks and consequences of the project. (Räddningsverket, 2007) In the situation of emergency, such as in Japan after 3.11, the need for information on radiation risks combines with needs of rhetorical understanding of post-crisis communication.
Comprehensibility, identification, attention to core values and symbolic actions are identified by earlier research as important rhetorical aspects in the late crisis stage of revitalization and rebuilding of community. (Ulmer, Sellnow, Seeger, 2016, 2011; Mral, 2011) A research project financed by The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency will study if and how these rhetorical aspects of crisis communication are delivered and acknowledged. The aim is to identify rhetorical challenges in the communication between authorities on regional and local level, and key audiences.
The project will run until 2019, and the results will be implemented to support information and education activities in the emergency planning.