Kunihiko Takeda: "A Girl Doesn't Talk"

Professor Takeda of Chubu University has an unusual, short post on his blog for September 5. It's titled "A Girl Doesn't Talk..." and the following is my unauthorized, quick translation:

A girl doesn't talk...

She doesn't talk. With her clear eyes she looks at everything her mother does. At her side, a boy with bright eyes is excited with the train just passing by.

A middle-aged man shouts. Why can't I sell contaminated vegetables? I took great pains growing them. What about our livelihood?

The girl doesn't talk. She quietly eats her school lunch as it is served. Even if the vegetables are contaminated, she takes in the radioactive materials because she trusts adults.

The angry middle-aged man, with the help of the governor and the board of education, shipped the contaminated vegetables that were sold as foodstuff for the school lunches, and he made the living. The government and TEPCO pretended they didn't know, and the media was afraid to report.

The girl who didn't talk is now sick in bed. Who could have saved this girl who didn't talk?

少女は語らない・・・

少女は語らない。その澄んだ目でお母さんの一挙手一投足を見つめている。からわらでつぶらな瞳の少年が通り過ぎる電車に夢中になる。

おじさんは怒鳴る！　何で汚染された野菜を出していけないのか！　こんなに苦労して作ったんだ！　我々の生活はどうでもよいのか！

少女は語らない。ただ黙々と出された給食を食べる。たとえ汚染された野菜でも、彼女は大人を信じて放射性物質を体の中に入れる。

怒鳴ったおじさんは、知事と教育委員会に助けられ、汚染野菜を出荷し、給食の食材として販売し、生計を立てた。政府と東電は知らぬ顔をし、マスコミはびびった。

語らなかった少女はやがて病の床につく。誰が語らなかった少女を助けることができたのだろうか？

Professor Takeda has his share of detractors and critics, but ever since March 11 he has consistently spoke against radiation exposure for children and adults and denounced the government (particularly Ministry of Education, Board of Education, and teachers), TEPCO and experts (particularly medical experts) for making light of the danger of radiation exposure. (See my post from May for his strong words to teachers.)