When a mother says, "I wish I never gave birth to my children"

This is a translation of a Nihon Keizai blog posted on 12/28/2011 describing a mother of 14 and 5 year old daughters in Shirakawa-city, Fukushima, about 70km away from Fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant where the radiation level has been measured as high as 0.6 micro Sieverts per hour which exceeds way past country's standard (0.23 micro Sieverts per hour).

母親は事故直後、「県外に避難したい」とも考えた。それでも仕事や住宅ローンなど経済的な事情に加え、「娘たちを転校させたくない」と避難生活に踏み切れず、悩んだ末、地元に残った。

最善の選択をしたはずなのに……。「水を飲んでも害はないだろうか」「娘たちを屋外で遊ばせても大丈夫だろうか」「甲状腺がんが発症するのでは」などという健康面の不安が日々わき上がる。結婚や就職などで理不尽な思いをすることはないか。娘たちの将来を考えると罪悪感にさいなまれるという。

「そんな心配や苦労を娘たちが一生背負わされるかと思うと、産まなければよかったって思うんです。産んでごめんね、って」と母親は声を詰まらせた。 

Right after the accident, though she wanted to move outside of Fukushima prefecture, not wanting her daughters to have to transfer their schools and in consideration of her job, mortgage, and financial situation, she and her family gave-up evacuating and remained in their hometown. It was supposed to be the best option at the time....However, "is it harmful to drink the water?" "is it alright to let her daughters play outside?" "will they develop Thyloid cancer?," anxiety from worrying about health arises day after day. When she thinks about her daughters' future such as marriage and finding employment, she is tormented by feelings of guilt.
"such worry and hardship will be put on my daughters' shoulders, so I wish I never gave birth to them. I am sorry for giving birth" her voice breaks down with emotion.

What do you think about this?  How sad for her to say "I wish I never gave birth to my children." There are many children and teenagers who are still living in Fukushima where the radiation level has been measured as high as 0.6 micro Sieverts per hour or even higher. We need to help these children to evacuate from these areas as soon as possible.


If you would like to read the original Japanese blog, here is the URL:
http://www.nikkei.com/news/topic/article/g%3d96958A9C93819490E3E1E293E58DE3E1E3E0E0E2E3E39BE3E2E2E2E2%3bq%3d9694E2E1E2E4E0E2E3E3E4E6EAE2%3bp%3d9694E2E1E2E4E0E2E3E3E4E6E5E5%3bn%3d9694E2E1E2E4E0E2E3E3E4E6E5E6%3bo%3d9694E2E1E2E4E0E2E3E3E4E6E5E7?n_cid=DSTPCS006