Stardom is often fleeting for aspiring idols, but for Cocoro Fujinami, the fading interest she has seen is particularly frustrating.
Stardom is often fleeting for aspiring idols, but for Cocoro Fujinami, the fading interest she has seen is particularly frustrating. At just 14 years old, Fujinami was propelled into the spotlight as a star of the anti-nuclear movement, a junior high school student whose popularity became comparable to those of members of ubiquitous girl group AKB48. But now, three years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami caused the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Fujinami feels the issue of nuclear power generation has lost its importance in Japan. “People of my generation often tell me, ‘Are you still calling for a nuclear-free society?’ or ‘Don’t you think that the issue is old?’” she said. “I feel anxiety when I hear those remarks.” Fujinami said she will continue to spread her anti-nuclear views although she realizes that fewer people are now listening to her words. She received quite the opposite reaction after the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant started unfolding in March 2011. Back then, as a so-called B-grade idol performing mainly in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, she wrote on her blog a thought that occurred to her: “Everybody says that the accident was beyond the scope of imagination. But I think that, concerning nuclear power plants, an accident beyond the scope of imagination must never occur because it causes such enormous damage.” Fujinami was then a relatively unknown second-year junior high school student from Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, who had posed as a gravure model and appeared in film. But after her anti-nuclear posting, her blog rose to the top rankings among idols and other TV personalities. About 15,000 comments were posted in response to her opinion: “In the case of a nuclear accident, the people concerned cannot fix the situation no matter how hard they work. That’s why we must make our society nuclear-free.” Sixty to 70 percent of the comments supported her view. However, others criticized and even insulted the teenager. One post said she was overly “sentimental.” Others accused her of commenting on something she knew very little about. Another comment read, “What you are doing is a fatuous publicity stunt.” Recalling those comments, Fujinami said: “I was mentally shocked and became reclusive. But I disclosed those comments (on my blog) one by one, hoping that they would activate discussions.” Her blog did fuel debate on nuclear energy. And those opposed to nuclear power were quick to lionize the student. Fujinami was invited to speak and sing at a number of rallies, and she was referred to as the “Joan of Arc” of the anti-nuclear movement. However, in the three years since the nuclear disaster started, Fujinami feels that other topics are taking precedence. She wrote on Twitter, “Before (the reactors at) the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant cool down, Japanese people’s interest in nuclear issues have cooled down.” The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears intent on restarting idled nuclear reactors while attention has turned to his efforts to revive the economy and strengthen Japan’s security posture. Fujinami said that even her anti-nuclear friends have recently been saying, “The establishment of a nuclear-free society is important, but … .” She said their words add to her frustration. “(Hearing those remarks,) I feel that although the issues concerning the Constitution or the consumption tax are also important, a nuclear accident blows away all those issues,” Fujinami said. She said the “tangled strings” of society have become more tangled, and that society is confused on the definition of real happiness and affluence. She recalled the discomfort she felt three years ago when people commented on her anti-nuclear actions. “You are great despite being only 14 years old,” “You can become a politician,” and “I want you to abolish nuclear power plants as soon as possible.” Fujinami said reaching her goal will require a much wider effort. “Not only I but also everyone should make efforts (to create a nuclear-free society),” she wrote on Twitter.