Since 3/11 in 2011, the Government of Japan has been faced with some recommendations to improve the human rights situation regarding victims of Fukushima nuclear accidents from international human rights bodies which were established on the human rights treaties to which Japan is a State Party.For instance, The Committee on Social and Cultural Rights expressed its concen with the unfulfilled specific needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, such as older persons, persons with disabilities, and women and children, as well as the lack of transparency and disclosure of necessary information regarding the safety of nuclear power installations (2013). The Human Rights Committee on Civil and Political Rights was concerned with the situation on returning to (un)decontaminated areas (2014). Some independent rapporteurs also visited Japan to research the human rights situation after Fukushima nuclear accident. Especially in his report to the UN Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteur on the right of health, Anand Grover recommended Japan to take some steps to improve the situation regarding the rights of health(2012).Unfortunately, Japan is not a State Party to any optional protocol which provides for an individual communication procedure. In this situation, at first it is important to ensure that the Government of Japan responds squarely those recommendations coming from state reporting system and realizes them in good faith. Secondly, it is crucial to explore how to make use of them in the national implementation of international human rights such as lawsuit in Japanese courts.
Toshinori Yamada (Thu,) studied this question.