FUKUSHIMA -- A large artwork in front of a culture and education facility in Fukushima has invited a chorus of criticism by local residents because it depicts a person wearing what looks like protective gear against nuclear contamination.
"Sun Child," a 6.2-meter-tall statue created by contemporary artist Kenji Yanobe,
was recently set up at the facility, called Komukomu, by the Fukushima city government. Fukushima Prefecture was hit by a serious nuclear plant disaster after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The city office has explained that the meaning of the statue is to keep the memories of the disaster alive, but many fear it may reinforce negative misperceptions that the prefecture has tried to shake off.
"I will listen to the residents' opinions carefully and consider what to do [with the statue]," Fukushima Mayor Hiroshi Kohata announced Monday.
"Sun Child" shows a boy clad in yellow attire that looks like protective clothing. A radioactivity measurement instrument attached on the chest shows "000."
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