Japan Earthquake

Japan Earthquake | Page 1556

Myth of nuclear safety sets back robotic research and development
Kyodo search.japantimes.co.jp "A major reason hampering research and development in Japan is the safety myth of nuclear power plants, experts say.

Nakamura said both the state and researchers feel uncomfortable about engaging in research for "military purposes" and "accidents at nuclear plants."

"While the state emphasizes the safety of nuclear plants to nearby residents, it does not encourage research into potential major accidents," he said.

A high-ranking ministry official, who declined to be named, said Tepco's influence in government circles has made it taboo to question its decisions.

"Tokyo Electric Power is too big, and the state is also sensitive to it. Research that Tokyo Electric Power hates can never be promoted."

"
by jt 6/9/2011 7:29:11 AM

Strontium Detected in Soil 62km from Fukushima N-Plant jen.jiji.com " The site 62 kilometers from the plant is in the city of Fukushima, the capital of the northeastern Japan prefecture."
by jt 6/9/2011 7:32:31 AM

Radiation leaking from Fukushima power plant should be monitored more closely

Residents of the Tokyo metropolitan area are becoming increasingly concerned about levels of radiation spreading to their neighborhoods from the tsunami-hit Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant. mdn.mainichi.jp "Municipal governments in Matsudo and five other cities in northwestern Chiba Prefecture requested the prefectural government to monitor radiation levels and release the results on the grounds that some data shows comparatively high levels of radiation in the area. The prefectural authorities complied, and conducted measurements of radiation levels in these cities."
by jt 6/9/2011 7:35:30 AM

BEHIND THE MYTH: Accident management proved inadequate at nuclear plant www.asahi.com "The obvious inability of TEPCO officials to face reality even after a serious nuclear accident has occurred shows that the roots that produced the safety myth are very deep. "
by jt 6/9/2011 7:52:29 AM

@jt Thank you for the news round up!
by Angie 6/9/2011 8:06:10 AM

@Angie At least one small piece of good news if the fisherman can stop release of radioactive water ...
by jt 6/9/2011 8:08:23 AM

hello to all
by Dean 6/9/2011 8:12:36 AM

by AustralianCannonball 6/9/2011 8:14:39 AM

@jt very true! @ Dean and AC HI!!!!
by Angie 6/9/2011 8:15:04 AM

@all Thanks for letting me post the video. I'm in a rush but may be back later.
by AustralianCannonball 6/9/2011 8:16:21 AM

@dean hi @all hi
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 8:22:05 AM

@elainekirk Morning honey!
by Angie 6/9/2011 8:25:18 AM

Hello how are you feeling today ?
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 8:25:52 AM

hi elaine...
by dean 6/9/2011 8:26:41 AM

@elainekirk Still a drunken salior.........back to Dr on Saturday morning lol
by Angie 6/9/2011 8:27:45 AM

Tepco and their intention to fling open the containment doors www.tepco.co.jp yesterday the gov said they were demanading an assessment of the enviromental impact by he 16th so Tepco carries on and opens the doors who is boss in Japan

by elainekirk 6/9/2011 8:36:52 AM

should I put the kettle on for coffee everybody seems tired
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 8:39:30 AM

it's a shame elaine...
by dean 6/9/2011 8:39:35 AM

I am still tired elaine.. I woke up and had a yogurt so I better rest some more ...
by dean 6/9/2011 8:40:00 AM

Yes @dean ty for popping in :)
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 8:40:38 AM

:)
by dean 6/9/2011 8:42:14 AM

@AustralianCannonball re your video message, and a bit offtopic, I was wondering Australia seems ideally suited for large scale solar energy, like they are planning in the Sahara desert. Is that something that is being seriously considered? imo Australia could easily make enough energy for its own needs using solar power.
en.wikipedia.org
and thanks for your messages, I think you are doing a great job.
by nls 6/9/2011 8:49:51 AM

morning all...
by trh 6/9/2011 9:07:11 AM

www.abc.net.au
this was updated few minutes ago
by trh 6/9/2011 9:09:29 AM

good morning @trh
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 9:41:41 AM

good morning Elaine. Almost time for coffee here.
by FradyKat 6/9/2011 9:45:14 AM

@fradycat g'morning @trh "The report also acknowledges there was insufficient communication between the government and the plant's operator." that is an understatement!!
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 9:55:45 AM

a priest on the government panel ,Sokyu Genyu speaks of the damage to lives
"In turn, people have believed in nature cleansing their souls. For example, some Japanese go for a swim in the sea on New Year's Day as a purification ritual.

"Mountains and oceans have purified us but now those mountains and oceans are contaminated," he said.

"We could see the very foundation for our religious beliefs break down, because it is no longer able to purify us."
Reuters www.reuters.com
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 10:17:48 AM

Strontium detected 62 kilometres from damaged Japan plant
www.monstersandcritics.com
by trh 6/9/2011 10:23:08 AM

Fukushima School Rule: Dosimeters for Kids
blogs.wsj.com
by trh 6/9/2011 10:55:12 AM

@hi all. I have been abroad for a week and are not up to date. So maybe you know this radio interview with Arnie Gundersen. But if not, this is a good one. youtu.be
by Mona 6/9/2011 10:57:11 AM

@mona sorry you were waiting am doing laundry and watching board at same time
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 10:58:05 AM

it has been suggested that the melt througoing underground could as well as the pollution cause a massive hydrogen explosion this is from English speaking bloggers in Japan and as a non techi I am hoping others can enlighten us
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 10:59:43 AM

i don't think that we will see large explosions anymore.
by trh 6/9/2011 11:02:25 AM

@elainekirk I have nothing else to complain about except that I will have to, the next month, cut down on the time I use here and on Fuku. ;) About explotions - Arnie Gundersen talks about this also in the interview - he see posibility for that happening. He sums up att that have happend, talks about every reactor, he covers everything in this interview, also radiation and contamination. This was very enlightning to me. I really am glad this man excists to give info about Fuku.
by Mona 6/9/2011 11:08:10 AM

@elainekirk Probably a good place to ask that question would be here: arstechnica.com Fukushima nuclear emergency
by jt 6/9/2011 11:11:06 AM

@mona I will save it to listen later I am unable to listen to things during the daytime :) ty
by elainekirk 6/9/2011 11:11:08 AM

Nuke worker speaks out about tsunami taboo

By North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy

Updated 8 minutes ago
Fukushima crisis: A former TEPCO engineer has told the ABC about the cover-ups he witnessed inside the stricken plant

Fukushima crisis: A former TEPCO engineer has told the ABC about the cover-ups he witnessed inside the stricken plant (AFP: Go Takayama)

Audio: Cover-ups common at Fukushima Plant (PM)
Related Story: Japan raises spectre of Fukushima 'melt-through'
Related Story: Japan running out of room for radioactive sewage
Related Story: Japan doubles radiation leak estimate
Related Story: Japan's PM survives no-confidence vote

A former worker at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan says the operator ignored warnings about a large tsunami hitting the facility. www.abc.net.au A former TEPCO engineer has spoken exclusively to the ABC about the cover-ups and collusion he witnessed inside the stricken plant.

Toshio Kimura worked at the Fukushima No.1 plant for 12 years.

"I asked my boss back in the late '90s what would happen if a tsunami hit the Fukushima reactors," he said.

"I said surely a meltdown will happen. He said 'Kimura, you are right'. But it was made clear that the issue of a big tsunami was taboo.

"A few years later I quit the company because of its culture of cover-ups."
by jt 6/9/2011 11:17:20 AM

Listen to the audio file on this page below: Audio: Cover-ups common at Fukushima Plant (PM) www.abc.net.au
by jt 6/9/2011 11:23:23 AM

@elainekirk There has been a lot of talk about that worst case scenario of the fuel melting through the RPV, through the CV, through the base mat and into the ground, but lets bare in mind that has never happened and there are no real tests that suggest that possibility. That assumption is highly speculative since evidence from real past nuclear accidents suggest otherwise, such as the case in TMI (where no RPV breach occurred after six hours of full exposure of nuclear fuel ).

What might or might not happen after the RPV is breached is highly unpredictable. One possible scenario that has been suggested by some computer models is that the core will cool down while in contact with water present inside the containment vessel and solidify in the bottom, not being able to reach the temperature required to melt through the steel and concrete containment (this is possibly the present case in Fukushima). Even if it did, there would still be a base mat on the bottom of the secondary containment that would prevent the molten core from further melting through towards the ground.

Eventually, nuclear scientists will learn a lot from the outcome of the Fukushima accident since there has never before been a full meltdown inside a reactor, only partial meltdowns. Lets wait and see what Fukushima has in store for us and try to refrain from panicking with speculative scenarios. There is nothing we can do about it anyway.
by Pedro Jesus 6/9/2011 11:31:16 AM

M 5.4 2011/06/09 10:38:34 36.408 140.842 11.3 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 5.1 2011/06/09 10:26:06 37.266 142.143 20.8 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
by jt 6/9/2011 11:35:35 AM

@Pedro Jesus In this interview Arnie Gundersen talks about possibility of explotion in reactor 3. And he says that if nr 4 should collapse, it's time to leave Japan. I don't think that is to create panic - I would have been very glad to know this if I lived in Tokyo. The interview is in 4 parts, it's the best I have headr
by Mona 6/9/2011 11:45:13 AM

@ I meant the best I have heard from A.G.
by Mona 6/9/2011 11:45:41 AM

@Mona I've seen some interviews with Arnie Gundersen and it's also important to understand his position. He's currently an anti-nuclear activist. He's analysing Fukushima from a worst case scenario perspective, meaning all he doesn't know he takes it to be a worst case scenario. His analysis is quite scientific and sound but it's also highly speculative and biased to a certain extent. You can't make a decision of reallocating 30 million people based on speculation. I'll check out that last interview you mentioned.
by Pedro Jesus 6/9/2011 11:52:24 AM