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where will he stay
after the tsunami ?
god of the hearth
This mask of the deity Kamagami is an important cultural property of Shiogama Town.
. Kamagami 釜神 The Hearth Deity
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Gabi reports:
Cloudy and humid, but no rain today.
In Kanto it was more than 38 degrees centigrade - summer heat is now beginning.
. . . . .
Kan criticized by members of his party
. The Political Situation . INFO .
. . . . .
Mount Shinmoe, the volcano in Kagoshima, erupted again this morning.
There was also an earthquake of M 4.1 in Kumamoto yesterday.
Kyushu seems to get active again.
And an earthquake M 3.3 in Kagawa, Shikoku, at 15:30 today.
. . . . .
Nishiyama Hidehiko, spokesman for NISA and regular on TV briefings since March 11 has been removed from his position, due to private problems (girlfriend trouble).
西山英彦審議官 shingikan
He is now 経済産業省の大臣官房審議官
The new spokesman will be Moriyama Yoshinori 森山善範.
(shingikan is Deputy Director-General).
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Bulletins from NHK Online
source : www3.nhk.or.jp
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 06:24
TEPCO finds minor leaks in reactor cooling system
Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, resumed the operation to cool damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on Tuesday. But it says it found minor water leaks in a newly-installed cooling system.
TEPCO said it traced the leak to a joint connecting plastic hoses near a pump injecting water. It also says 14 tons of recycled water and 2 tons of fresh water have been injected into the reactors per hour.
TEPCO's "circulating injection cooling" operation is designed to decontaminate radioactive wastewater in the reactor and turbine buildings and then use the treated water to cool the reactors.
The system stretching 4 kilometers is equipped with devices to filter radioactive material, oil and salt.
TEPCO believes the system holds the key to stabilizing the reactors and reducing the amount of contaminated water that is accumulating and threatening to overflow.
It halted the system after only 90 minutes on Monday when treated radioactive wastewater was found to have leaked from a joint connecting hoses. The joint was near a treatment tank.
TEPCO did not check the possibility of a water leak in starting the system on Monday.
The utility says it will continue to inject water while watching out for more leaks.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 06:24
Kan: Energy policy will be biggest election issue
Prime Minister Naoto Kan says he believes energy policy will become the biggest issue in the next general election.
Kan made the remark at a meeting of all the lawmakers of his Democratic Party on Tuesday. But he also indicated that he has no intention of dissolving the House of Representatives for a general election while he is in office.
Democratic Party Secretary General Katsuya Okada and Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda both dismissed the possibility of Kan dissolving the chamber for an election.
Some lawmakers of the Democratic Party and opposition parties say Kan must have made the remarks to caution those who want him to resign soon. But others say the Prime Minister may have a general election in mind, as a renewable energy bill may fail to clear the Diet.
Kan has been under pressure from opposition parties and members of his own party who criticize him for his handling of the reconstruction effort following the March 11th disaster and the Fukushima nuclear accident.
At Tuesday's meeting, Kan indicated that the enactment of the 2nd supplementary budget for fiscal 2011 and 2 key bills would become conditions for his possible resignation. One bill is designed to promote the use of renewable energy sources and another would allow the government to issue deficit-covering bonds. But many lawmakers suggested that Kan should resign soon.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 08:36
Radiation forecast data for health research
The Japanese government plans to help Fukushima Prefecture conduct health research for all local residents with estimates on the spread of radioactive substances from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
The Fukushima Prefectural Government is scheduled to conduct the research for more than 2 million residents of the prefecture.
Some experts say the level of residents' radiation exposure cannot be estimated precisely as no radiation data immediately after the March 11th accident is available due to blackouts at the plant.
The government's nuclear disaster taskforce now says it will provide data from its computer forecasting system, called SPEEDI.
SPEEDI predicts the spread of radioactive substances based on the levels of radiation observed in each area and forecasts of wind and other weather conditions.
The system will be used to calculate radiation levels in areas within 20 kilometers of the plant between March 12th and 18th. The calculation will be based on the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency's analysis of data on the timing and volume of radioactive substances released.
Data on radiation levels are expected to be released to the public around mid-July. The data will also be given to the National Institute of Radiological Sciences which is compiling estimates of radiation exposure.
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says the residents' exposure levels for the first week after the Fukushima accident will be clarified to a certain extent, by combining the presumed radiation levels and a survey of their activities.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 12:43
About 90 more homes to be encouraged to evacuate
About 90 more households around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are likely to be urged to evacuate due to high radiation levels in their areas.
The houses are in 3 districts in Date City not designated as evacuation zones but in areas where accumulated levels of radiation are expected to exceed the threshold of 20 millisieverts a year. Date is about 60 kilometers from the troubled plant.
The government is to consider designating which houses in these districts will need to be evacuated depending on local radiation levels.
Designated residents will receive state support for relocating, including the provision of substitute homes. On Tuesday night, officials explained the evacuation system to about 400 residents.
One resident asked whether households not recommended to evacuate will receive any public support. Another asked why there is no need for everyone in the districts to evacuate.
A 21-year-old mother said she feels the designation system is unfair, adding that she is full of anxiety about the possible impact of radiation on her child.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 14:42
Industry minister urges restart of nuclear plant
The mayor of Genkai town, western Japan, has indicated he will approve resumption of a nuclear power plant there.
Economy and industry minister Banri Kaieda asked the mayor of Genkai town, Hideo Kishimoto, to allow operations at a nuclear power plant there to restart. Kaieda visited the town in Saga Prefecture on Wednesday.
Kaieda said the Genkai nuclear power plant has implemented adequate measures to secure safety even in the event of a serious accident. He asked for the mayor's support in restarting operations, saying he knows that it's not an easy decision to make.
Kishimoto told Kaieda that he wants the government to keep a sharp eye on nuclear plants to secure safety and avoid human error.
After the meeting, the mayor told reporters that he believes the Genkai plant is well-prepared against earthquakes and tsunamis. He said he plans to approve resumption of its operation early next month.
This is Kaieda's first visit to a municipality housing a nuclear power plant since the March accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
His move comes amid growing concerns over nationwide power shortages. The operations of many nuclear reactors across Japan remain suspended since the accident, even though their safety checks have been completed.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 15:28
Joint SDF unit for disaster relief to be disbanded
Japan's Defense Ministry will disband a joint Self-Defense Forces unit that had been engaged in relief efforts following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.
The unit, which is composed of personnel from the Ground, Maritime and Air forces, is based in Sendai to deal with the extensive damage caused by the disaster.
It was the first time that a joint SDF unit was formed for relief operations in Japan.
The ministry said that efforts to search for the missing and to deliver supplies have been downsized 3 months after the quake. It added that there is now no difficulty with each arm of the Self-Defense Forces acting under its own command.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Naoto Kan gave Senior Vice Defense Minister Katsuya Ogawa approval to disband the unit.
The Defense Ministry says that ground troops will now carry out the core of relief efforts, with the focus on providing meals and baths.
(We saw a special about a group of OB, Old Boys from the SDF, who are now working as privates, so they can help individual homes to clean and repair.)
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 15:28
TEPCO restarts new cooling system
The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant restarted its new reactor cooling system on Wednesday after fixing faults in the hosing.
Tokyo Electric Power Company was forced to suspend the system's operation earlier in the day after plant workers detected water leaking from 2 holes in the hosing.
On Monday, TEPCO halted the system after 90 minutes of operation due to water leakage from a displaced joint connecting plastic hoses.
The system was restarted on Tuesday afternoon, but more leaks from another joint were found. After the series of leaks, TEPCO says it will look at ways to strengthen the system's hosing.
Also on Wednesday, workers found water leaking from a storage tank for decontaminated water. TEPCO says the leak stopped after about 2 hours. It is now investigating the cause.
The cooling system is designed to decontaminate radioactive wastewater accumulating at the plant and reuse the treated water to cool the reactors. The leaky tank is part of its devices to filter radioactive materials and salt.
TEPCO says the system holds the key to stabilizing the reactors and reducing the amount of contaminated water.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 16:10
Nuclear safety agency spokesperson replaced
Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has replaced its spokesperson over a scandal that was reported in the press.
Hidehiko Nishiyama had held daily media briefings since the troubles began at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March.
Nishiyama was reprimanded by Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Banri Kaieda last Thursday, the day the scandal surfaced in a weekly magazine.
Kaieda told Nishiyama the report gives the impression that he hasn't been concentrating on his job.
Nishiyama apologized and pledged to continue doing his best to end the nuclear crisis. He stepped down as agency spokesperson on Wednesday, and was removed to the ministry secretariat.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 16:11
Industrial output on the mend
Japan's industrial production rose 5.7 percent in May from the previous month, the second largest gain on record. This is due to the recovery of supply chains that were disrupted following the March 11th disaster.
On Wednesday, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said the index of output at for factories and mines stood at 88.8 against the base of 100 for 2005. ...
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 16:38
Tohoku Electric Co. vote down anti-nuke proposal
Shareholders of the Tohoku Electric Power Company in northeastern Japan have voted down a proposal to abandon nuclear power generation.
The vote was held at a meeting of about 1,300 of the utility's shareholders in Sendai City of Miyagi Prefecture on Wednesday.
A group of shareholders proposed having the firm's rules stipulate its withdrawal from nuclear power generation. The proposal was voted down by a majority.
The utility's Onagawa nuclear power plant has been suspended since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, and the firm's Higashidori plant is currently halted for a regular check.
Before the vote, President Makoto Kaiwa 海輪誠 said he takes the ongoing nuclear accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi plant very seriously. He said safety is secured at the Onagawa plant, whose operation was automatically stopped at the time of the disaster.
Kaiwa promised to take enough tsunami safety measures such as installing bulwarks at the 2 plants, and sought the shareholders' understanding of the plants' necessity.
Some shareholders said nuclear plants are too risky, one person said the Fukushima accident shows that no absolute safety exists, and another insisted on switching to renewable energy.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 16:57
Kaieda urges restart of nuclear plant
Japan's economy and industry minister has asked officials in the western prefecture of Saga to allow a nuclear power plant to resume operations after it underwent a regularly scheduled checkup.
Banri Kaieda met Saga Governor Yasushi Furukawa on Wednesday after visiting the mayor of Genkai town, where the nuclear power plant is located, earlier in the day.
Kaieda assured the governor that measures have been put in place to ensure the plant's safety in the case of a serious accident.
He said the government guarantees the safety of the plant's reactors, and asked for the prefecture's approval to resume operations. Furukawa said that he will make a decision based on the government's safety assurances, discussions with the prefectural assembly, and the view of people in Genkai.
The government would like to see the reactor resume operations because it is concerned about nationwide power shortages.
The crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has caused many municipalities to voice concern about resuming operations of local nuclear reactors after their regular safety checkups.
. . at 18:29
Municipalities cautious about restarting plants
Nearly 80 percent of Japanese municipalities with nuclear power plants have expressed caution about resuming operations of suspended reactors.
NHK asked 29 such municipalities except those in Fukushima Prefecture whether they would allow such resumptions. 28 responded.
5 municipalities said they would not do so for the time being, while 17 others said they cannot decide now.
Only 2 municipalities -- the western town of Genkai and the village of Kariwa in central Japan -- said they would do so soon.
21 percent of the respondents showed a positive attitude toward resuming operations.
Asked what they consider important in deciding on such resumptions, 64 percent cited local consent and 57 percent said adequate measures against earthquakes and tsunamis.
Most respondents said the central government should answer all of their questions responsibly and in plain terms.
Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency attributes the municipalities' concern to the enormous impact of the March 11th disaster.
The agency says it wants to explain to them that an accident like that in Fukushima could be avoided with appropriate measures.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 18:29
Municipalities cautious about restarting plants
Nearly 80 percent of Japanese municipalities with nuclear power plants have expressed caution about resuming operations of suspended reactors.
NHK asked 29 such municipalities except those in Fukushima Prefecture whether they would allow such resumptions. 27 responded.
5 municipalities said they would not do so for the time being, while 16 others said they cannot decide now. Only 2 municipalities -- the western town of Genkai and the village of Kariwa in central Japan -- said they would do so soon.
21 percent of the respondents showed a positive attitude toward resuming operations.
Asked what they consider important in deciding on such resumptions, 64 percent cited local consent and 57 percent said adequate measures against earthquakes and tsunamis.
Most respondents said the central government should answer all of their questions responsibly and in plain terms.
Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency attributes the municipalities' concern to the enormous impact of the March 11th disaster.
The agency says it wants to explain to them that an accident like that in Fukushima could be avoided with appropriate measures.
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Voices from around
. Daily Radiation Levels .
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Japan Times :
Shareholders hammer Tepco over nuclear fiasco
Tokyo Electric Power Co. faces a six-hour barrage of heavy flak from shareholders at their annual meeting, with management blasted over how it has handled the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a1.html
38 years of nuke profit up in smoke?
Tepco faces a potential damages bill exceeding its profits from nuclear power generation over a 38-year period beginning in 1970, the year it opened the Fukushima No. 1 plant, a study says.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a2.html
Kan hints at playing nuclear energy card
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a4.html
Noda critical of Kan's pick of LDP member for post
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a5.html
Reconstruction HQ holds first meet
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a6.html
U.S. envoy Roos visits hard-hit areas in Iwate
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a7.html
Water decontamination restarts, Fukushima
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629a8.html
Disaster-hit get marathon invite
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110629f2.html
Bonito catch arrives at Miyagi port
A fish haul was landed Tuesday at Kesennuma port in Miyagi Prefecture for the first time since it was devastated by the quake and tsunami in March, marking key progress in rebuilding the fishing-dependent city.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nb20110629a1.html
Fisheries get quake restoration plan
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nb20110629a2.html
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