Fukushima 123... 10/18/19 - 1/24/20

January 24, 2020

The latest monthly data on Fukushima evacuee compensation has been posted. https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-evacuee-compensation-payments.html

The 2020 Olympic Torch relay will include Futaba. While the entire town is currently under a Tokyo-mandated evacuation order, part of it is scheduled to be re-opened on March 4^th. The route was approved by Fukushima’s torch relay committee on Wednesday and will pass through 25 Fukushima municipalities before it leaves the prefecture for the other 46 prefectures of the island nation. Fukushima governor Masao Uchibori said that adding Futaba Town to the route sends a strong positive message to people inside and outside Japan. Both of F. Daiichi’s host towns -- Futaba and Okuma -- will now be part of the pre-Olympic mega-marathon of relays for the torch. The Olympic torch will arrive in Japan March 20th in Ishinomaki, and pass through Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures by train before arriving at the J-Village. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200123_31/ -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2020012300706 -- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200118/p2g/00m/0sp/034000c
On January 17th, Tokyo decided to lift evacuation orders for parts Futaba, Okuma, and Tomioka Towns. This marks the first time lifting restrictions for any part of Futaba has been considered. It will positively affect 229 former residents in 75 households, and the new JR Joban train station. The Futaba restrictions will cease on March 4^th, while sections of Okuma and Tomioka will experience the same on March 5^th and 10^th, respectively. Minister Kazunori Tanaka of the Reconstruction Agency said that this is a major step forward for Fukushima reconstruction and serves to refute unfounded rumors. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/evacuation-orders-for-futaba-okuma-tomioka-towns-to-be-partially-lifted-in-march-with-jr-joban-line-to-be-completely-reopened-for-service/
10 kilograms of Fukushima’s specialty persimmons have been shipped to the United Arab Emirates. This is the first export of the fruit outside Japan since the March 2011 nuke accident. The dried fruit is a favorite in the UAE. The Japan Agricultural Cooperatives and Fukushima government hopes this will be a stepping stone for other Middle Eastern markets. Additionally, several hundred kilograms of the fruit is planned to be shipped to Thailand this winter. 1,231 tons were shipped from the Prefecture in 2010. The crop totaled 930 tons in 2018. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=987
A Fukushima farming couple hopes to spur recovery with milk from Jersey cattle. Their farm in Samegawa Village is 100 kilometers from F. Daiichi. But, its reputation has been stigmatized because it is located in Fukushima Prefecture. The Jerseys are from a breed specific to the British Channel Islands and are known for a high-quality milk, rich in crème. The farm is run by Daisuke and Nana Shimizu. Daisuke says, "We want to be a symbol, a model, for children...who want to try their hand at dairy farming or agriculture." Jersey milk is a specialty since 99% of Japan’s milk comes from holsteins. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/01/96f471346bf5-hold-farm-feature-with-google-map.html
The IAEA focuses on the importance of the NRA’s nuclear energy communication. On January 21, an eight-day mission by the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS), a team of experts sent by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ended. Team leader Ramsey Jamal, vice president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), said Japan has made “quite significant improvement” in nuclear safety since the last IRRS visit, four years ago. One area stressed was improving training for regulatory inspectors and facilitating access to nuclear stations. However, Jamal added, “Although the independence of the regulatory body (i.e. the Nuclear Regulation Authority) should never be impaired, its communication with the industry contributes to nuclear safety” and could be improved. NRA Chairman Toyoshi Fuketa thanked the IRRS and said, “…neglecting continuous improvement would never be allowed.” https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/finishing-mission-in-japan-iaeas-irrs-points-out-importance-of-nras-communicating-with-nuclear-industry/
Tepco expands its 40 years estimate for F. Daiichi decommissioning to 44 years. The revised schedule has four stages: 10 years for the first stage, 12 years for the second stage and 11 years each for the third and fourth stages. The first stage will focus on surveying radioactive contamination, the second on clearing equipment around the four damaged units, the third on the removal of the reactors, and the fourth on demolishing the reactor buildings. Tepco will submit its new plans to the Nuclear Regulation Authority after getting approval from the municipal governments of Tomioka and Naraha, as well as the Fukushima Prefectural Government. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/01/23/national/tepco-fukushima-decommissioning/#.Xinx9DJKiUl
The head of the NRA defends its safety assessment of Ikata nuclear station, despite the recent Hiroshima High Court ruling that ordered closure of unit #3. The court said the unit’s operation poses an undue danger to local residents, and the NRA underestimated the impact of the eruption of a volcano some 130 kilometers away. NRA Chairman Toyoshi Fuketa defended the Ikata unit #3 safety assessment, but said he has no intention of interfering with the court's decision. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200123_13/

January 3, 2020

The Tokyo Education Ministry is surveying the need for radiation education in schools. Indications suggest that the need to teach the subject is waning! The subject of radiation had not been included in science classes at the junior high school level for about 30 years, prior to the 2011 nuke accident. Almost immediately, the number of schools teaching about radiation literally sky-rocketed. Fukushima University Professor Katsuhiko Yamaguchi says efforts to teach children about radiation have been declined over the past few years. The ministry will canvas some 4,500 schools to compile the data specific to need. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_04/
Japan hopes Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit will ease the ban on Japanese food. Currently, bans on agricultural, forestry, fish, and other food products from some Japanese prefectures continue unabated. The stated reason is possible F. Daiichi accident contamination. Statistics show that only 0.1% of all these products have failed Japan’s extremely low standrds since 2015!

December 27, 2019

Actual monitoring of radioactive Cesium in the environment shows theoretical models overestimate effective half-life. Theoretical modeling does not account for the mitigating impact of either wind and water erosion, or soil sedimentation on the ground. Thirty-five monitors recorded radioactivity levels in Fukushima Prefecture from April 2012 through December 2018, showing that the actual half-life for the Cesium isotopes remaining in the effective environment is less than half of what the theoretical models predicted. (The abstract of the study is freely available. The full report is behind a pay wall… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31703017)
Tokyo reduces the number of ways to safely dispose of stored, treated F. Daiichi wastewater down to three. On December 23^rd, an Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE) committee presented the three most reasonable scenarios, all of which involve environmental release… Off-shore release to the sea, “vapor” release, and/or a combination of the two. Scientific analysis has shown that if the more than 1million tons of the purified water is disposed in any of these fashions, general radiation exposures will be 1/1000 of natural background for Japan. These figures were gleaned from an evaluation by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Other disposal methods were largely hypothetical and dropped from the list of possibilities. Japan’s government and the largely radiophobia-oriented Press cater to ungrounded fears and rumors that the fishing industry believes will ruin their business. The problem is the existence of biologically-innocuous Tritium… a weakly radioactive isotope of hydrogen included in the water molecules of the waste liquids. (See “Background Information on Tritium”, on this website… https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/background-information-on-tritium.html) Attempts by Tokyo and Japan’s nuclear industry have been unable to quell the rampant paranoia. The Industry Ministry will use the ANRE report as a basis for an final decision on disposal. The international Press has used the announcement to allege that the release will be worse than reported, fueling antinuclear sentiment around the world. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/anre-committee-clarifies-options-for-treated-contaminated-water-at-fukushima-daiichi-npps-viewing-both-offshore-and-vapor-release-favorably/ -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_18/ -- https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-gov't-proposes-fukushima-water-release-to-sea-or-air -- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/world/asia/japan-fukushima-nuclear-water.html
F. Daiichi unit #1’s stored nuclear fuel bundles will be transferred to the onsite spent fuel storage facility after the cover over the damaged building is completed. There are currently 292 used (spent) bundles and 100 unused stored in the unit’s Spent Fuel Pool (SFP). Tepco and Tokyo agree that the least problematic approach to transferring the bundles is completing the massive cover over the upper portion of the Reactor Building. President Akira Ono of the Fukushima Daiichi Decontamination & Decommissioning Engineering Company said, “As residents are increasingly returning to their homes in Okuma, the debris removal will be carried out even more carefully.” He also addressed the plans for removal of the fuel debris for unit #2, but the announcement of the unit #1 enclosure dominated popular Press coverage. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/fuel-removal-from-fukushima-daiichi-1-npp-large-cover-to-be-installed-first/
Tokyo announced that removing fuel bundles from F. Daiichi units #1 and #2 will be delayed. After reviewing the decommissioning timetable for the first time in two years, it was decided that bundle removal for unit #2 will begin no sooner than 2024, and unit #1 no sooner than 2027. The start dates have been moved back due to concerns about the spreading of radioactive dust during the fuel bundle transfers to on site ground-level storage. Why they are concerned about dust dispersal from unit #2 is a mystery, considering there was no hydrogen explosion and the reactor building is essentially undamaged! https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_15/ -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019122700337
The Nuclear Regulation Authority inspected the interior of F. Daiichi unit #3 on December 12^Th.The event was captured on video, but was not shown to the Press until today (the 27^th). The team entered on the ground floor and progressed up through the third floor. They could get no further because the stairway up to the fourth floor was destroyed by the hydrogen explosion of March 14, 2011. The highest radiation level found by the NRA team was 150 millisieverts per hour. They observed considerable severe damage to the building’s beams and air ducts, which seemed to surprise none of the team. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_02/ -- http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201912270035.html
Used Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel bundles will be removed during the Ikata unit #3 refueling, and the Press treats it as newsworthy! Ikata #3 was shut down yesterday for a refueling and maintenance outage. 37 used fuel bundles will be removed from the vessel beginning in January, and 16 of the spent bundles are MOX. Five new MOX bundles will be among those replacing the used bundles. The only reason this reporter can envision for the Press coverage is because MOX contains recycled Plutonium-239 in the fuel matrix, and this is the first time any such fuel has been used to the point of needing replacement since Japan began including MOX bundles in 2010. Once again, Japan’s Press caters to unfounded fears concerning nuclear energy. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191226/p2g/00m/0dm/038000c
Blanket radio-isotopic scanning of Fukushima beef will soon end. Instead, there will be random sampling of beef from cattle born within the last six years. Why? Because detailed scanning of beef has shown nothing detectible for more than six years! At least one animal will be checked per year for each farm not inside of "difficult-to-return" zones (where detectible contamination is considered possible). The decision will be formally approved next month. Japan’s limit for radioactivity in beef is 500 Becquerels per kilogram of meat. Regardless of the facts, 46% of the consumers want some form of testing. A meat distribution official said, “It seems that many consumers only trust products that have passed inspections." http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201912240049.html

December 20, 2019

The most recent Fukushima evacuee pay-out figures have been posted here... https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-evacuee-compensation-payments.html

The evacuation order for Futaba is on the verge of being partially lifted. National and local officials will make a final decision next week. In addition to Futaba’s order being partially lifted, two areas near train stations in Tomioka’s Yomiuri District will also be re-opened at the same time. Tomioka Mayor Koichi Miyamoto said, "We'd like many people to visit our town safely. We'll do our best to achieve the goal of lifting evacuation orders in all of the places designated as 'difficult-to-return' zones." The total area affected by this change will be only 4% in Futaba Town, but Tokyo and Fukushima Prefecture have long pointed to it as key to local revitalization because of critically-located train stations on the Joban Line. One caveat is that former residents of the Hamano and Morotake districts may have to wait until 2022 to be allowed to repopulate because of planned water supply upgrades. Now, all eleven municipalities that had Tokyo-mandated evacuations have had at least a portion of the restriction relaxed. Seven of them still have portions with off-limits restrictions in-place. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191220_26/ -- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191220/p2a/00m/0na/018000c -- http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201912200060.html -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019122000621
Tepco has decided to encase the demolished upper portion of reactor building No. 1 at F. Daiichi. The dimensions will be 65 meters high, with a length of 65 meters and a width of 50 meters. This means that all reactor buildings of units #1 through #4 will be totally encased for the full tenure of decommissioning. In addition to virtually eliminating the possibility of scattering dust during decommissioning work, it will also greatly reduce the influx of rainwater into the remaining lower portion of the structure. Thus, the build-up of contaminated waste water will be lowered. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191220_12/
Tepco stopped the removal of the upper half of F. Daiichi exhaust chimney #1 on Sunday, and then restarted the work on Monday. It was decided to remove the upper 60 meters of the internally-contaminated stack for units #1&#2 back in August, but so far only about 9 meters of it has been cut off. The reason for the stoppage was reported as faster–than-expected wear on the blade of the removal saw. The Nuclear Regulation Authority advised Tepco to improve its cutting methods and procedures, then resume working. Resumption occurred on Monday. The NRA cautioned that more problems could happen because this is the first time a chimney of this height has been demolished. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191216_10/ -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191216_35/
Yamagata District Court orders Tepco to pay additional damages to five re-located plaintiffs. Originally, 734 evacuees who fled from outside Tokyo’s mandated evacuation zones had sued Tepco for about $73 million in damages. But, the court reduced the company’s outlay to about $4,000. In addition, the Tokyo government was absolved of liability. Presiding Judge Nobuyuki Kaihara said, "The consolation money sought does not exceed what they have already been paid by Tokyo Electric," and “there was a limit” on the degree of damage caused by the March, 2011 tsunami. Further, the court said, "we cannot conclude that the company committed gross negligence. Practically speaking, it is difficult to say that the firm could have implemented rational controls (at the plant) to prevent an accident." The head of the plaintiff’s legal team said, “The ruling was a result that betrayed our expectations”. An appeal is anticipated. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191218/p2a/00m/0na/006000c

December 13, 2019

An appeal for a Bikini H-bomb “survivors” lawsuit is dismissed! Takamatsu High Court has upheld a lower court ruling that rejected a claim by former Japanese tuna fishermen and their relatives for compensation over the 1954 Bikini Atoll hydrogen bomb tests. 29 plaintiffs demanded about $400,000 for Tokyo allegedly hiding radiation exposure records. Takamatsu High Court Presiding Judge Takahisa Masuda said, "It's unrecognizable that the government decided to hide the records and maintained its intention." In other words, there is no evidence to support the contention of the suit. (While not a Fukushima item, the decision could affect future Fukushima “survivor” claims.) https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019121201116
Tokyo starts to dismantle the former Fukushima Prefecture Nuclear Emergency Response Center in Okuma. Located 5 kilometers from F. Daiichi, some 100 local officials gathered there for four days to plan and coordinate efforts to mitigate the nuclear crisis. However, the facility was found to be insufficiently hardened against the influx of atmospheric radioactivity and had to be abandoned. It has sat empty and desolate ever since. Though it sits within an existing evacuation zone, Tokyo decided to demolish the structure anyway. The order is expected to end in the spring of 2022. The building has represented the poor planning for a severe nuke accident for nearly nine years, but is being razed as part of Okuma being designated a local revitalization base area. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=983
Evacuees from the F. Daiichi host towns doubt the decommissioning time table. More than two dozen residents of Okuma and Futaba attended a Tepco/Industry Ministry tour of the nuke station last weekend. After the tour, several people said the 40-year timeline for decommissioning seemed to be little more than wishful thinking. Others complained that the station is a technological burden they don’t want to leave to their descendants. The event was intended to dispel false rumors, but the result was disappointing. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=984
An International Forum on Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy was held on Tokyo. The event was held on December 4^th, sponsored by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Panel discussions with domestic and foreign experts highlighted the one-day session. Topics included future challenges and possible measures for improving nonproliferation and security. The meeting was actually caused by Japan’s national concern with respect to nuclear terrorism. The first panel had Kenichi Tsuchiya of the National Research Institute for Police Science give two examples of “nuclear terrorism” possibly directed at large-scale public events: dirty bombs and silent source attacks (not using explosives). Also in the first panel, Roger Howsley of the World Institute for Nuclear Security emphasized the importance of “effective resource distribution” and “cooperation beyond national borders.” The second session featured four international experts. Topics included international framework for response, having sufficient human resources to combat nuclear terrorism, and the need for objective education to prevent unreasonable public panic. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/jaea-holds-international-forum-on-peaceful-use-of-nuclear-energy-nuclear-non-proliferation-and-nuclear-security/

December 6, 2019

F. Daiichi corium removal is scheduled to begin with unit #2 in late 2021. Corium is the resolidified mixture of nuclear fuel and other in-core metals that are liquefied during a meltdown. The Tokyo task force on decommissioning made the announcement on Monday. It was based on the findings of the government’s Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation. The major reason for choosing to start with unit #2 is that it did not have a cataclysmic explosion, thus conditions internal to the still-intact reactor building are better understood than with the three units that did have hydrogen blasts which compromised structural integrity. Also, robotic inspection of the corium debris bed shows it to be pebble-like, which will facilitate scooping it up for removal. The physical condition of the corium beds in the other two units is speculative. Further, unit #2 internal radiation levels are considerably lower than units #1 & #3, making it easier to establish a confident corium removal schedule. In addition, the taskforce said the removal of fuel bundles from unit #3 Spent Fuel Pool is steadily proceeding and should be completed in March, 2021. SFP removal should begin with units #1 & #2 in 2023. All Fuel bundles from Unit #4 have been removed from the SFP and safely stored in ground-level casks. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191202_13/ -- https://japantoday.com/category/national/fukushima-melted-fuel-removal-begins-2021-end-state-unknown -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019120200199 -- http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201912020055.html
None of the 77 fish taken within 20 kilometers of F. Daiichi had more than national standard internal contamination. The limit is 100 Becquerels per Kilogram of total radioactive Cesium. None of the 72 fish caught outside the F. Daiichi port breakwall contained any detectible Cesium 134… the so-called fingerprint isotope for accident-released radioactivity. Only 2 of the five taken from inside the breakwall contained barely detectible amounts of the CS-134 isotope. https://www7.tepco.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/handouts_191125_03-e.pdf -- https://www7.tepco.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/handouts_191125_04-e.pdf
Tepco has posted pictures of the dismantling of the upper portion of the F. Daiichi units #1&#2 exhaust stack. The stack was damaged by the unit #1 hydrogen explosion and had to be removed for worker safety considerations. The inside of the stack is heavily contaminated, so workers must wear full anti-contamination garb with facemasks. https://photo.tepco.co.jp/en/date/2019-e/201912-e/191203-01e.html -- https://photo.tepco.co.jp/en/date/2019-e/201912-e/191204-01e.html
On Wednesday, Greenpeace reported finding “hot spots” in Fukushima’s J-Village. Specifically, in a parking lot near the starting point of the Olympic torch relay starting point. The Greenpeace readings were from October 26^th. Though the environmental activist group said they reported it to Tokyo, but had received no response. To the contrary, the Environment Ministry says the location has been decontaminated following the Greenpeace alert! After the “alert”, Tokyo had Tepco survey the location and found a radiation level of 1.8 microsieverts per hour (mSv/hr) at one meter above the ground. This is one-half Japan’s limit for rate of exposure which allows human occupancy. Regardless, Tepco performed decontamination procedures, reducing the level down to 0.44 mSv/hr. However, Greenpeace doesn’t believe Tepco and wants fresh readings and continued clean-up efforts. Greenpeace says they will soon return to the J-Village to “determine if subsequent decontamination attempts have been adequately conducted.” https://japantoday.com/category/national/radiation-'hot-spots'-near-olympic-torch-relay-in-fukushima-greenpeace -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191205_18/ -- https://in.reuters.com/article/olympics-2020-radiation/radiation-hot-spots-found-at-tokyo-2020-torch-relay-start-greenpeace-idINKBN1Y80TT
Another successful nuclear evacuation drill occurs in southwestern Japan. The accident scenario centered on Genkai unit #4. About 18,000 people live on 17 remote islands within 30 kilometers of the unit. Hypothetically, a worst-case accident could compel Tokyo to mandate evacuation of all islanders. In this drill, an Ise helicopter destroyer of the Maritime Self Defense Force participated, evacuating volunteers from and island in Karatsu. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019113000331
Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama says Japan will continue using coal-fired (thermal) power plants. They will do this to minimize the need to restart and operate perfectly good nuclear units. Kajiyama explained this will necessitate Japan continuing use of pollution-producing coal gas, and oil burning units, as well as developing new alternatives. This despite the United Nation’s Environment Programme urging Japan to halt the construction of new coal-fired power plants, in its most-recent report. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191203_31/

November 29, 2019

Onagawa unit #2 is approved for restart by the NRA (Nuclear Regulation Authority). Onagawa station is the nuke in closest proximity to the epicenter of 2011 earthquake. It is the second Boiling Water Reactor design to be approved by the NRA, behind Tokai unit #2. Because Onagawa #2 is a BWR and located nearest the 2011 quake’s epicenter (~100 kilometers), the NRA has been exceedingly cautious about restart permission, even though the 2011 natural calamity resulted in essentially no damage to the 3 systems at the station. The station was hit by a 13-meter tsunami in March 2011, but it had been built nearly 15 meters above sea level and was not inundated with seawater. Regardless, a hypothetical tsunami of 23 meters is considered to be possible, so a massive seawall of 29 meters has been constructed, surrounding the station. In addition, extraordinary testing has been done to predict the worst-case quake for the local geology. Now that the regulatory hurdle has been surmounted, the regulator will solicit opinions from the local public. The governor of Miyagi Prefecture, Yoshihiro Murai, says he believes the NRA made a very strict assessment, but has stopped short in extending his official permission for restart. He is awaiting the findings of a local safety panel and the inputs provided by the NRA solicitation of local opinions before making his final decision. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/nra-issues-draft-review-report-onagawa-2-meets-new-regulatory-standards/ -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191127_22/ -- https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/11/7c1757918eaf-nuclear-watchdog-approves-restart-of-reactor-hit-by-2011-tsunami.html -- http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201911270077.html -- https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0006191887?fp=95dfb4f0b9d54faef90ba40e59569102 -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191127_38/
The Reconstruction Agency announces that Fukushima’s Nakodori Innovation coastline will be home to several global industry-academia-government cooperation bases. Three reasons for the plan are (1) Nakadori's reconstruction is the responsibility of the Tokyo government, (2) it is the responsibility of Japan to share lessons learned from the Fukushima accident to the world at-large, and (3) similar nuclear energy-related facilities abroad are state-run entities (e.g. Chernobyl in the Ukraine and Hanford in the United States). This Tokyo-run institution will focus on remote control of robots used in decommissioning nuclear reactors and nurturing specialists who study radiation. The Innovation Coast initiative is a national project under the Act on Special Measures for the Reconstruction and Revitalization of Fukushima. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=981
Japan’s nuke restarts have measurably reduced the nation’s CO₂ emissions. Japan’s emissions fell 9.9 percent over the five-year period that started in FY13. Sector-by-sector reductions have been 2.5% in industrial, 3% in energy production, 6.5 % in business, and 16% in transportation. While not all reductions can be attributed to nuke restarts, there is no doubt that they were a major contributor. The data was compiled and released by the Japan Business Federation. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/keidanren-japans-commitment-to-low-carbon-society-shows-npp-restarts-helped-reduce-co2-emissions-in-fiscal-2018/
Nuclear-naive Pope Francis wants to abolish nuclear energy. While visiting Japan this week, the Pope called for japan to break free of its nuclear reliance. He cited concern for future generations as his main reason, “As we think about the future of our common home, we need to realize that we cannot make purely selfish decisions and that we have a great responsibility to future generations”. He added, “Important decisions will have to be made about the use of natural resources, and future energy sources in particular.” He dubbed the 2011 natural calamity a “triple disaster”, then lamented, “Our first word will be one of prayer for the more than 18,000 people who lost their lives, for their families and for those who are still missing, Some of those who lived in the affected areas now feel forgotten by others, and many must face ongoing problems: contaminated land and forests and the long-term effects of radiation.” He believes the abolition of nukes would be sensible! http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201911250073.html -- http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201911250073.html
Tepco speculates that rainwater from an F. Daiichi exhaust stack may be leaking into the groundwater. A 120 meter chimney was contaminated by the March 2011 radioactive releases. Rainwater collected inside the chimney has been ducted to a “box” and held there until it fills sufficiently to cause automatic transfer to wastewater storage tanks. But, water level inside the “box” has been dropping without the automatic transfer. Tepco suspects that the box may have developed holes, allowing some of the contaminated rainwater to leak out. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191128_13/
The NRA says the March 2011attempt to depressurize the F. Daiichi unit #2 Reactor Building failed. The regulator also said says it believes the venting was not conducted as planned due to unknown reasons. The conclusion is based on examinations of piping that was part of the depressurization system, and no contamination was found on the interior. This is the same conclusion previously rendered by Tepco. Although it is obvious that the unplanned depressurization was due to the mysterious opening of the large blow-out panel on the side of the structure, the NRA maintains they have yet to determine the cause of the depressurization. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191129_01/
South Korea demands accurate information relative to the possible release of treated, stored wastewater at F. Daiichi. South Korean Environment Minister Cho Myung-rae made the request to Japan’s new Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. Koizumi said Japan has already held a briefing session for diplomats about the matter, but stressed to Cho that Japan will continue to provide information carefully. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019112300520

November 22, 2019

The latest data for Fukushima evacuee compensation payments has been posted… https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-evacuee-compensation-payments.html

On Monday, Tokyo said releasing Fukushima wastewater to the sea will be safe. Specifically, the impact would be “significantly small”. The source of the announcement was the Industry Ministry. The ministry said the release will primarily consist in Tritium, the essentially harmless isotope of Hydrogen. Because Tritium is mildly radioactive, release of the more than one millions tons of the purified liquid has not been allowed due to groundless radiophobic concerns. The Ministry says radiation levels near the release point will be between 0.052 and 0.62 microsieverts at sea and roughly 1.3 microsieverts in the atmosphere. Compared with the 2,100 microsieverts that Japanese are naturally exposed to each year, there will be no measurable health consequences to anyone! As could be expected, the announcement was challenged by opposition officials and the Republic of South Korea. Officially, the government has yet to decide whether or not to actually permit the release to the sea. The announcement was intended to show a committee set up to study options for disposal of the water that a release to the sea would be harmless. The message was formally presented to the embassies of 19 countries in the western Pacific region on Thursday. Concurrently, Tepco told the embassies that the wastewater has been, and will continue to be treated appropriately. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/11/69b8ea68fa78-govt-says-safe-to-release-contaminated-fukushima-water-into-ocean.html -- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191118/p2g/00m/0dm/048000c -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019111801000 -- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191121/p2g/00m/0fp/081000c -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019112100924
The reality of the massive volume of Fukushima wastewater was shared with Tokyo on Monday. Tepco said there are currently more than 1,170,000 tons of "treated" waters in tanks at Fukushima Prefecture’s F. Daiichi station. The waters will contain about 860 trillion Becquerels of Tritium-based activity by the end of this year. 150 tons of water is added to this every day. Tepco also announced hypothetical disposal plans based on release to the ocean. The proposed methodical release would remove 51 trillion Becquerels of activity per year. All wastewaters would be disposed by 2041. These estimates were submitted to the Industry Ministry by the Agency for Natural Resources & Energy (ANRE). The subject of unfounded fears and rumors was also addressed by Professors Ryota Koyama of Fukushima University and Hiroshi Kainuma of Ritsumeikan University. Tepco also said that if disposal does not occur, space on the F.Daiichi station property will be filled in the summer of 2022. https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/tepco-announces-timeline-for-storage-and-disposal-of-treated-contaminated-water-at-fukushima-daiichi/ -- http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201911180042.html
The estimated cost of Japan’s heightened safety standards has been more than $50 billion. This was according to the Mainichi Shimbun. Prior to Tokyo’s 2013 upgrade in safety requirements, the total safety expenditures were less than $1 billion. Of the 11 utilities with nuke plants, Tepco has spent the most at around $1 billion, largely in the effort to restart two units at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa station. Meiji University’s Tadahiro Katsuta says, "Countermeasures against accidents being taken now should've been considered before the (2011 Fukushima Daiichi) nuclear accident. The sharp increase in costs is the result of the firms' failure to do what was necessary." https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191116/p2a/00m/0na/004000c
Most work at Tepco nuke plants will be suspended during next summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games. Efforts to restart two Kashiwazaki-Kariwa units will be completely suspended. In addition, decommissioning work at the two Fukushima stations will be limited. Tepco says this will be done to assuage heightened terrorist concerns. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191117_02/

November 15, 2019

Niigata Prefecture holds its first nuke evacuation drill in five years. Niigata is home to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear station, the world’s largest by output (seven units with a nearly 8,000 MWe combined capacity). It is owned by Tepco. The two biggest units (1,325 MWe each) were approved for restart in 2017, but the hold-up is due to the prefecture dragging its heels with its own investigation into the cause(s) of the Fukushima accident, and other related issues. More than 150,000 residents of the two host communities were invited to take part in the drill, but only about 1,100 actually did. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019110900365 -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191109_13/
A new study shows the concentration of accident-produced Cesium micro particles is extremely low. A 2018 study of Fukushima accident atmospheric releases indicated that most of these radioactive particles were “poorly soluble”, found to be in larger concentrations than expected, some outside the predicted deposition areas, and possibly capable of remaining hypothetically dangerous far into the future. The study said, “…when we first started to find caesium-rich micro-particles in Fukushima soil samples, we thought they would turn out to be relatively rare. Now, using this method, we find there are lots of caesium-rich micro-particles in exclusion zone soils and also in the soils collected from outside of the exclusion zone." The new study, posted last month, says that while the specific activity of the micro-particles might appear large, there are only 22-101 such particles per gram of soil in highest concentrations, and between 1and 8 particles per gram elsewhere. Unlike the 2018 study, the distribution of Cesium appears consistent with the radioactive plume pathways that occurred with the march, 2011accident releases. Also, the micro-particles seem to have formed only on the afternoons of 3/14/11 and 3/15/11, from unit #3’s explosion. Thus, the micro-particle formation and releases were specific in times and source. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191016111125.htm -- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180524104104.htm
Many Fukushima refugee families experienced flooding and other damaging effects caused by Typhoon Hagibis. More than 315 families endured ”double suffering”, in parallel to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Typhoon. The worst seems to have been with Tomioka Town evacuees in Iwaki and Koriyama where 108 refugee homes were damaged by flooding. Another town, Namie, reported 84 cars were damaged by the typhoon. One person lamented, “How could we suffer again?” Some 10,000 current evacuees reside in Fukushima Prefecture as refugees. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191109/p2g/00m/0na/071000c

November 8, 2019

Colleague Dr. James Conca says, “Shutting down all of Japan’s nuclear plants after Fukushima was a bad idea!” Dr. Conca points to a recent study claiming that pollution from fossil-fueled replacement power has killed over 20,000… more people than the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The study is entitled “Be Cautious with the Precautionary Principle: Evidence from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident”, by Matthew Neidel (Columbia University), Shinsuke Uchida (Nagoya City University), and Marcella Veronesi (University of Verona), which was published by Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). It states, “After the accident, all nuclear power stations ceased operation and nuclear power was replaced by fossil fuels, causing an exogenous increase in electricity prices. This increase led to a reduction in energy consumption, which caused an increase in mortality during very cold temperatures. We estimate that the increase in mortality from higher electricity prices outnumbers the mortality from the accident itself, suggesting the decision to cease nuclear production has contributed to more deaths than the accident itself.” Dr. Conca concludes that the resulting pollution releases from the replacement units has killed more than 20,000 Japanese, while the natural calamity itself killed less than 20,000. Dr. Conca asserts “…that the knee-jerk decision to cease nuclear production was a very bad idea.” He adds that only 15 of the 54 Japanese nukes were actually at risk of catastrophic tsunami and the 39 other units should have remained in operation! Further, the total cost of this bad idea is already several hundred billion dollars, and continues to skyrocket! Dr. Conca cites Columbia Professor David Weinstein, who asserts, “If Japan had decided to keep all [unaffected] nuclear reactors open in 2012 and had met its energy needs by proportionally reducing coal, oil, LNG and other energy sources, I estimate that this policy would have saved 9,493 lives based on the air pollution of that year alone.” (emphasis added) https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2019/10/31/shutting-down-japans-nuclear-plants-after-fukushima-was-a-bad-idea/?fbclid=IwAR0lk6rYmIcvoX4FInR7DKno75aiiP2XJZlR5QNxIDj36NW5LQO93fADG30#2589c18d19a4 -- http://ftp.iza.org/dp12687.pdf (the IZA paper cited by Dr. Conca)
The September analysis of 64 fish caught within 20 kilometers of F. Daiichi, and four from within the unit’s breakwall, has been posted. None of the fish outside the port area contained any detectible Cesium-134, the “fingerprint” isotope of the accident releases. Only six contained barely detectible Cs-137, which could be due to nuclear weapon’s tests between 1945 and 1963. Two fish taken from within the port area had detectible Cs-134, but considerably leass than Japan’s national limit. https://www7.tepco.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/handouts_191030_01-e.pdf -- https://www7.tepco.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/handouts_191030_02-e.pdf
The European Union will further ease restrictions on Japanese foods next week. Radioactive material inspection certificates will no longer be required for food items produced in Iwate, Tochigi, and Chiba Prefectures… soybeans from Fukushima Prefecture… aquatic products from Miyagi, Ibaraki, and Gunma Prefectures… and, mushroom from Nagano, Ibaraki and Niigata Prefectures. Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga welcomed the decision, saying, “The Japanese government will make a concerted effort toward the full elimination of restrictions on Japanese food imports that have continued since the massive earthquake.” https://www.jaif.or.jp/en/eu-to-ease-restrictions-on-japanese-food-imports-though-chief-cabinet-secretary-suga-asserts-japan-will-work-toward-their-full-elimination/
Tokyo’s Reconstruction Agency lifetime will be extended another 10 years. Government authorization was set to expire in 2020, but will now continue to operate through fiscal 2030. The agency heads up recovery efforts for areas affected by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019110600999
Kawauchi Village appoints a singer, an actor, and a marathon runner as reconstruction “ambassadors”. They are singer Toshimi Watanabe, actor Ryugi Yokota, and marathon runner Yuki Kawauchi as “village hometown ambassadors”. Mayor Yuko Endo said, "Attaining a creative and future-oriented reconstruction is needed. We will work on creating an attractive village." The village was ordered evacuated in 2011, and had portions of the order lifted sequentially, beginning in 2016. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=977 -- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160428/p2a/00m/0na/020000c
Dozens of large bags containing contaminated environmental debris are missing! Some 91 of these large bags were swept into rivers by the recent Typhoon Hagibis. At least 25 were found and empty of their contents. Another 36 are missing in entirety. Radiation scans along the rivers have shown nom radioactive increases. Despite no actual impact having occurred, officials promise an investigation and subsequent barrier installation to prevent this from happening again. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191103_02/ -- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2019110300466

November 1, 2019

The NRA will appraise F. Daiichi work management after concluding that two recent incidents are safety violations. The Nuclear Regulation Authority commissioners certified the judgement on Wednesday. One incident was the result of smoke generated by incorrectly connected power lines on undamaged units #5 & #6. The second was the discovery that “water servers” had been located incorrectly in restricted areas where radioactive material was being stored. The investigation will entail reports from NRA inspectors stationed in Fukushima Prefecture and questioning responsible Tepco officials. NRA Chair Toyoshi Fuketa said these errors raise concern as to whether or not Tepco has sufficient staff at F. Daiichi. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191030_40/
Tepco will invest about $2 billion toward the restart of Tokai Unit #2. The unit is owned by Japan Atomic Power, which has insufficient financial base to make all mandated post-Fukushima safety enhancements. The unit was shuttered as part of the nation-wide nuclear moratorium following the 2011 accident at F. Daiichi caused by a massive Tohoku Region tsunami following an unprecedented off-shore earthquake. Tepco executive officer Rikuo Ohtsuki says, “We have reached a conclusion that we can expect the Tokai No. 2 nuclear plant to be a source of power that helps provide inexpensive and stable electricity that emits less carbon dioxide to customers.” In return for the investment, the company will get a significant percentage of the plant’s output. Other investors in the unit are Tohoku, Kansai, Chubu, and Horukiru Electric Companies. Masashi Nagasawa, another Tepco executive, added, “We have made the judgment based on economic rationality.” Japan’s #1 antinuclear group (CNIC in Tokyo) says Tepco will never recoup the investment unless electric rates are increased. http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201910290042.html

October 25, 2019

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach will tell the world that Fukushima foods are safe. He also plans to watch an Olympic softball game in Fukushima Prefecture during next summer’s games. Bach has made the decision despite South Korea’s question of safety relative to Fukushima foods. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=974
A British university study says a nuclear evacuation is much more dangerous than sheltering in-place. The conclusion was drawn by the United Kingdom’s NREFS Project (Management of Nuclear Risk Issues: Environmental, Financial and Safety). Perhaps the most telling point in the report is, “The research has shown that the risk after a big nuclear accident has happened is smaller than almost everyone has realized, a result that may change fundamentally the way people think of nuclear power. The life expectancy lost through radiation exposure after even the biggest nuclear accident can be kept small, while the downside risk is limited even in the absence of countermeasures.” Also stated is, “Mass population movement has been shown to be a poor response to a big nuclear accident: relocation is an option that governments should use sparingly if at all.” They admit that feeling safe and being safe can be very different, as is the case with nuclear accidents. Regardless, environmental groups should “embrace the holistic use of civilian nuclear energy”. https://medium.com/generation-atomic/are-nuclear-disasters-dangerous-462476b49968

October 18, 2019

The latest Fukushima refugee compensation total for 10/11/2019 has been posted here… https://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-evacuee-compensation-payments.html

Typhoon Hagibis ravaged Fukushima Prefecture this past weekend, killing more than 2 dozen residents. However, no foreign residents or tourist were among the dead or missing. Most of the casualties were due to the collapse of a levee on the Abukuma River. It is the sixth-longest river in Japan, flowing 234 kilometers, but is located nowhere near F. Daiichi. Another overflowed river, Adatara, was responsible additional deaths. Prime Minister Abe visited with Fukushima’s Hagibis refugees on Thursday. Across Japan, at least 77 were killed, with 9 still missing, in the catastrophe. More than 100 river levees failed, flooding over 33,000 homes. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/asia/typhoon-hagibis-fukushima-japan.html -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_42/ -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191017_28/ -- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191017_33/
Several bags of contaminated waste were swept into Fukushima’s Furumichi River from a temporary storage site in Tamura due to the typhoon. Six bags were recovered, with their contents found to be intact. The contained materials were grass and wood debris. Officials said there would have been little or no environmental impact should the bags have become torn or otherwise damaged. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191013_64/
A recent financial scandal with Kansai Electric Company has caused the company to indefinitely delay nuke restarts. Several executives received large monetary gifts from a former deputy mayor of Takahama Town, which hosts Takahama nuclear station. Units 3 & 4 were restarted in 2017. However, the scandal has placed the restarts of units #1 & #2 in jeopardy. KEPCO’s executive vice president Koji Inada said, "We must place priority on regaining the public's confidence. Unless we do so, we can't press forward with (nuclear power) projects. KEPCO has destroyed mutual trust that the prefectural government has nurtured with local residents. We'll be far from having regained trust by the time we receive a report from a third-party panel (set up to probe the payoff scandal). We can regain trust only after we've implemented measures to be recommended by the panel." https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Energy/Nuclear-town-s-lavish-gifts-to-Japan-utility-imperil-plant-restart -- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191009/p2a/00m/0na/012000c

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