Officials from the health ministry say Japan needs a better way to predict radiation contamination, especially in tap water.
One example is that experts failed to take into account wind, and rainfall, coming from the direction of the Fukushima Daiichi nuke plant. The officials think their discussion, to find ways to improve their system, will last until the end of June.
For the first time since the 11 March disasters, police will begin searching for victims inside the original 20km (12.4 miles) radiation evac zone.
They are searching Futaba Town in Fukushima Prefecture, near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Earlier this month search crews began to slowly work in towards the 20km zone.
Police say Futaba is a ghost town. So far there are no signs of people. Every now and then they see a dog, or cat. They say there is evidence that people left in a hurry, like laundry still hanging on clothes lines.
The state government of Fukushima has responded to its resident’s calls to humanely put down animals abandoned in the 20km radiation evac zone. Many have already died of starvation, after being left alone for several weeks.
The operation began today, 25 April. Veterinarians will put down weakened animals, move animals that still look healthy into barns, and begin decontamination of dead animals.
Officials think it will take until the end of May to complete the operation. They also say no animal will be put down without the owner’s knowledge. NHK video
Last week reactor 1 of Plant Vogtle nuclear plant, near Waynesboro, Georgia, shut down, on 20 April 2011, without explanation. Company officials say they are replacing a breaker and other electronic equipment. They don’t know why the equipment failed.
In Delaware, on 21 April 2011, the Salem 1 nuclear reactor was shut down because of grass. The Salem plant is along the Delaware river, and plants periodically grow over the water intakes of the nuke plant. Salem 1 had to be shut down because the plant growth was blocking cooling water from coming into the reactor. Officials say it’s back on line now.
Surprisingly, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says unexpected shutdowns of nuclear reactors happen every year.
Tokyo Electric Power Company says temperatures in Reactor 4 fuel pool shot up again, this after they injected almost 200 tons of water before the weekend. TEPCo will try injecting more water on 25 April. Reactor 4 fuel pool seems to be losing water faster than they can put it in. They are concerned the building is too damaged to inject anymore water.
TEPCo also says that Fukushima Daiichi’s Reactor 1 is more damaged than thought. They believe that 70% of Reactor 1’s fuel rods are damaged, and they are having trouble maintaining water levels. They have been injecting water at a rate of 6 tons per hour. TEPCo wants to try building a new heat exchanger building, to cool the water they are injecting. In fact TEPCo is having major problems keeping all the reactors cool.
Remember the stories about Japanese who couldn’t get their money out of the banks, after the March 11 disasters? The president of one of those banks has just resigned, because they weren’t prepared.
Satoru Nishibori, president of Mizuho Bank, will leave in June. He failed to authorize a proposed computer update. The result was that all the ATMs in Japan shut down after the 9.0 quake.
This is not the first time Mizuho Bank had computer problems. Back in 2002 when three banks merged under Mizuho Bank, there were problems caused by failing to integrate the three banks computer systems. Two executives resigned over that.
But even after that officials with the bank did not see any reason to update their computer programs, which are 20 years old! It took 10 days to restore the computer system, after the March 11 disasters. It still does not run smoothly, because they have no manual, or personnel, to address such a problem!
There is word that action could be taken against the bank’s parent company, Mizuho Financial Group. This is another example of how the Japanese are not prepared for disasters.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota announced his country’s new President, Dilma Rousseff, will continue the policies of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in regards to Iran: “Rousseff will stay on the path of her predecessor and mentor Lula da Silva.”
Now Iran will open a trade center in Brazil. The move is meant to increase trade between the two countries. According to a 2009 IMF report, Brazil is Iran’s largest trade partner in South America. Iran also has trade deals with Venezuela, Ecuador, and Cuba.
“We were told to evacuate, but we can’t. Are the moving companies just going to abandon us without offering help?”-Evacuee
People living in mandatory evac zones, in Fukushima Prefecture, have until the end of May to get out. But they are on their own when it comes to actually moving. Even moving companies are refusing their business.
Moving companies claim safety for their employees: “We don’t let our workers go in the zone where evacuations are planned, or anywhere within 30 kilometers of the plant, because of safety considerations. However, if the prefecture and local authorities combine to make a request, we’ll look at what can be done.”-Nippon Express Company
So far 6,000 people have asked for the services of moving companies. This is another example of how unprepared Japan is. How can you order a mandatory evacuation, without providing any way for the people to move? Typical of governments worldwide!
The situation around the Fukushima Daiichi nuke plant is not getting better. Radiation contamination is spreading, and increasing.
Officials say the radiation levels at the damaged nuclear plant continue to increase, making it more difficult for workers struggling to get the facility under control. Tokyo Electric Power Company says radiation levels at the nuclear reactor buildings are still to high for humans to approach.
Radiation levels are increasing outside the now mandatory evacuation zones. The Fukushima state government has issued a warning to people outside the evacuation zones, saying they should limit their time outdoors. School playgrounds and public parks are being monitored for contamination. Already five public parks, outside the evac zones, are showing contamination at, or above, the safe limits set by the prefectural government. Officials are telling residents, and visitors, to limit their time at those parks to no more than one hour per day.
The increasing radiation levels being reported by local governments contradicts the Japanese Prime Minister’s office, which said the risk of radiation leaks is receding.
New York City’s Economic Development Corporation is hosting a weeklong program, trying to sell property to Chinese companies.
It’s another sign that the economy is not recovering. Real estate agents can’t sell enough property to U.S. companies, so they’re trying to get the rich Chinese to buy it.
Several Chinese businesses have already opened New York City offices, include the apparel company Li & Wang, and several banks and investment firms.