Not only has the Japanese government made it a legal offense to enter the evacuation zone around Fukushima Daiichi, they have expanded the zone as well.
Because of high radiation build up, towns outside the original 20km (12.4miles) zone will be evacuated. The towns are Katsurao, Namie, Iitate and some areas of Kawamata and Minamisoma. Residents have until the end of May to leave.
The prefectural government of Fukushima said no to allowing Tokyo Electric Power Company to resume any nuke plant operations. ”A resumption of plant operations must be impossible.”-Sato Yuhei, Fukushima Governor
Governor Sato made the statement after a 15 minute meeting with TEPCo president Shimizu Masataka. TEPCo had tried to meet with the state government of Fukushima twice before, and was unofficially told to take a hike both times. This time Fukushima officials made it official. They told TEPCo there is no way they will allow them to resume any nuclear power functions at the damaged Fukusima Daiichi plant.
The United Nations released a study which shows that violent evictions in Argentina has increased, despite a booming economy. The reason is inflation. Along with a good economy comes inflation, and the cost of housing is leaving thousands of people in Argentina with nowhere to live.
Most of the evictions are from what’s called “informal” housing. The UN reported that despite Argentina’s attempts to balance the housing issue, demand for “formal” housing still outpaces supply. This is keeping “formal” housing costs too high for the lower income earners, who turn to “informal” (illegal) forms of housing.
Tokyo Electric Power Company says it must cut wages and salaries in order to meet expected compensation payments due to the Fukushima Daiichi disaster.
Wages would be cut by 5%, with bonuses cut in half. Salaries will be cut by 20%. TEPCo will also reduce the number of employees by 100 each year, for the next five years.
Tokyo Electric Power Company has given an estimate on the amount of radiation spilled into the Pacific Ocean, during the first week of April: 4,700 terabecquerels, 20,000 times the safe limits for an entire year! Contaminated water is still getting into the ocean.
Radioactive iodine levels on 02 April 2011, were 7.5 million times safe limits. As of 19 April, iodine levels had dropped to 1,700 times the safe limits.
In another blow to world food supply issues, the nuclear disaster in Japan is making things worse.
Officials say that many livestock left behind in the 20km (12.4 miles) evacuation zone, have starved to death! There were about 30,000 pigs, about 600,000 chickens and about 3,000 cattle the evacuation zone, but the Fukushima Prefectural government believes most have died.
Farmers are demanding that someone go in and humanely put down the remaining livestock, rather than have them starve to death. YouTube video shows many cows starving to death. The farmers fear that their animals are too contaminated with radiation, to try saving.
On Tuesday Toyota announced more cuts for North American factories, now more cuts in Europe and China.
For Europe Toyota announced that they will cut production, after the already scheduled production halt for the end of this month. The reason is lack of electronic parts. Toyota’s Chinese factories will also see production cuts, in some cases production will be down to 30%. The production cuts, around the world, could last past May.
Robots from the Idaho National Laboratory have been searching through the damaged reactor buildings at Fukushima Daiichi.
They have discovered temperature and radiation levels too high for humans. Tokyo Electric Power Company officials say they will have to use air conditioners, and filtration systems, to bring heat and radiation levels down enough for workers to operate inside the buildings. Latest NHK video
A company that was going to build two reactors in Texas, abandoned the plan.
NRG Energy, in cooperation with Toshiba, was planning on building two reactors in Texas. The company now says the investment environment has become too risky to continue with the plans. They will now write off U.S.$ 481 million on their taxes, for the canceled project.
Toyota announced that it will have to continue cuts in production in its North American factories. Continued parts supply problems being blamed.
Factories in Mexico, Canada and the United States will now suspend operations on Mondays and Fridays. Production will be cut in half on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The latest cuts will continue until June 3.
Toyota expects the new cuts to directly affect North American car sales.