Tag Archives: japan

International

Miyako City has Tsunami height record: 127 feet, town saved by ancestor’s forethought

A team from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, has determined that the Aneyoshi district of Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, suffered the highest tsunami damage.

They found evidence that the surge hit 38.9 meters (127.6 feet).  This beats the 115 year old record, held by the same prefecture, of 38.2 meters.  That record was set in 1896.

Professor Akio Okayasu said despite the high surge there was little damage.  That’s because the town’s ancestors learned from the 1896 tsunami, and rebuilt most of their town on higher ground.

Fukushima

For first time, high altitude ratiation checks will be made

The Fukushima University will conduct high altitude radiation checks, using high altitude weather balloons.

On Friday they will release the balloon, it will take readings as high up as 30km (18.6 miles).  Readings will be taken at 10 meter (32.8 feet) intervals.

The jet stream blows from east to west (towards North America).  The testing will be done over a 20 day period.

International

Japanese being hit by big time Swindlers

Con artists are scoring big in Japan, using the March 11 disasters to milk people of their hard earned money.

A woman in Kure City, Hiroshima, was tricked into donating 120,000 yen to a non-existent family.

A man in the Hokuriku area reports: “Several days ago, two men in business suits came to my house and introduced themselves as workers from the city office. They requested a donation for quake relief, and trusting them, I gave 5,000 yen.” The men were con-artists.

Even legitimate businesses are ripping off consumers: A woman in the Koshinetsu region bought some King Crabs for 12,000 yen, a real bargain for how many she was getting. But she says when the order arrived the poor quality was so bad, she knew she had been ripped off.  The seller had told her it was a “Tohoku disaster” sale.

The National Consumer Affairs Center has received thousands of complaints.  The scams involve swindlers posing as government officials, charity officials, building inspectors and contractors offering to quake proof your home.  The scams also include internet swindles.

Most people who’ve been scammed say the same thing, they had a gut feeling that told them not to give their money, they should have obeyed that feeling.

International

People risk Radiation to save Man’s Best Friend, Operation Pet Rescue

“My heart trembled. They looked just like my dog. I started searching for them right away.”-Ogino, a 56-year-old volunteer

While some Japanese label evacuees ‘hibakusha’ and publicly bully them, other Japanese are risking contamination to save the animals left behind.

Many members of dog clubs around Japan, were so moved by pictures of abandoned dogs, that they demanded the media tell them how to get to them.

The first rescue team found a pack of dogs waiting at the train station: “They were waiting for their owner.”-Tamiko Nakamura, volunteer

The team was only able to get 20 dogs out, many ran away.  They left dry food for them, in the ghost town of Minami-Soma.  Volunteers say they will continue their efforts.

 

 

International

Child “Hibakusha” bullied in public by fellow students

Another example of Japanese ignorance about radiation, an elementary student, who evacuated from the radiation zone, has been labeled a ‘hibakusha’, and bullied in a public park.

No one stopped it, but an anonymous caller reported it to the Funabashi school board.  School board officials suggested that the bullying by the students was brought on by the fears of their parents.  The school board also demanded that their students be kind to the evacuees.

Hibakusha is a term originally applied to survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, by the U.S., during World War 2.  It’s a negative term, and you’re treated like a Leper (someone with Leprosy).

Fukushima

First time search for Victims, within 10km of Nuke Melt Down Plant, begins!

Finally, after weeks, local police and firefighters are searching for victims within 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuke plant.

300 personnel from Fukushima Prefecture have begun the operation. They are wearing protective gear.  Some will dig through debris, while others monitor radiation levels.  So far 10 bodies have been found.

 

 

Fukushima

Media confusing remark made by special adviser, with Prime Minister

Prime Minister Naoto Kan, apologized for a statement he never made.  It concerned the possibility that people would not be able to return home in the radiation zones.

The statement was actually made by a special adviser to the Prime Minister, Kenichi Matsumoto, who had explained that the they were considering building what would be a refugee city, based on Germany’s eco-friendly models, just in case people could not go home.

Some people in Japan seemed to ignore the possibility of building new self sustaining committees, and were upset about not being able to go home.  Even if they “went home” they still need to rebuild, and the suggestion to follow the German model is still good.

Fukushima

Decommisioning Fukushima Daiichi will take at least 10 years: Toshiba

Tearing down, and cleaning up Fukushima Daiichi nuke plant will take ten years, according to the builder of the GE designed reactors, Toshiba, and that’s not until the current situation is brought under control.

Toshiba’s plan involves the help of four U.S. companies as well.

Phase one will likely to take several months to years. It involves cooling and stabilizing reactors and spent fuel pools, while preventing radioactive water from increasing.

Phase two could take five years: Safe removal, and storage, of nuclear fuel rods from the pools and pressure vessels.

Final phase another five years: Dismantling the reactors and clearing the land, will take another 5 years.

Fukushima

Ground Water Contaminated, TEPCo dealing with 80,000+ tons of contaminated water!

”As there is believed to be around 20,000 tons of water (in the No. 2 reactor turbine building and the trench connected to it), we’re feeling the difficulty of lowering the level of the water in a stable manner.”-Nishiyama Hidehiko, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency

It’s not just 20,000 tons of contaminated water in Reactor 2,  there is another 60,000 tons in reactors 1 and 3 to deal with,  and no mention of how much water is leaking from Reactor 4.  Now Tokyo Electric Power Company confirms the local ground water, not just the ocean, is contaminated.

TEPCo says radiation in ground water has risen several dozens of times in one week.  It includes iodine-131 and cesium-137.  On 06 April cesium levels were at 1.4 becquerels, on Wednesday it had risen to 53 becquerels.  The readings for iodine-131 are much higher, on Wednesday it had hit 400 becquerels.

Just how much contaminated water has TEPCo been able to safely remove?  660 tons, that’s all.  Thousands of tons has spilled out into the ocean, and into local ground water.   One official thinks it will take three months to remove the tens of thousands of tons of contaminated water, and that needs to be done before they can deal with anything else.

The United States is sending several huge water storage tanks to help with the contaminated water removal.  It must be put somewhere safe, because the water is nuclear waste.

The problem of the spilling waste water is being blamed on the dumping of sea water, as an emergency cooling operation.

Fukushima Daiichi is still showing temperature problems, but employees say they can not trust the instrumentation.  One employee says one gauge will show overheating while another gauge shows normal!

Fukushima

Hitachi making money off nuke disaster

Hitachi is rushing to fill orders for giant turbine power generators. One of their first orders was sent off today.  It’s being sent to Ibaraki Prefecture.

The turbine generator weighs 50 tons, and took an hour and a half to be hauled nine miles to the shipping yards.

Hitachi says it is being swamped with orders since it’s become clear the problems with nuclear generated power will last well into summer.