Tag Archives: japan

International

One Year Later: 1.5 million tons of tsunami flotsam still heading for North America, USCG sinks Japanese fishing boat

The U.S. Coast Guard took advantage of a Japanese tsunami ghost ship to get some target practice in.

Pictures show the fishing trawler pock marked with holes after being hit by cannon fire.  The USCG declared it a shipping hazard.

This is just the beginning wave of flotsam from March 11, 2011’s major tsunami that hit Japan.  An estimated 1.5 million tons of houses, boats, cars, bodies and other debris are slowly making their way to North America.

Some analysts from Kyoto University think 90% will hit the North American coast line by October 2012.  More than 40 thousand tons will arrive by February 2013.

Of course it all depends on the ocean currents, winds and storms.

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

One Year Later: More radioactive shrooms, shoots & beef

Not even a week after Japan set tougher limits on radioactive cesium in food, but more mushroom farms are found to be contaminated.

In a town 300 kilometers (186.4 miles) from Fukishima Daiichi, a farm in Kanagawa Prefecture discovered their mushrooms contain 141 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram.

The new safe limits are 100 becquerels (prior to that the government was allowing food with 500 becquerels to be sold!).

Bamboo shoot farms in Chiba Prefecture have also turned up contaminated.

Ibaraki Prefecture also reporting that bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms are contaminated.

In Gunma Prefecture, beef is contaminated with 106 becquerels of radioactive cesium, although the new safe limits for beef don’t go into effect until October!  Gunma officials say they are still asking cattle ranchers not to ship the beef.

ONE YEAR LATER: SOME FUKUSHIMA FARM ANIMALS WILL BE ALLOWED TO LIVE

Fukushima

One Year Later: Japanese government makes it official, permanent no go radiation zones!

Just two days ago the Japanese Reconstruction Minister made an unofficial announcement; there could be indefinite radiation no go zones around Fukushima Daiichi.

Today, April 6, 2012, Hirano Tatsuo made the official announcement.

Some areas will be off limits indefinitely, others could be 10 to 20 years.  Officials from towns located next to the nuclear disaster reactors agree, however residents are pissed.

One 63 year old man said living as a refugee sucks! He wants to return to his home, which is just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the nuclear plant.

Those areas outside the no go zones will be re-zoned to allow gradual staged return of residents.

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Airline pilot? Need a job? Japan needs you!

In yet another sign of population exodus from Japan, the Japanese airline industry is suffering a shortage of airline pilots, and demands for flights are increasing.

As a result the Japanese Transport Ministry will allow planes to be flown by a pilot and a co-pilot who are both older than 60 years.

In 2004 Japan allowed commercial airline pilots to be older than 60 years of age, but co-pilots had to younger than 60.

It’s hoped by allowing older flight crews it will help the Japanese airline industry meet growing demand for flights.  But, if you can speak Japanese they’re hiring.

 

 

Fukushima

One Year Later: Fukushima school enrollment down 70%!

Enrollment at grade schools in Fukushima Prefecture are down 70%.

Before the March 2011 nuclear disaster began at Fukushima Daiichi, there were 54 elementary and junior high schools in the Prefecture.  Now only 42 schools are open, and they are operating in rented areas away from their original locations.

School officials say many families have moved away permanently.

Fukushima

One Year Later: Japanese city offers radiation check up for your house, limited time offer!

A city 140 km (87 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster is offering radiation checkups for residents.

Utsunomiya City, north of Tokyo, started the service because of demands from taxpayers.

The city says they can check up to five houses per day, inspecting up to three specific areas requested by the inhabitants, such as the entry way or bedroom, etc.

Inspections done so far show radiation levels below the official safe limits.  This is a limited time offer ending in September.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: UANI goes after yet another French car maker, as well as a Japanese car maker

After shutting down a Peugeot Citroën factory, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is now going after Renault and Nissan.

On April 6, 2012, UANI sent a letter to Renault’s president.  As in its threatening letter to General Motors it is full of unsubstantiated claims against Iran: “Renault’s business dealings in Iran directly support the Iranian regime’s ability to develop its illegal nuclear weapons program, support its terrorist proxies and pursue a brutal campaign of repression against the Iranian people.”-UANI statement

Show me the proof you UANI ass hole liars!

This comes after UANI successfully threatened General Motors into pressuring their French business partner Peugeot Citroën.

Renault has actually seen business go up in Iran, producing 93,578 vehicles in Iran in 2011.

UANI is also attacking Nissan, after the Japanese car maker got a $1 billion USD deal to make taxis for New York City: “New York taxpayer dollars should not benefit a corporation, like Nissan, that partners with a regime that is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror and has formed an alliance with al Qaeda.”-UANI statement

The biggest lie about that statement is the fact that Iran is not associated with al Qaeda!!!  The U.S. created al Qaeda is actually at war with Iran!!! Al Qaeda leaders have issued fatwas calling for the killing of Shi’a Muslims, who just happen to make up the majority of people living in Iran, why the hell would Iran support such an organization?!?

Oh, and I thought al Qaeda was the number one terrorist organization?

It really looks like the U.S. sanctions against Iran are actually meant to hurt Western (European/Japanese) competitors to U.S. corporations.

 

Fukushima

One Year Later: Some Fukushima farm animals will be allowed to live

Last year the Japanese government said all farm animals within the 20 kilometer (12.42 miles) radiation no go zone, around Fukushima Daiichi nuke plant, had to be killed (if they weren’t already dead).

Now the government says those animals that are still alive can live, provided the farmers do not ship them off to food markets.

This comes after farmers refused to follow through with the order to cull radioactive animals.  Turns out about 700 farm animals are still alive within the no go zone.

Farmers must not breed the animals, or allow them to mingle with new animals that are not contaminated.

ONE YEAR LATER: JAPAN DEVELOPS THEIR FIRST EVER MOBILE PET CLINIC, TO HELP THE HUNDRED OF ANIMALS STILL SUFFERING IN IWATE

ONE YEAR LATER: JAPANESE BAMBOO NOW RADIOACTIVE, 124 MILES AWAY FROM FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI!

Fukushima

One Year Later: Even more Strontium pouring into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima!

April 5, 2012, Tokyo Electric Power Company is admitting that even more strontium 90 is pouring into the Pacific Ocean from the GE designed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

TEPCo officials say at least 12 tons of contaminated water poured into the ocean overnight.  They blame it on the usual suspect; leaking pipes!

Around 02:00 the morning of April 5, workers found a joint in a waste water pipe had been disconnected, causing the huge leak.  It took them half an hour to fix it.

This is the third major strontium leak reported by TEPCo, since December 2011.

Fukushima

One Year Later: Japanese official says some areas of Japan will be radioactive forever. Duh, just ask the people of Prypiat, if you can find them!

About one year ago, Japanese government officials swore to the refugees fleeing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, that they’d be returning home soon.

Not only did that turn out to be a lie, but one official now says some towns will never be inhabitable.

On April 4, 2012, Japan’s reconstruction minister, Hirano Tatsuo, told the Governor of Fukushima Province, and the Mayor of Futaba Town, that because of the storage of highly radioactive waste coming from Fukushima Daiichi, the areas around that waste can never be lived in.

There are areas of Fukushima Province, being used to store hundreds of tons of contaminated water (left over from trying to keep the disaster reactors cool), that are being irradiated by the deadly levels of radiation in the water.

The Japanese media is pointing out that Hirano’s opinion runs counter to the official statements of the government.  The Japanese government continues to promise the nuclear refugees that they will be able to return to all their homes.

Here’s a thought: It’s been proven that Fukushima Daiichi is worse than Chernobyl, and yet, how many people have been allowed to return to Prypiat, the town next to the Chernobyl nuclear plant, 26 years later?  Zero!

Prypiat had nearly 50,000 people prior to the Chernobyl explosion in 1986.  Now it’s a city full of vacant and ghostly skyscrapers.