April 3, 2014

Apr 3, 2014 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • All living restrictions have been lifted for Miyakoji district, Tamura, inside the “no-go zone”. This is the first reopening of any location inside the Fukushima exclusion zone. More than 350 residents can now return without restrictions…if they want to. NHK World reports that more than half will not return because of radiation fears, although the reported radiation levels (1-5 millisieverts per year) are well-below what the World Health Organization says is a threshold for cancer (100 mSv/yr). Regardless, most Japanese Press has spent little copy space on the people who are returning, but focuses on those who are afraid or angry. One reason for reluctance seems to be the prospect of losing their monthly compensation. Edwin Lyman of the Union for Concerned Scientists believes Miyakoji was reopened before cleanup was complete and the government is just trying to save money, “People should not be forced to make a choice between losing their homes and not being compensated, and moving back to a region that’s still more radioactive than it was before the accident.” One angry returnee, Kazuhiro Tsuboi, says the returnee stipend of $9000 per person is a ploy, “Those who stood against the lifting of the evacuation order were told ‘Do you want to get more money?'” To date, some $15 billion has been paid to the 85,000 evacuees and nearly $17 billion to corporations and property owners. But, not all of the Miyakoji returnees are upset. Returnee Kyoji Konnai is thrilled to be back to an unrestricted life in his own home, and celebrated over dinner with his wife, Fukiko, and three elementary school-age grandchildren. Fukiko said, “I feel more comfortable here than at temporary housing.” However, the Asahi Shimbun believes many are not returning because they “have become acclimated to their lives in evacuation shelters”.   http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/residents-allowed-to-return-to-town-near-fukushima-plant?utm_campaign=jt_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=jt_newsletter_2014-04-01_AM –- NHK World; Evacuation order lifted, but majority to stay away; April 1, 2014 — http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/04/140402-fukushima-return-radiation/ — http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140401p2a00m0na012000c.html — http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140401p2a00m0na009000c.html — http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/recovery/AJ201404010052
  • Tokyo says decontamination is completed in three more municipalities inside the no-go zone. Environment Ministry says that decontanination is finished in Okuma, Naraha and the village of Kawauchi.  Four of the 11 municipalities inside the exclusion zone have been decontaminated. Six of the remaining communities are scheduled to be decontaminated by 2017. Only Futaba Town, which has numerous hot spots of 50 mSv/year, is not expected to be cleaned up enough for repopulation by then. NHK World; Decontamination completed in 3 Fukushima towns; April 1, 2014
  • The Mainichi Shimbun reports Tokyo is merely trying to save money. The Mainichi posts, “The government is set to make all-out efforts to lift its evacuation orders for municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture as quickly as possible in a bid to hold down the amounts of compensation for damages.” They base this opinion on a statement by Minister Takumi Nemoto, “There is a need for us to use all our resources to lift evacuation orders for as many areas as possible where people can return home early”. He mentioned that removal of living restrictions are being planned for Kawauchi this summer, and later for towns including Katsurao and Iitate. A Katsurao official is quoted as being against Tokyo’s projections, “For those municipalities that were forced to evacuate in their entirety, the longer the evacuation period becomes, the longer it will take to reconstruct them. It is too hasty and unrealistic to think they will be restored in one year and discontinue (compensation payments).” An Iitate official says plans to repopulate in 2015 are too optimistic and should be pushed back to 2016. Regardless, The Mainichi report only refers to the $1,000 per month mental anguish compensation which would terminate one year after the restrictions are lifted as the government’s savings; a total of $80 million per month. The report fails to mention the fact that each of the 80,000 remaining evacuees is also getting $7,500 per month in “evacuation compensation”. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140402p2a00m0na011000c.html
  • A prestigious UN panel says there are no increases in cancer due to Fukushima.  Since all exposures were less than the 100 millisievert  threshold for cancer, there have probably been none. The Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) adds the recent discovery of numerous thyroid gland anomalies in Fukushima children are unrelated to the nuke accident. This includes babies and those in utero at the time of the accident. UNSCEAR points out that Japan has a 35% rate of cancer incidence in the population at-large, and if there were Fukushima cancers it would not show up. In a statement accompanying their report, UNSCEAR says, “No discernible changes in future cancer rates and hereditary diseases are expected due to exposure to radiation as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident. The occurrence of a large number of radiation-induced thyroid cancers as were observed after Chernobyl can be discounted because doses were substantially lower.” With respect to repopulation, Wolfgang Weiss, who chaired the assessment, said, “The risk is low. Continue life. Don’t be scared.” http://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/2013/13-85418_Report_2013_Annex_A.pdf
  • Reuters says Japan may only be able to restart a third of their idled nukes. Former Japan Atomic Energy Agency Chairman Tatsujiro Suzuki said the Reuter’s speculation is “a very good guess”. The article says that restarting 17 nukes would be sufficient to turn around Japan’s negative balance of trade since former-PM Naoto Kan’s nuke moratorium began. Jeff Kingston of Temple University believes restarting the newest Japanese nukes may be a maneuver to get older ones back on the grid, “I think the government is incredibly clever by doing the restarts in the most modern, advanced places that have the most local support and are yet far from centers of political activity. Then you use that to create momentum for the agenda of restarting as many reactors as possible.” Reuter’s prediction on restarts is based on a perceived public disdain for nukes after the Fukushima accident, communities balking at making 30 kilometer evacuation plans, earthquake faults, and the 40 year licensing lifetime now in vogue. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/02/us-japan-nuclear-restarts-insight-idUSBREA3020020140402
  • Two Japanese utilities have applied to Tokyo for money due to the nuke moratorium. Hokkaido and Kyushu Electric Companies say they each need a large capital injection to off-set their losses. They been forced to burn expensive fossil fuels for power generation and report a third year of net losses. Kyushu spokesman Yuki Hirano said, “We are in consultations with the Development Bank of Japan about receiving capital support, but since nothing has been decided I am unable to comment further.” His company wants the bank to buy $1 billion of its preferred stock to offset last year’s $1.25 billion losses, and Hokkaido Electric wants to sell the bank $500 million in preferred stock to offset theirs. http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/kyushu-electric-becomes-2nd-nuclear-operator-to-seek-govt-aid — http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2014/04/282475.html
  • Tepco has posted the latest radioactivity levels for the groundwater and seawater at F. Daiichi. Several points should be emphasized. First, all groundwater and barricaded inner harbor (quay) analyses have been steadily droppingthis year. All quay analyses are now below the strict limits set by the government. Further, only three of the outer harbor (inside the break-wall) samples have shown barely-detectible Cesium 137, and no Cesium-134. This disparity should put the source of the detectible Cs-137 in question since Fukushima-based material should show both isotopes. It is possible that what is being seen is residual Cs-137 from nuclear weapon’s tests in the pacific more than 50 years ago. Finally, all highest readings recorded at each sampling point, including their specific dates, are recorded at the end of the below link, which should be used for comparison to the most recent results. http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/f1/smp/2014/images/2tb-east_14040101-e.pdf
  • Hokkaido’s Hakodate City has filed an injunction to stop nuclear construction in neighboring Aomori Prefecture. The project in question is the new Ohma nuke, located 23 kilometers south of Hakodate across the Tsugaru Straight. The injunction says the new Tokyo regulations cannot  assure absolute safety and an accident at Ohma could cause the city to no longer function. This is the first filing against nuclear construction in Japan. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority won’t comment on the suit’s allegation that new regulations are inadequate. NHK World; City files for injunction against nuclear plant; April 3, 2014 — http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2014/04/283003.html
  • The NRA has sent a 14-member team to inspect the two Sendai units in Kagoshima for restart. They will inspect upgraded earthquake and tsunami protection. The NRA recently approved Kyushu Electric’s report saying a quake could cause acceleration of 620 gals and a maximum tsunami would be seven meters high. The plant was originally built to withstand a quake movement of 540 gals and a tsunami of 5.2 meters. Among the upgrades to be inspected is a new sea wall being built to a height of 15 meters. The Sendai station has been prioritized by the NRA for restart consideration. http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2014040300437