November 9, 2015

Nov 9, 2015 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • Two Japanese news services post good news about F. Daiichi. NHK World and Fukushima Minpo have reported on the completion of the near-shore, impermeable barrier and its dramatic effect on the flow of contaminated groundwater seeping into the Pacific Ocean. It is about time! We reported on the completion and sealing of the “steel wall” on October 26th. We also posted the before-and-after differences with contamination levels in the inner port (quay) in our November 5th update. Two of Japan’s Press outlets finally came on board with this important milestone on Friday. Unfortunately, no other Japanese news outlet has covered it, and the number of international Press sites remains at zero. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20151106_02.html — http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=586
  • Fukushima Prefecture Tritium levels returned to pre-accident levels…more than two years ago! Tritium is the naturally-occurring radioactive isotope of hydrogen found in all waters around the world. It is biologically innocuous. Nagayoshi Shima of Fukushima University has gone public saying that all river and Pacific Ocean samples show Tritium concentrations at or below those measured before 3/11/11. Actually, the ocean results were analyzed during the April-June, 2013 time-frame at four locations – Soma city, Minamisoma city, Tomioka town and Iwaki city. River water tests revealed Tritium levels had returned to normal by December, 2011. Why it has taken so long to share it publically has not been explained. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=588
  • A Canadian antinuclear terrorist is charged with making death threats toward scientists. The charges were filed soon after posting a video on YouTube where he defended his attacks on Professor Jay Cullen of Fukushima InFORM and at least one other independent researcher. The perpetrator said, “I was arrested and the next morning (after posting a threatening YouTube video). I was in court and I was charged with criminal harassment of nuclear industry PR people. And one of those was from Woods Hole and the other one was from UVic, British Columbia, Canada [Cullen].” The man was charged under Section 264 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which makes it illegal to engage in conduct that causes someone to fear for their safety. When contacted by a Canadian newspaper, he threatened legal action “if you write anything about me.” The culprit has been posting antinuclear videos for a long time, and routinely accuses independent scientists of working for the nuclear industry. He says, “All I’m doing is exposing people for committing crimes.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/charges-laid-against-bc-man-who-called-for-death-of-ex-fukushima-researcher/article27136264/ (Comment – The dude is obviously deranged. Fukushima InFORM and Woods Hole have absolutely nothing to do with the nuclear “industry”. Also, the perpetrator’s name has been intentionally withheld because whack-jobs like him do not deserve free publicity.)
  • Tokyo makes lower public evacuation limits for nuclear powered ships. Previously, the exposure criterion for public evacuations around the Yokosuka Naval base was 100 microsieverts per hour. The new limit before evacuation is five µSv/hr. Tokyo says the reason for the change is safety concerns voiced by citizens living near the base. The new trigger-point applies to nuke aircraft carriers and submarines that may be docked at Yokosuka. Tokyo says this is the same criterion for evacuation of the public due to any nuclear accident. The move is clearly the result of radiation fears and rumors caused by the Fukushima accident. http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2015/11/383079.html (Comment – If 5 µSv/hr is the public evacuation criterion, that’s news to us. It would equate to 4.4 millisieverts/year. The evacuation criterion regularly reported in Japan is the IAEA-suggested guideline of 20 mSv/yr.)