Sunday, December 02, 2012

• Financial Times – Japan grapples with nuclear question – Jonathan Soble in Tokyo
• Natural News – Almost half of Fukushima children now have thyroid disorders from radiation poisoning, officials blame ‘too much seafood’ – PF Louis
• Peak Oil – Almost half of Fukushima children now have thyroid disorders from radiation poisoning, officials blame ‘too much seafood’
• Daily Yomiuri – ‘Third force’ leaves nuclear issue unclear / Mirai no To, Ishin no Kai party executives contradict themselves, one another in policy statements
• ENENews – Gundersen: Fukushima contamination will be “redeposited onto the surface for 300 years” — “This is not a problem that goes away” (VIDEO)
• ENENews – NYTimes on New 3/11 Video: Flames sighted deep within Fukushima Unit 4 — Second fire in 24 hours
• ENENews – Top 33 Headlines from the NRC’s Fukushima FOIA releases
• ENENews – TV: Fukushima ‘hotspots’ move to new areas, but still remain where they were — “With rain or wind, radioactive materials come always into city” (VIDEO)
• Fukushima Diary – Edano, minister of Economy “Power rates have been insanely cheap” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Express] “Fukushima children are standing up with the internet” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Eyewitness report] Fukushima tourism campaign held in Ueno Park Tokyo, Taito ward removed the webpage the next day – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Eyewitness report] Fukushima tourism campaign held in Ueno Park Tokyo, Taito ward removed the webpage the next day – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Column] Unpatriotic individuals party -Hikokumin toh – Iori Mochizuki
• House of Japan – Fukushima reactors status 3 Dec 2012
• Japan Times – The best-kept secret in Japanese politics is that policies don’t matter – Jochen Legewie
• Japan Times – Tell the stories of those who refused – Shaun O’dwyer
• Japan Times – Nippon Mirai pledges 2022 atomic phaseout, tax freeze – Masami Ito
• Japan Times – Ishihara nuke flip-flop puts party in crisis – Eric Johnston
• Japan Times – Nippon Mirai pledges 2022 atomic phaseout, tax freeze – Masami Ito
• Japan Times – New footage shows discussions leading to release of radioactive water into Pacific after Fukushima nuclear meltdowns
• Majiros News – The winds of Fukushima – Catherine Makino and Naoyuki Ogi
• NHK World – Regulator undecided on nuclear plant fissure
• NHK World – IAEA to set up facility in Fukushima Prefecture

Saturday, December 01, 2012

• Enformable – In-Focus: Japan – TEPCO unveils more video footage -Suit filed seeking a halt of Ohi reactors
• Enformable – JAEA releases new data estimating effect of measures taken to reduce radiation dose to public after nuclear accident – Lucas W Hixson
• NY Times blog – New View from Inside Fukushima: Chaos and Uncertainty – Hiroko Tabuchi
• Asahi Shimbun – Interview/ Seiichiro Yonekura: Do we need leaders to save us? – Masaaki Tonedachi
• Asahi Shimbun – Pro-nuclear Ishihara already wants to rewrite party platform
• Asahi Shimbun – Fukushima plant chief defied TEPCO headquarters to protect workers – Naoya Kon
• Asahi Shimbun – High thyroid radiation doses in 178 Fukushima workers – Yuri Oiwa
• Asahi Shimbun – MHI hopes to work with Hitachi in transportation, nuclear power – Hiroaki Kimura
• Asahi Shimbun – TEPCO failed to respond to dire warning of radioactive water leaks at Fukushima
• Daily Yomiuri – Party leaders butt heads over N-power vision / Discussions draw out key differences in campaign pledges over future of nuclear energy dependence – Hiroshi Yumoto and Osamu Kawakami
• Daily Yomiuri – Inspection begins at Tsuruga N-plant
• Daily Yomiuri – New N-crisis video made available
• ENENews – WHO: Fukushima workers had radiation dose over 10 sieverts in their thyroids
• Fukushima Diary – [Express] “2.49 µSv/h in Kitakyushu after debris incineration” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Tokyo still accepts 148 tones of debris to incinerate per day – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Celebrities going sick] Japanese comedian Miyasako to be hospitalized for stomach disease – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Restoration] Minamisoma city to hold a marathon race on 12/2/2012 (Rain or shine) – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Japan to pay US 5 million USD of ex-gratia payment for drift debris – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Radiation level spiked up in west coast of Japan for about 10 hours – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Some of the Japanese aluminum is mixed with contaminated aluminum cans from Fukushima – Iori Mochizuki
• Japan Times – New footage shows discussions leading to release of radioactive water into Pacific after Fukushima nuclear meltdowns
• Japan Times – Counterpoint: Why is the potential turning point of 3/11 being allowed to slip away? – Roger Pulvers
• Japan Times – NRA begins Tsuruga fault investigation
• Japan Times – Nuke power foe Kada open to reactor restarts
• Japan Times – Voters get little to go on when it comes to nuclear issue – Eric Johnston
• Japan Times – Another suit filed to halt reactors at Kepco’s over Oi nuclear plant
• Japan Times – MHI-Hitachi tieup sign of the times
• Japan Times – Editorial: The elephant in the room
• Mainichi Daily News – Study suggests swallow numbers declining across Japan
• Mainichi Daily News – ‘We’ll die if it explodes’: Gov’t ignored Fukushima plant manager’s plea
• Mainichi Daily News – Editorial: Party leaders must present plans for government administration before election
• Majiros News – Party leaders clash over Japan’s economic and nuclear future
• NHK World – On-site survey starts on Tsuruga plant fissures

Friday, November 30, 2012

• BBC News – Hitachi and Mitsubishi Heavy shares rise after merger
• Bloomberg – Japan, Russia Under Pressure to Renew Climate Vows, De Boer Says – Mike Anderson
• The Examiner – Fukushima worst confirmed, radiated children need evacuation – Deborah Dupre
• Enformable – Japan offers United States sympathy money for disposal of tsunami debris – Lucas W Hixson
• Noodls – (Nov 30,2012)Changes to the Report on Our Facility Management Plan for Unit 1-4 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Based on the “Policy on the Mid-term Security”
• Nuclear Street – Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Weekly Review
• Asahi Shimbun – MHI, Hitachi to merge thermal power businesses
• Asahi Shimbun – Japan OKs $10.7B stimulus, aiming to boost growth
• Asahi Shimbun – Nuclear power issue dominates election talk on Twitter
• Daily Yomiuri – JAEA releases estimates on steps to reduce radiation
• Denki Shimbun – Two utilities applying for rate hike in succession
• ENENews – More Fukushima Footage Released: “We have confirmed a worst situation – Water containing extremely high levels of radiation flowing into sea” (VIDEO)
• ENENews – People from Tokyo area report thyroid cysts and nodules – Japanese doctors laughing at patients (VIDEO)
• ENENews – Again: Tepco edits image of Fukushima Unit 4 — Still attempting to hide something at bottom of reactor building (PHOTO)
• Fukushima Diary – Tepco has no solid plan for increasing contaminated water – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Express] “Beef labelled as from Hokkaido, but the tracking code tells it’s grown in Fukushima” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Nihonmatsu city to restart serving Fukushima rice for school lunch from December – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Tepco’s tilt measurement of reactor4, “Error must be taken into account as the measurement is done visually by person” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Express] “Severe nausea after debris incineration in Osaka” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Radioactive silver and St-90 measured from marine products of Fukushima, silver higher than cesium in 62% of samples – Iori Mochizuki
• House of Japan – TEPCO releases more Fukushima footage 1 Dec 2012 – Editorial: The elephant in the room
• Japan Times – Another suit filed to halt reactors at Kepco’s over Oi nuclear plant
• Japan Times – Taking iodine before fallout hits is key: NRA
• Mainichi Daily News – NRA to draw up uniform health check guidelines for Fukushima residents
• NHK World – Political leaders discuss nuclear policy
• NHK World – Nuclear regulator issues new exposure estimate
• NHK World – MHI, Hitachi to mull tie-up over nuclear business
• NHK World – TEPCO releases more Fukushima footage

Thursday, November 29, 2012

• Bloomberg – LDP Seen Retaking Power in Japan Vote That Risks Policy Gridlock – Isabel Reynolds &Takashi Hirokawa
• Enformable – In-Focus: Japan – Osaka to begin test incineration of debris – ‘Something wrong’ in Tepco’s safety culture: Japan’s regulatory body chief
• Enformable – In-Focus: Japan – NRA to question TEPCO executives about safety concerns – Municipalities worried current nuclear safety measures still inadequate
• New York Times – Japan’s Nuclear Mistake – Frank N. Von Hippel And Masafumi Takubo
• Asahi Shimbun – Japan Restoration Party platform includes writing new Constitution
• Asahi Shimbun – Fukushima governor accepts surveys for radioactive waste storage facility
• Asahi Shimbun – Editorial: Kada’s new party needs to present clear plan for nuclear-free nation
• Daily Yomiuri – Power firms’ N-plant investigations seen faulty / NRA criticizes past safety checks below N-reactors, expresses difficulty in assessing threat of crush zones – Sho Funakoshi and Masayuki Takata
• Daily Yomiuri – Labor cost may affect rate hike / Despite salary cuts, some say utilities need to make ‘painstaking efforts’
• Daily Yomiuri – No one-size-fits-all response
• Daily Yomiuri – TEPCO to open reconstruction HQ near N-plant
• ENENews – Shock: Fukushima ‘Superhero’ tells kids the arch-enemy is bad reputation from nuclear crisis — Fights against ‘fools’ & ‘sloppy people’ — From area with most contaminated animal reported since 3/11 (PHOTO)
• ENENews – “This is the Reality”: Mayor from Fukushima reveals thyroid cysts when overseas — “He couldn’t mention anything like that in Japan” — I’m very scared about future (VIDEO)
• ENENews – Foreign doctors on Fukushima trip “very surprised” at condition of patients: “Symptoms are always the same” — Pains at rear of ears, stomatitis, skin disease… more (VIDEO)
• Fukushima Diary – [Express] “Tastes like metal in my mouth. I sometimes have blood in my mouth when I wake up.” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Reference] Nobody listens to the speech of JP Ex-PM Kan – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Reactor4 got a new hole on 4th floor of the south side and 2 door-looking marks on the 1st floor – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Nagano prefecture requested three municipal governments to practice self-imposed control on bonfire – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Radiation level of shirt increased after washed by a laundromat – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Radiation level spiked up to 0.23µSv/h in Kawasaki city Kanagawa – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Osaka started test incineration of 100 tones disaster debris, more 36,000 tones to come next year – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Marine products company in Miyagi restarted selling canned Pacific Saury after 2 years blank – Iori Mochizuki
• Japan Times – U.S. scientists search for lessons in Fukushima to improve nuclear safety
• Japan Times – Nippon Ishin qualifies nuclear phaseout goal – Natsuko Fukue
• Japan Times – ‘Something wrong’ in Tepco’s safety culture: Japan’s regulatory body chief
• Japan Times – Germans honor Hiroshima’s Akiba
• Japan Times – Cesium-cleanup cloth made cheaper
• Japan Times – Fukushima governor urges prefecture’s municipalities to accept state surveys on nuclear waste disposal site
• Japan Times – Your Party aims to end Japan’s nuclear power use in 2020s: Watanabe
• Japan Times – IAEA to use Fukushima Prefecture facility as a base for nuclear crisis cooperation
• Mainichi Daily News – Gov’t-funded nuclear body outsourced projects worth 23 mil. yen to sum up accident reports
• NHK World – Parties battling over nuclear policy
• NHK World – TEPCO chief questioned over nuclear plant problems

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

• AFP Google – Japan anti-nuclear groups join forces ahead of poll – Kyoko Hasegawa
• Enformable – Radiation levels in Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 3 more than doubled in many locations since measured last year – Lucas W Hixson
• Power Engineering – Update1: 2 Japanese electric utilities to import U.S. coal.
• Asahi Shimbun – Fukushima inquiry reports become bestsellers
• Asahi Shimbun – 3 more electric power companies plan rate increases
• ENENews – Fukushima Woman Warns of Cover-up: People are talking about nose bleeds and coughing that won’t end – Nurses tell patients: Stay quiet, don’t mention radiation to doctor (VIDEO)
• ENENews – Radiation rises sharply in Fukushima Unit 3 – “It appears the concern was due to increasing levels in the area” (VIDEOS)
• Fukushima Diary – 40% of people feel “Swallow decreased” all around in Japan – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Contaminated underground water]Reactor4 had 6.4 times much H-3 as reactor2 in its sub-drain – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Express] The result of health checkup showed explosive spiking up of white cell count and 2 polyps – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [NHK] NRA to question TEPCO executives – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Reactor3 got worse than last year] 5 Sv/h on the first floor of reactor3, “3.6 times worse than last year” – Iori Mochizuki
• Japan Daily Press – PM Noda suspends funds-eating projects unrelated to disaster reconstruction efforts – Adam Westlake
• Japan Times – Kada’s party sets 2022 end for atomic power
• JIJI Press – Fukushima to Accept Govt Surveys for Nuclear Waste Disposal Facility
• Kyodo News – “Something wrong” in TEPCO’s safety culture: regulatory body chief
• NHK World – Municipalities concerned about spent nuclear fuel
• NHK World – Japan’s Atomic Energy Commission drafts new policy
• NHK World – Japan’s election campaign gears up
• NHK World – NRA to question TEPCO executives
• NHK World – Local govts to allow tainted soil storage survey

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

• AP Google – US scientists find lessons from Japan nuke crisis – Mari Yamaguchi
• Bloomberg – Japan Opposition’s Hosoda Calls for Restarting Nuclear Reactors – Isabel Reynolds and Takashi Hirokawa
• Enformable – In-Focus: Japan – Over 9600 deficiencies listed at Monju fast-breeder reactor – None of Japan’s Prefectures positive about hosting nuclear waste disposal site –
• Enformable – In-Focus: Fukushima – University researchers develop cloth which absorbs radioactive cesium – Japan to suspend 35 reconstruction projects worth 16.8 billion Yen after investigation
• Enformable – TEPCO officials admit failed to take enough safety measures before Fukushima disaster
• New York Times – Hopes of Home Fade Among Japan’s Displaced – Martin Fackler
• Reuters – Analysis: Despite 2011 disaster, pro-nuclear party could win power in Japan – Linda Sieg
• UPI – Nuclear power key issue in Japan elections
• Xinhua News – Hiroshima heads condemn Ishihara’s comment on nuclear deterrence
• Xinhua News – Japanese ruling party promises to abandon nuclear power
• Xinhua News – Japan’s Shiga governor launches political party on nuclear phase-out
• Asahi Shimbun – Fukushima evacuees warn Okinawa about the dangers of government grants – Yasuyuki Nishii
• Asahi Shimbun – 2 parties to merge with governor’s anti-nuclear group; Your Party snubs Ishihara
• Asahi Shimbun – Despite 2011 disaster, pro-nuclear party could win power in Japan
• Daily Yomiuri – Realistic policies the only way to hold down electricity rates
• ENENews – NHK: One person stops working at Fukushima plant each day — A serious problem, conditions deteriorating (VIDEO)
• ENENews – Watch: Immediate attention from medical experts is needed for people in contaminated areas — Fukushima is ongoing crisis (VIDEO)
• ENENews – NHK 3/11 Documentary: “The worst case scenario was unfolding” at Fukushima Unit 3 (VIDEO)
• ENENews – FOX News – Report: Japan failing at health checks for Fukushima workers — “TV says things are fine at Fukushima; They’re not” (AUDIO)
• ENENews – NYTimes: Area near Fukushima plant like ‘post-apocalyptic wilderness’ — Generations, not just decades? “Look at the Soviet Union; They are still not back”
• Fukushima Diary – [Debris] Niigata returned debris to Iwate for residents’ protest – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Cheap energy] Tepco to pay 1.6 trillion yen for compensation by the end of December 2012 – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Column] X-day – when Fukushima plant discharges millions of tones of the contaminated water to Pacific ocean – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Radioactivity density of the seawater is increased at 57% of tested locations offshore Fukushima – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [AP] UN envoy, “JP gov has adopted overly optimistic views of radiation risks” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – 1Sv/h on the first floor of reactor3 – Iori Mochizuki
• Japan Times – DPJ platform: TPP, end of reactors – Masami Ito
• Japan Times – Hiroshima bigwigs slam Ishihara
• Japan Times – Kyushu Electric seeks 8.5% home rate hike
• Japan Times – Nuke victim aid falls short: U.N. envoy
• Japan Times – More deregulation needed to attract investment: former British ambassador – William Hollingworth
• Japan Times – Nuclear zone holdouts, old dog ‘Miracle’ live on – Koji Harada
• Japan Times – Shiga’s Kada readies party; Ozawa joins – Eric Johnston
• Mainichi Daily News – Yaita residents angry over government’s radioactive disposal site proposal
• Mainichi Daily News – Commission recommends revising disposal plans for dangerous nuclear plant waste
• Mainichi Daily News – Voters’ choice: Fukushima town crowd disappointed by Hashimoto’s weak anti-nuclear stance
• Mizzima News – Nuclear fallout
• NHK World – Prefectures not positive about nuclear disposal
• NHK World – Kyushu Electric seeks approval for rate increase
• Nikkei – Mountain of Work Remains At Fukushima Plant

Monday, November 26, 2012

• AFP Google – Japan should ask people about nuclear fears: UN – Kyoko Hasegawa
• BBC News – Japan’s rising energy costs see nuclear rethink
• Bloomberg – Kansai Electric Seeks Tariff Increase on Rising Fuel Costs – Tsuyoshi Inajima and Yuji Okada
• eNews Park Forest – Nuclear Energy Institute Report on Japan’s Nuclear Reactors, November 26, 2012 .
• Enformable – Local governments addicted to nuclear subsidies – Lucas W Hixson
• Enformable – In-Focus: Japan – Noda Cabinet disapproval ratings hit new record high – Kansai Electric applies for nearly 12 percent rate hike
• The Independent – Care of Japan’s nuclear victims ‘poor’, says UN
• Reuters – Update 1-Japan’s Kansai Elec seeks 11.88 pct rate hike from April – Risa Maeda
• RT – Not good enough: UN says Japan is underestimating nuclear fallout risks
• Asahi Shimbun – Japan split over nuclear energy policy as Lower House election nears
• Asahi Shimbun – Nearly 100 employees of utilities serve on local assemblies
• Daily Yomiuri – Car traffic on narrow roads adds to Fukushima worries – Ryo Kato
• Daily Yomiuri – Ministry wary of TEPCO’s thermal power reliance
• Daily Yomiuri – Small parties join push for nuclear-free society
• Daily Yomiuri – KEPCO applies for govt OK to increase electricity rates
• Denki Shimbun – Local officials demanded full implementation of compensation from TEPCO
• ENENews – Translator Chokes Up: Japanese mother of 2 kids with thyroid cysts says “I couldn’t stop this, I couldn’t save my children this time… but I have to stand up and stop it” (AUDIO)
• ENENews – Watch: “All who met with Fukushima’s radioactive fallout are probably to have some problem with the thyroid” — Many in Tokyo already with problems (VIDEO)
• ENENews – NHK shows curium detection 100 km from Fukushima plant? — Professor: Wind blew this way and radiation levels were high as Fukushima City (VIDEO)
• ENENews – UN Press Conference: Fukushima parents denied access to children’s medical records — Must try FOIA request to get it (VIDEO)
• ENENews – UN informs Japan: Radiation went far beyond Fukushima, affected people should get health checked — Gov’t not protecting residents properly — Chernobyl data is no good, there was information blackout
• Fukushima Diary – [Contaminated water storage] 240,000 tones of tank is full, pipe runs for 10km, finding storage place getting harder – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – 21.36 µSv/h was measured from a used car to export in Tokyo Dec of 2011 – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Russia predicted saury contamination before China banned importing from Japan – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Yomiuri] Two local govs in Fukushima decided to resume planting rice next year, “Cesium is due to the rice hullers” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – Tepco mishandled coolant water injection to reactor3 to increase by 20% suddenly, “touched a valve mistakenly” – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Radiation leakage to the sea] Radiation level at water intake of reactor1~4 is slowly increasing – Iori Mochizuki
• Fukushima Diary – [Column] The turning point can be expected to the next Spring – Iori Mochizuki
• Japan Daily Press – Election candidates pay no attention to Tohoku disaster survivors in their pledges – Radhika Seth
• Japan Daily Press – Kansai Electric Power to increase household rates by 12%, plans for more reactor restarts – Adam Westlake
• Japan Times – Fukushima cancer risk said low
• Japan Times – Election 2012: Shiga governor mulls new no-nuclear party
• Japan Times – Kepco applies for 12% household rate hike in April
• Mainichi Daily News – Fukushima teachers’ union member advocates lessons about radiation, human rights
• Mainichi Daily News – A-bomb project left legacy of radioactive contamination in Canadian town
• NHK World – Anti-nuclear parties seek unity before election
• NHK World – Kansai Electric applies for rate increase