Saturday, June 4, 2011

Education for the future.


This is not fun. Nobody wants to still be thinking about leaking reactors. But; you really, really, need to know this.

This news release comes today from the official Japanese Public Television station, NHK.

I'm going to simply include all of it here, since there is a very high probability that in a few days, you won't be able to find the information easily; or perhaps not at all.
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Gov't didn't release radiation data after accident

The Japanese government has expressed regret for not disclosing some important results of the radiation monitoring conducted near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant soon after the accident.

The central and Fukushima prefectural governments collected the data to determine evacuation measures as well as food and water restrictions for residents.

A reading on March 12th, one day after the massive earthquake and tsunami hit the plant, shows that radioactive tellurium was detected 7 kilometers away. Tellurium is produced during the melting of nuclear fuel.

Three hours before the data was collected, the government expanded the radius of the evacuation area around the plant from 3 kilometers to 10 kilometers.

But the government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reported at a news conference several hours later that the nuclear fuel was intact.

The government also failed to disclose the high radiation levels in weeds 30 to 50 kilometers from the plant. On March 15th, 123 million becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 per kilogram were detected 38 kilometers northeast of the plant.

The nuclear safety agency says it deeply regrets not releasing the data.

Professor Yasuyuki Muramatsu of Gakushuin University says radioactive iodine has a high effect on children. He says that if the data had been released earlier, more measures could have been taken to protect them from exposure.
Saturday, June 04, 2011 15:27 +0900 (JST)

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There is hardly any comment needed; but I'll summarize. Yes, the Japanese government- and ours- knew; for certain; that a reactor had melted down completely; and exploded- one day after the tsunami-quake. That's the only way to get tellurium seven kilometers away. Nothing else could possibly have been responsible.

And- 123 MILLION becquerels of radio Iodine per kilo????? 38 kilometers NW? That's a number you only expect to find INSIDE a reactor core.

And- just like in all the disaster movies- they elected to NOT TELL THE PUBLIC. And the other world governments; with scientists all advising, and seeing what was going on from satellites I do assure you- went right along with it. Gosh, we don't want to scare anyone. Even though their kids are now playing in the spewed out guts of a nuclear reactor.

Apparently though, they believe in "Trickle Down Truth" - because they are quietly telling us now, and oh, yes, gosh, they are sorry about that.

You are really, really, going to want to remember this example in the future.

No "conspiracy theory" delusions here; just the hot, melted facts.

5 comments:

Sandy said...

I followed this throughout that first, scary period. It was more reassuring than the so-called news.

http://www.radiationnetwork.com/

Anonymous said...

It was clear at the beginning that there was a meltdown and that the authorities were lying, wasn't it? And the Japanese have a way of delivery on unpleasant facts, goes somthing like the old joke whose punchline is "your grandmother is on the roof".

The energy crisis will hit here very hard, apart from the nuclear safety issue, because we can't stop our addiction to oil. Our government also sees it coming, but don't expect any action.

If we wake up now it could be a easier transition to post fossil fuels, but I'm afraid that wont happen.

e4 said...

I think any official found to have lied about it should get to work at the plant 24x7 until the radiation levels are safe.

healinggreen said...

Yes, my young cousin lives in Japan and is confident that the media there has been very honest. I hope for his sake he has at least taken up the japanese custom of eating tons of miso soup every day -- they think the miso and seaweed combination are very good at combating longterm radiation effects. But, considering he works managing a european cooking school, he's probably drowing himself in french food and red wine every day. *sigh*

Anonymous said...

well, your cousin maybe happier for not knowing...
however you should also take solace knowing that red wine is THE right thing to take in a radiation infested place. Take it from someone who lived close-ish to Chernobil to have seen all the grownups gleefully indulging themselves in some extra Cabernet ;)
from what i remember red wine is supposed to help move strontium out of your body - radioactive strontium being one of the major contamination factors.