Gov't to use GSDF to help with decontamination work
TOKYO —
The Japanese government has announced plans to deploy Ground Self-Defense Force members to help in the decontamination of areas inside the 20-km exclusion zone around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The GSDF will start by decontaminating buildings to be used as command centers for companies that will be carrying out large-scale decontamination work early next year.
Fuji TV on Thursday quoted a government spokesperson as saying that radiation levels have, until now, been so high that no progress has been made on decontamination work. On Wednesday, radiation levels measured 10-12 microsieverts per hour in the town of Okuma, which is two kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Removal of contaminated waste is scheduled to begin before the end of the year at public facilities in Namie, Tomioka, and Naraha, Fuji TV reported. Up to 300 GSDF personnel will be deployed.
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14 Comments
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1
Utrack
NO, the GSDF should be trained and deployed to areas outside of the No Go Zone, the farmland and hotspots in Chiba, Tokyo etc. Needs the GSDF to help local Govt to Decontaminate.
NO, NO, NO, it is too Dangerous just let the No Go Zone be barned No One should be there Not even the workers in the J Village should be in the No Go Zone it's just too hot with radioactivity.
2
Godan
Wonder what effect, positive or negative, this will have on recruiting in the future.
1
smithinjapan
Somebody's got to do it, and it's pretty clear TEPCO isn't responsible or capable enough to get the job done -- just to screw it up. I hope the GSDF get the appropriate gear to deal with the situation. Take care, lads!
0
MaboDofuIsSpicy
Abandon the idea forever. Why are they so hung up about this, when there are much more important things to do like stopping the shipment of contaminated food, cars etc.Year after year something comes up where the Govt. does nothing to protect the people.
-4
noriyosan73
It is about time! These people need to earn their salaries. It would be an excellent example for USA military to earn their salaries in Japan, not to mention the "good neighbor" policy.
5
zichi
noriyosan73,
100,000 SDF members worked the disaster zone following 3/11 as did thousands of American troops. You do an injustice to them.
2
zichi
The exclusion zone should be increased to 40 km and left. While there's nuclear fuel at the power plant, there's always a possibility of another nuclear disaster. Like if a spent fuel pool collapsed, it would be worse than 3/11.
The government must believe, one day people can return. Maybe, but many decades from now. TEPCO should compensate all those for the loss of their property, which isn't currently on the cards.
The clean-up will allow the SDF to establish a base so that private organizations can continue the decontamination work.
Members from the Ground SDF's chemical defense units, who have expertise in dealing with radioactive materials and chemical weapons, will be mobilized.
The special measures law to deal with contamination by radioactive materials takes effect in January. From that point on, private organizations will likely pick up the slack with regard to decontamination work in the no-entry zone.
2
MaboDofuIsSpicy
What? They are here to protect and to serve. They work hard. They are not just sitting around and playing GI Joe.
3
The Munya Times
Soldiers can't say NO, it's an order even if it takes a toll on their health or lives. An army has engineers and many good equipments to do hard tasks. Once you join the army you know this might cost your life either in war or in peace.
I thought everything is contaminate waste there, including the soil. Where do they take it, carry away millions of tons of soil, rocks, riverbed or what and how? And what do they do with it? And wouldn't they contaminate the transport route too? I have no idea what can be done with such a widespread pollution, I just hope they won't scatter and spread it more.
0
zichi
The Munya Times,
The members of the SDF are not soldiers or military. They are special civil servants without a military code. There are no military trials or prisons. Just like any other employment, they are free to leave whenever they wish.
1
Cricky
What a muddled short sited response. The area can not be decontaminated. A waist of recources, or simply a PR exercise? Sure in the beginning no-one knew what to do, but 8 months latter! Really the saving face part has past and some clear long term management should have kicked in by now? Ignorance it can't be, lack of expert opinions well they have been pretty much ignored so far. Stating the Goal is not enough a plan to get there that has safety padding and enforcement....sorry shogani.
0
Fadamor
This will be good training for the GSDF. Work from the edge-in and in 30 years or so when the Caesium 137 reaches it's half-life, they'll be able to work in closer. Disposal of the contaminated material can be in the abyss. Box the debris and dirt up in metal boxes, then sink them off the continental shelf. By the time the boxes corroded enough to release the debris, most of the radioactivity would have decayed. The only things that would not be able to be handled this way would be the actual fuel rods/fuel slag.
-3
nandakandamanda
When you sign on to the GSDF, do you agree to do anything requested of you? Let's hope they do indeed use specialist troops and not just throw everyone in there, share and share alike.
2
zichi
Some SDF members refused to go to the Fukushima nuke plant following 3/11.
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