Sunday May 27, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

TEPCO opens up Fukushima plant to media

National Feb. 21, 2012 - 06:00AM JST ( 20 )

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20 Comments

1

some14someFeb. 21, 2012 - 07:11AM JST

so residents should return wearing protective suits and masks (24x7) like these reporters? looks unsafe to me.
0

UtrackFeb. 21, 2012 - 07:30AM JST

The Fukushima Daiichi press tour

The video is over 5 hours. (You may need to register to view.)

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv81820555?ref=nicotop
0

borschtFeb. 21, 2012 - 07:39AM JST

Reactor one is now completely covered with a tarpaulin-like structure

Do those blue tarps keep radiation from escaping? Wow. You learn something new everyday. Sorry, just being facetious.
0

shine.sirdi@yahoo.comFeb. 21, 2012 - 08:17AM JST

there was a sale promo in UNIQLO for these Protective suits + hiked tax.
6

gaijinTechieFeb. 21, 2012 - 08:37AM JST

Thank god for digital cameras - film might be, y'know, a little overexposed at the end of the day. Are reporters who ask difficult questions also allowed, or is this Tepco club outing just for trained puppies?
3

gaijintravellerFeb. 21, 2012 - 09:43AM JST

Does "journalists" include foreign journalists or just members of the Kisha Club, who are known to be cooperative as they do not ask awkward questions and believe what they are told.

"Mostly wearing protective suits" TEPCO workers get the protective suits, workers contract from agencies run by "antisocial" groups don't?
3
zichiFeb. 21, 2012 - 09:54AM JST

This story wasn't widely covered by the Japanese press and media and appears more in the western press whose journalists weren't invited.

TEPCO seems to making progress with the No4 reactor in removing the debris and damaged building structures, even thought the spent fuel pool which contains 1300 fuel assemblies remains in a fragile state.

Nothing seems to be happening on the No3 reactor which was the most destroyed by two explosions and is the only one which contained 30 plutonium fuel assemblies.
- ModeratorFeb. 21, 2012 - 09:58AM JST
  
  That is incorrect. The visit by journalists was indeed given wide coverage last night by TV media.
6

zichiFeb. 21, 2012 - 09:57AM JST

The visiting journalists found radiation levels of 130 and 200 microsieverts per hour and a TEPCO PR spokesmen informed them that there are areas of the plant with radiation higher than 1500 microsieverts per hour.
7

zichiFeb. 21, 2012 - 10:07AM JST

“The plant has reached a state of cold shutdown. We will try to allow people to return to their homes as early as possible.”

I would say that's something of a wild statement not based on the real situation.
0

ElvensilvanFeb. 21, 2012 - 10:26AM JST

Well, the ones who did the coverage may still be debating on how they would present, and what not to say ... or maybe being debriefed.

Conspiracy theories aside though, it seems that the government and TEPCO are really pulling all strings to show the people that the plants are stable, and quite safe to go back.

But I still can't understand why the government hasn't restored the safety radiation levels to pre-disaster levels yet.
1

Blair HerronFeb. 21, 2012 - 10:36AM JST

Does "journalists" include foreign journalists or just members of the Kisha Club

The journalist/media who were allowed:

[newspaper]

Asahi, Sankei, Tokyo, Nikkei, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Kyodo, Jiji, Fukushima Minpo, Fukushima Minyu, Kahoku Shinpo, Too Nippo, Nigata Nippo

[TV/Radio]

NHK, Nihon TV(Nittere), TBS, Fuji TV, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo,Fukushima TV, Fukushima Chuo TV, Fukushima Hoso, Teleview Fukushima, Radio Fukushima

[Foreign journalist]

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (5 members)

[Internet media]

Nikoniko doga, IWJ

http://www.ourplanet-tv.org/?q=node/1308
3

zichiFeb. 21, 2012 - 11:29AM JST

"We will try to allow people to return to their homes as early as possible.”

I think that will be decided by the government and not the plant manager. The government stated that next month it will review the situation inside the no-go zone and other areas.

The thinking is that nuclear refugees will be able to return to their areas if the radiation contamination is lower than 20 millisieverts per year. That would still be 20 times higher than the national standard of 1 millisievert. In areas between 20 to 50 millisieverts per year, people will be advised not to return, but not prevented from doing so. In areas above 100 millisieverts per year, former residents will be informed that it's unlikely they'll ever be able to return.
0

ebisenFeb. 21, 2012 - 12:50PM JST

gaijintechie - digital cameras are just as sensitive to radiation as film... one example is the recent usage of an endoscope inside the reactor - the picture instantly becomes noisy as it enters the vessel. Other examples are the night-shot videos (some days after the hydrogen explosions), where colourful noise (very atypical for a digital camera shooting at night) is sometimes visible...
2

Ted BarreraFeb. 21, 2012 - 02:04PM JST

There's probably a lunch room for the reporters with special cash sandwiches.
-2

tmarieFeb. 21, 2012 - 07:12PM JST

I saw them walking around with plastic gloves. Lord this country makes my shake my head.

Great post Blair - and just exactly as I thought. Pretty much Japan only... Doubt we'll get the truth.
0

UtrackFeb. 21, 2012 - 10:33PM JST

Everyone can watch The Fukushima Daiichi press tour on Fukushima Dairy. I just started watching and everyone is getting suited up the their protective gear right now . going back to watch it.

http://fukushima-diary.com/
1

SaltAireFeb. 22, 2012 - 12:14AM JST

Has anyone seen THIS?

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts12022102-e.pdf

Because of high radiation, they are going to "cover up" the Port's ocean bottom with concrete? WTF??
0

UtrackFeb. 22, 2012 - 03:02AM JST

SaltAire it is a mess it looks like they are burying the ocean bottom like it's chernobyl or something.
0

UtrackFeb. 22, 2012 - 05:45AM JST

PART 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi press tour is on iwakamiyasumi page of ustream.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/20600794