Sunday May 27, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

TEPCO planned review of tsunami risk, but too late

By Yuri Kageyama

National Feb. 16, 2012 - 06:50AM JST ( 20 )

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20 Comments

3

minello7Feb. 16, 2012 - 07:26AM JST

nearly one year after, and now truths are starting to appear.
0

gaijinTechieFeb. 16, 2012 - 07:41AM JST

Oh, he felt bad?!? Well, okay then... ...NOT!

Too little, too late! Except excuses, those they have in abundance.

Admit incompetence and take responsibility so that Japan and the world can move forward already!
3

NZ2011Feb. 16, 2012 - 08:01AM JST

I hope this and the other story about how the Japanese Nuclear Safety Standards were sadly lacking make front page news in the Japanese media.

It seemed patently clear to everyone I talked to, that seeing what happened at Fukushima, then with a little research, the previous issues with Fukui and the falsified safety records at the other plants around the country that there is something very wrong with the system and that only due to luck the Northern part of Japan is inhabitable.

I may pay taxes and have lived here some time, while I can send emails and letters I can't vote the out of touch elite out of Government that allow these terrible avoidable mistakes to happen.

As time goes on it's clear that while there was a massive and terrible natural disaster much of the issues that we all face now from this Fukushima issue are a result of gross negligence of practically everyone involved.

Japanese citizens I beg you, make a change, while the candidates you may be able to choose from may not offer the best selection, vote for people who are progressive and while they respect the things that make Japan great which I love too they are honest about the fact some things need to change starting with Corporate responsibility and accountability.
2

CletusFeb. 16, 2012 - 08:11AM JST

Its interesting that this has come out. After the event there where many posters here on JT that defended TEPCO saying this was an unprecedented event and TEPCO had no way of knowing such an event could take place and verbally bashing those that dared suggest TEPCO should have done more. It seems these people where misled by the very company they where defending.

This is just another in a sad collection of announcements that support peoples doubts about TEPCO and the J governments abilities. But nothing changes, there will be bows and apologies and we will all move on
4

cactusJackFeb. 16, 2012 - 08:12AM JST

Safety costs money, so TEPCO wasn't interested.
3

zichiFeb. 16, 2012 - 08:38AM JST

The earthquake alone had set in motion the nuclear disaster when it collapsed the pylons carrying the offsite power, and destroyed the offsite water supply which would have needed power to run the pump stations and supply the NPP with water for reactor cooling. In the end, TEPCO had to use sea water, but the decision came too late.
1

kurisupisuFeb. 16, 2012 - 09:10AM JST

This information was already known before the quake....
1

UtrackFeb. 16, 2012 - 09:29AM JST

This sounds like neither TEPCO nor NISA had the credentials or the qualifications to hold such heavily responsible positions.
2

Samantha Zoe AsoFeb. 16, 2012 - 09:37AM JST

After certain posters only yesterday trying to lay the blame at the feet of consumers and paint TEPCO in a bright light, this is timely.
-1

TheBigPictureFeb. 16, 2012 - 11:07AM JST

There's no way to prepare for the accidents that happen with nuclear plants, as proven by the disasters that have taken place in the short time this technology has been around.
1

the_harperFeb. 16, 2012 - 11:09AM JST

What has been done at any of the existing plants to relocate backup generators and ensure a water supply when a similar situation to what occurred in Tohoku happens again? From what I've read, the "stress tests" were computer simulations, so it doesn't necessarily cover what has been done now to resolve issues like backup generators in basements. Building bigger breakwalls surely can't be the answer.

So TEPCO planned to review their tsunami preparedness. Have they done it? Why are reporters not asking the hard questions?
1

Ted BarreraFeb. 16, 2012 - 01:14PM JST

They should have considered the high possibility of an earthquake and a tsunami WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING THE PLANT! This wasn't a little windmill generator. It was NUCLEAR! You don't mess around and take short cuts with that kind of power. Bunch of tools!
0

herefornowFeb. 16, 2012 - 01:34PM JST

It also highlights Japan’s slow pace of decision-making on an issue that experts had been warning about for at least 20 months.

uh, welcome to Japan. Avoiding making tough decisons is an art form there.
-1

noriyosan73Feb. 16, 2012 - 02:02PM JST

There is nothing new in this story. The USA just approved three new nuclear plants. The ONE point that was learned from Japan's disaster is that there needs to be underground, remote electricity supplied to a nuclear plant! The opposition to nuclear plants is sponsored by the coal industry. It is understandable, but eventually there will be no more coal and no more oil from the Arab countries. Iran is going to try to hold Japan and Europe hostage. Iran is a "Paper Navy'," to steal an old saying.
1

MoondogFeb. 16, 2012 - 02:04PM JST

Last spring after the event, it took me about ten minutes with Google to determine that the design was inadequate (and posted that info here: http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/protest#comment_941923 ).

This article is, I'm afraid, just another rewrite of a press release. For example, the article says:

"As early as June 2009, Yukinobu Okamura, a tsunami expert at the same government institute, warned about the need to look more closely at new evidence that a major tsunami called Jogan had hit northeastern Japan in the 9th Century."

That is a patently ridiculous statement. No doubt there was such a tsunami, but so what? As noted at the link just above, there were three tsunami along the same coastline that were large enough to overwhelm the Fukushima plant in the 80 years prior to construction, the last being just over ten years prior. Google "Teru Suzuki" to read the story of a woman who survived the one last year as well as the ones in 1933 and 1960.

The person whose name appears on this article, Yuri Kageyama, should be banned from journalism for gross negligence and his ties to TEPCO should be investigated to see if he has been bribed to help "spin" the story.
1

ExportExpertFeb. 16, 2012 - 02:12PM JST

40 years too late it seems.
3

zichiFeb. 16, 2012 - 02:22PM JST

noriyosan73,

unlike oil, gas and even uranium, unfortunately there are still hundreds of years of coal left. Japan imports coal from Australia and China.
0

nandakandamandaFeb. 17, 2012 - 10:45AM JST

Well, I am against nuclear power, but I have no recollection of being sponsored by the coal industry. I don't even particularly like coal.

My stand is based upon years of reading any information I can find and the views of all sides in order to try and make a dispassionate judgment.

I can understand why many peoples in the world have traditionally worshipped the sun. The gentle warmth of the sun's rays in winter were, and are, a constant miracle.

As to Tepco and their too-late story, my mother often used to say: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions".
-5

Star-vikingFeb. 19, 2012 - 12:01AM JST

zichiFeb. 16, 2012 - 02:22PM JST

unlike oil, gas and even uranium, unfortunately there are still hundreds of years of coal left. Japan imports coal from Australia and China.

Yes, radioactive, costly, climate-changing and atmosphere-modifying coal.

Thank God for that!
-4

Star-vikingFeb. 19, 2012 - 12:22AM JST

Wow, we have some Big-Coal supporters I see - burn, baby burn!