Japan rejected early US help on nuclear disaster

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Bangkok Post - AFP

Japan turned down a US offer to provide technical support for cooling fuel rods at nuclear reactors hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami, a newspaper reported on Friday.

The United States made the offer immediately after the disaster caused damage to Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant, the Yomiuri Shimbun said, quoting a senior official of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

According to the unnamed senior official, US support was based on dismantling the troubled reactors run by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) some 250 kilometres (155 miles) northeast of Tokyo, the mass-circulation daily said.

The government and TEPCO, both having first thought the cooling system could be restored by themselves, rejected the offer as they believed "it was too early to take," Yomiuri said.

Read more: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/227338/japan-rejected-early-us-help-on-nuclear-disaster-report

[Tx4obama]

1. Well THAT sucks! n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. Big time

It would appear it also sucks for PM Naoto Kan since some ruling party and government officials think the current situation could have been avoided if they would have accepted, and they're blaming the PM and his government.

[CLANG]

2. That's too sad. If only they could get a mulligan.

[flamingdem]

4. Infuriating. No time for pride now. They need all the expertise available

I think they are in "whatever" mode. Their pride/cultural stuff, their overall stress causing bad decisions, their instinct to hide and lie, this is what could lead to millions of cancer deaths.

[Tx4obama]

5. You would think that there'd already be International teams set up and ready to go ...

anywhere in the world as soon as an issue arises - 'before' it gets out of hand.

[CreekDog]

6. it also appears they didn't utilize sea water as early as they could have

apparently gambling they could salvage the reactors for the future.

unfortunately, the bet was against catastrophe.

and it's come to collect.

:wtf:

[SpartanDem]

7. This isn't the first time Japan has put lives at risk over it's pride

Some of you may remember Japan Airlines Flight 123 in 1985, which experienced an explosive decompression shortly after takeoff from Haneda, that crippled its hydraulics and going down on a mountain ridge. The US Military has been motoring the situation and spotted the downed planed first and we had a Marine rescue team ready to go, but when we requested permission to start operations it was denied and the Japaneses said they would handel it themselves. They wouldn't locate the plane until hours later and by then the weather worsened so they did not reach the site until the next morning. Autopsies show that a number passenger has survived the crash only to die of shock or exposure waiting for rescue, there were only four survivors out 509 people on that flight.

[emilyg]

8. Not smart of Japan.

[madrchsod]

9. well.... that`s a big load of bullshit...

"unnamed senior official"

"senior official of the ruling democratic party of japan"

"a newspaper reported today"

[Corruption Winz]

10. While I appreciate the "do it yourself" mantra they were kicking around...

I think that when it pertains to tasks that involve nuclear matters, you might take a few "volunteers."

Just a thought. Call me a crazy, wacky, commie, crazy liberal. But..... maybe this is where you take that help. But what do I know? What's the worse that can happen?

[think]

11. Can anyone bring robotic and radio controlled tech

into the picture? I don't know how radiation effects electronics but it would seem that between the army, Honda, Toyota, Hitatchi, Sony and others they could devise a way to use radio controlled robotics to get the water trucks close and have better accuracy at getting the water to the right areas. MacGyver style.

Sorry if I am missing why this could not be employed in this situation.

[Devil_Fish]

12. They found out in Churnoble that robots don't do well in a radio active environment. NT

[reformist2]

13. Wow. This is a nuclear strike at the Obama Administration.

"US support was based on dismantling the troubled reactors"?! This is a serious allegation. If it's a lie, the Japanese officials who spread the rumor should be fired, or worse. If it is actually true, however, it could lead to *huge* political problems for Obama...

[Schema Thing]

14. why?

[reformist2]

15. Assistance shouldn't have been contingent on anything.

[Schema Thing]

16. that's fucking ridiculous

It's not "help" if it's not based on something with a credible chance of "helping".

[bananas]

17. That's right - they knew this was doomed

See "TepCo wanted to evacuate ALL workers - Gov'mt said no way" http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x280249

[neovente]

18. it doesn't say..

what was the US asking for in return?