JAIF: Earthquake Report No. 57

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1303218806P.pdf

Earthquake Report—JAIF

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We have been reporting a status of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station by summarizing news aired by NHK, which is Japanese national broadcasting company. We regard it as most credible news among many news sources and we are happy to say that NHK’s English website has gotten enriched and now you can see movies and English scripts at http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/society.html.
Given this situation, we decide to simply place these scripts as it is for the record in case that it will be deleted from the website later, rather than summarizing news as we did.

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No. 57: 20:00, April 19

NHK news regarding status of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station yesterday and today.

• Transfer begins of highly contaminated water
• Robots detect high levels of radiation
• New photos show reactor building interiors
• Video footage of Fukushima base camp released
• TEPCO to prevent radioactive dust migration
• TEPCO to check if plutonium leaked to seabed
• Japan checking exports to ease radiation fears
• Russia lifts advisory against travel to Japan
• Japan's foodmakers criticize China import rules
• Gemba: Fukushima residents feeling discrimination
• Fukui gov. asks gov't for nuclear safety measures

• Transfer begins of highly contaminated water
  The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has begun transferring highly radioactive water from the No.2 reactor to a waste processing facility.
  Ahead of the operation, Tokyo Electric Power Company, known as TEPCO, sealed cracks in the walls of the facility and ensured that other measures were in place to prevent contaminated water from leaking.
  After the government's nuclear safety agency checked procedures and safety measures, TEPCO began the operation on Tuesday morning.
  About 25,000 tons of highly contaminated water has accumulated in the basement of the turbine building and a tunnel connected to the No.2 reactor. The water must be moved quickly, as it could escape into the ocean.
  TEPCO says it plans to move about 480 tons of the water a day and it will take about 26 days to move about 10,000 tons to the waste facility near the No.4 reactor.
  The utility firm estimates that about 67,500 tons of radioactive water has accumulated at the plant.
  With more water being pumped into the reactors to restore the cooling system, the quantity is expected to rise and further hamper operations to bring the crisis under control.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 12:48 +0900 (JST)


• Robots detect high levels of radiation
  Remote-controlled robots have detected high levels of radiation inside the reactor buildings at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
  The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, on Monday released radiation data and photos taken by the US-made robots.
  The company conducted the survey using the robots on Sunday and Monday.
  This is the first time the situation inside the buildings has been made public since the March 11th disaster triggered a series of nuclear accidents. Workers have been unable to approach the buildings due to high radiation levels.
  TEPCO said the robots surveyed the first floor of the No.1 reactor for about 50 minutes and detected maximum radiation readings of 49 millisieverts per hour.
  A person staying in such an environment for 5 hours would be exposed to 250 millisierverts of radiation -- the legal limit for nuclear workers in emergency situations.
  The survey inside the No. 3 reactor lasted for about 2 hours, but the plant operator says the robots had difficulty moving around because of the debris. The maximum radiation reading was 57 millisieverts per hour.
  The power company says it hopes to find locations where workers can go to carry out decontamination tasks so it can implement its schedule for bringing the troubled plant under control.
  On Sunday, the utility presented a schedule for cooling down the reactors and significantly reducing radiation leaks within 6 to 9 months.
  Monday, April 18, 2011 18:58 +0900 (JST)


• New photos show reactor building interiors
  For the first time after the accident at the Fukushima plant, TEPCO has released photos of the inside of the reactor buildings. Remote-controlled robots took the pictures on Sunday and Monday to check the interior of the buildings housing the No.1, No.2 and No.3 reactors.
  This photo of the first floor of the No.3 reactor building shows a sheet-like object hanging from the ceiling and what appears to be equipment for moving the control rods. TEPCO says it cannot identify whether there are any pools of water on the floor.
  The bright area at the innermost part of the building is an entrance for vehicles to bring in large machinery and materials.
  The company says the double-door of the entrance is supposed to be closed and that it cannot determine when and how it opened.
  This photo of the first floor of the No.1 reactor building shows the remote-controlled robot and what looks like concrete rubble on the floor.
  The utility says a part of what appears to be a switchboard is also shown in the photo. It says the floor of the No.1 reactor building was dry.
  And in this picture of the first floor of the No.2 reactor building, the robot's camera lens, pointed toward the reactor, captured a large-diameter vertical pipe.
  The company says the robot was not able to move further inside as its lens became clouded in the high humidity of up to 99 percent. But it says it found no pools of water on the floor.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 14:50 +0900 (JST)


• Video footage of Fukushima base camp released
  The Japanese defense ministry has released video footage of a base camp for workers dealing with the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
  The footage of an athletic training facility, about 20 kilometers from the plant, was made public on Monday.
  Self-Defense Force officers and Tokyo Electric Power Company workers are lodging and training at the facility.
  Footage taken last Tuesday shows SDF personnel using meters to measure radiation on a helicopter that flew over the nuclear plant.
  The film also shows SDF officers training to clean vehicles exposed to radioactive materials.
  One part of the footage shows a daily meeting of SDF and TEPCO workers discussing contingency plans.
  NHK acquired extra footage showing futons laid out in the hallways and workers dressed in protective clothing.
  Hallways and stairs appear crammed with boxes of protective clothing, masks and rubber gloves.
  In one scene, radiation levels at the nuclear plant are displayed on a board.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 05:43 +0900 (JST)


• TEPCO to prevent radioactive dust migration
  The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant will spray a chemical hardening agent around the damaged plant to prevent the migration of radioactive dust and soil.
  Tokyo Electric Power Company says it will begin spraying the polymer emulsion on top of debris near the plant's reactor buildings starting on Tuesday next week. It has been test-spraying the emulsion since April 1st.
  The operation is part of a blueprint announced by TEPCO on Sunday to stop the leaking radiation and bring the plant under control within the next 3 months.
  Hydrogen explosions in the first few days of the emergency at Fukushima blew off the roofs and walls of the buildings housing the No. 1 and No. 3 reactors and showered radioactive rubble and dust over the site.
  To prevent the debris around a common spent fuel storage pool from scattering, about 2 weeks ago the utility began test coating it with an emulsion widely used in construction sites to settle dust.
  TEPCO says the polymer has hardened the debris and that radiation levels in the plant's compound have remained relatively low.
  TEPCO says it hopes to finish spraying the agent around the reactor buildings by the end of May, and in the rest of the compound by the end of June.
  After that stage, the company plans to cover the reactor buildings with huge filter curtains to prevent any further spread of radioactive materials into the environment.
  Monday, April 18, 2011 18:42 +0900 (JST)


• TEPCO to check if plutonium leaked to seabed
  The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says it will examine the seabed off the facility to ensure that no plutonium has leaked into the ocean. Tokyo Electric Power Company said on Monday it will conduct the inspection as plutonium is heavier than other radioactive materials and could have accumulated on the floor.
  Plutonium is a radioactive substance that could cause lung cancer if inhaled.
  TEPCO detected earlier small quantities of plutonium in the soil around the plant. But it said the amount is too small to harm human health.
  So far, no plutonium has been found in the air and sea water samples from around the plant.
  TEPCO senior official Junichi Matsumoto said there is little doubt that plutonium has leaked from the plant during the accident. The soil samples have been found to be contaminated with a small amount of the material.
  He said the company will continue with the examination so that residents can feel safe.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 05:43 +0900 (JST)


• Japan checking exports to ease radiation fears
  Japan's federation of steel makers will ask its members to check their products for radiation to combat rumors overseas that they are contaminated with radioactive materials.
  The Japan Iron and Steel Federation decided to urge companies to measure radiation levels of their products during manufacturing to guarantee that they are free from radioactive contamination.
  The federation opted to take the measure despite the fact that very little radiation can be detected in industrial goods and therefore no limits exist for such products. The decision came after steel products from Japan were rejected by some importers and ships carrying the products were not allowed to dock at foreign ports following the Fukushima nuclear accident.
  The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association is addressing a similar problem by starting to check the radiation of exported cars.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 10:10 +0900 (JST)


• Russia lifts advisory against travel to Japan
  Russia has lifted its advisory against travel to Japan.
  Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday the advisory has been lifted as studies conducted by Russian experts show no abnormal radiation levels in Tokyo.
  It also cited the announced schedule by Tokyo Electric Power Company for bringing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control.
  But the ministry is still advising Russian nationals to stay out of the zone around the Fukushima facilities and to refrain from visiting disaster-stricken areas.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 10:54 +0900 (JST)


• Japan's foodmakers criticize China import rules
  A Japanese business representative in China has called for a measured approach to Japanese food imports amid fears of contamination from the problems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
  Chairperson of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China Chihiro Shikama spoke to reporters in Beijing on Monday.
  Shikama said Japan's strict standards for food safety will not permit companies to export their products if any dangerous substance has been detected.
  He called on the Chinese government to apply import restrictions based on international standards.
  But he also said the Japanese side needs to be more transparent to ease Chinese consumers' concerns.
  Shikama's comment came after Japanese firms complained that the Chinese government has been practically suspending food imports from Japan since April 8th.
  The companies complained of unreasonable hurdles at customs, including demands for additional documents for quarantine inspections.
  The firms said China is refusing permits to import food products, even if they have been produced before the March 11th earthquake.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 05:43 +0900 (JST)


• Gemba: Fukushima residents feeling discrimination
  National Policy Minister Koichiro Gemba says people from Fukushima Prefecture are being discriminated against because of the radiation escaping from the damaged nuclear power plant.
  Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Gemba said that people from Fukushima were refused reservations at hotels in other prefectures and children have been bullied by other kids who say they have been irradiated.
  He said the people of Fukushima are leading orderly and calm lives even though they are very worried. He said that while many people support the disaster victims, it's very disappointing that there has been thoughtless behavior on the part of some others.
  Gemba said he has requested cabinet ministers to instruct relevant institutions to ensure that such actions do not take place.
  Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said it is an objective fact that radiation is not infectious.
  He said some people are overreacting. He noted they should properly understand the situation using science, and thus accept produce of Fukushima that has been confirmed safe.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 14:44 +0900 (JST)


• Fukui gov. asks gov't for nuclear safety measures
  The governor of Fukui Prefecture has urged the central government to ensure that safety measures are in place at all nuclear power plants in Japan.
  Fukui Prefecture hosts 14 nuclear reactors, the most in the country.
  Governor Issei Nishikawa met with industry minister Banri Kaieda on Tuesday about the problems plaguing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant following the earthquake and tsunami of March 11th.
  Nishikawa said the central government should conduct emergency inspections on machinery such as cooling systems, which are crucial for safety.
  He said the government should set specific safety standards for emergency power sources.
  Industry minister Kaieda is said to have replied that the government is doing its best to bring the situation at Fukushima under control, and that it plans to create exact safety standards.
  After the meeting, Nishikawa told reporters that concern is being voiced all over the country. He said he hopes that the government will work with a strong sense of purpose to take all possible measures so that similar accidents do not take place.
  Tuesday, April 19, 2011 12:39 +0900 (JST)

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