Japanese MP drinks Fukushima water under pressure from journalists

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/01/japanese-mp-drinks-water-fukushima

Japanese MP drinks Fukushima water under pressure from journalists

Yasuhiro Sonoda's hands shake as he drinks water collected from the plant to back up government claims of decontamination


Justin McCurry in Tokyo guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 1 November 2011 10.09 EDT

It was a simple gulp of water, but one that Japan's government hopes will carry symbolic importance as it seeks to ease concern over decontamination efforts at the scene of the county's nuclear crisis.

Yasuhiro Sonoda, an MP in the governing Democratic party of Japan (DPJ), was visibly nervous as his lips met a glass of water collected from inside two reactor buildings at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The 44-year-old had been cajoled into making the gesture by journalists who repeatedly asked him to substantiate government claims that decontamination efforts at the plant were progressing.

Sonoda's hands shook as he half-filled the glass from a plastic bottle, before polishing off the water in two swift gulps. He briefly held the glass up to the cameras, as if to prove that no sleight of hand had been involved.

Despite his reticence, Sonoda was not engaging in an act of masochism: the water in question, while once radioactive, had been stripped of radioactive iodine and caesium-134 and -137. Its source, reactors Nos 5 and 6, suffered less contamination than other units at the plant.

..more..

[occupyeverywhere]

1. yea right

sure he did

[NNN0LHI]

2. The real question is would he let his kids drink it?

[me b zola]

3. Reminds me

Of Obama taking his daughter for a swim in the Gulf to "prove" that it is safe. I believe that is the exact moment when I lost every ounce of respect that I once had for that man.

[qb]

4. Visibly nervous? His hands shook? How does this inspire confidence?

:shrug:

[redqueen]

10. Well, it does inspire confidence that the water

is actually from those reactors.

As for confidence in the claim that it's safe, not so much.

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. Did he wash down his potassium iodine pills with it? nt

[dembotoz]

6. like the dilbert cartoon series that has been running

only the ceo makes the intern from india drink it.

perhaps the guy in japan should have been up on his cartoons.

[dtexdem]

7. And now he glows with pride ...

or something. ;-)

[mopinko]

8. duzy

[Safetykitten]

9. I smell a marketing goldmine. Bottled FukiWater!

[JohnnyRingo]

11. Occupational hazard.

I'm sure it was like when a drug addict has to give a urine sample after lying about his clean lifestyle. The first response is "I don't have to go right now", followed by severe nervous reaction, then ultimate submission.

Too bad for him.

[Electric Monk]

12. k&r

[AsahinaKimi]

13. Could have sworn I posted this yesterday

yeah.. right here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2221463