High radiation beyond evacuation zone — Kyoto nuclear professor surprised by extent of contamination

The first map of ground surface contamination within 80 kilometers of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant shows radiation levels higher in some municipalities than those in the mandatory relocation zone around the Chernobyl plant. <...>

It showed that a belt of contamination, with 3 million to 14.7 million becquerels of cesium-137 per square meter, spread to the northwest of the nuclear plant.

After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, those living in areas with more than 555,000 becquerels of cesium-137 per square meter were forced to relocate. However, the latest map shows that accumulated radioactivity exceeded this level at some locations outside the official evacuation zones, including the village of Iitate and the town of Namie.

“I am surprised by the extent of the contamination and the vast area it covers,” said Tetsuji Imanaka, assistant professor of nuclear engineering at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute. “This (map) will be useful in planning evacuation zones as well as the decontamination of roads and public facilities.” <...>

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201105070143.html

:scared:

"acceptable" exposure levels.

Extension of evacuation zones will exponentially increase the number of evacuees. For example, if you extend the evacuation zone a little farther to the NW, it will start to include Fukushima City, which has 300,000 residents. Extending the evacuation area a little to the south would include Iwaki, the largest city in Fukushima, which has a population of 360,000+.

So,
1) Where do you send evacuees?
2) What do you do about people who don't want to leave?

Sending these people outside of Fukushima Prefecture might cause some problems because of prejudices against people exposed to radiation. For example, the mayor of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, issued an apology on the city's web site about alleged discrimination against Fukushima evacuees in his city. And there have been documented incidents of discrimination against Fukushima evacuees in other places.

But there has to be a better way than proceeding like this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1015869&mesg_id=1016658

What's the government going to do? Forcibly relocate kids outside of Fukushima, which would subject them to potential bullying in public schools just because they're from Fukushima (which happened recently in Niigata, where a 6th-grade girl kicked a Fukushima boy so hard he had to go to the hospital)? Do you set up Fukushima "tent cities", where the residents might be treated as lepers by the local population? It's a very difficult problem..

This is the first time I'm seeing the info you just posted and that's horrible.

But I can't accept that acceptable levels of radiation for anyone, and especially for children, who are much more vulnerable to its effects, should just be raised so they can still live in the area and play on those playgrounds. And the levels in this case were raised to those equivalent to German nuclear workers.

How many more of them will develop cancer in the future? How many will continue to be ostracized because of their proximity to Fukushima while they were young?

Can nothing more be done to educate the people demonstrating and condoning hate and to stop it from that side?

No one will willingly marry into a Fukushima family. They are contaminated down to their DNA.

And the plant is still leaking, radioactive, and unstoppable.

Horrible to be caught in that with no end in sight.

"つくば市としては，もとより被曝は伝染するなどという認識は持っておりませんし，まして福島県の方々を差別する意図がなかったことを御理解いただきたく存じます"

"The city of Tsukuba hopes that you (Fukushima evacuees) understand that (our radiation screenings) were never meant to imply that radiation could be transmitted to other people, nor was it ever our intention to discriminate against people from Fukushima".

http://www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/1330/008543.html

It's a very delicate situation.

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/04/20/leaving-fukushima-radiation-check-please/

I agree with the words of Mr. Genba (i have seen his name alternately listed as Gemba):
“I cannot stress enough how regrettable it is that some heartless people have acted like that,” said Mr. Genba at a news conference later.



I followed a link in that article to another. It brought up these issues, noting a twitter campaign to fight the discriminatory attitudes and the historical connection to atomic bomb survivors:

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/03/23/evacuees-fear-throwback-to-atomic-bomb-discrimination/
Some people have criticized the rescue-workers’ reluctance to assist patients, invoking the term “hibakusha,” a reference to discrimination against atomic-bomb survivors. “I can surely empathize” with the Shizuoka and Gifu fire departments, a Twitter user, “Suzume56,” wrote Wednesday. “But I wonder if they don’t have the feeling to face a dangerous situation bravely.”

“I am the second-generation descendant of a Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor,” another Twitter user, “cheekykey,” said. “I wonder if the ignorant idiots who discriminate against bomb survivors have been in a 60-year time slip?”

A tweet urging people to be conscious of discriminatory attitudes towards Fukushima victims has been circulating online, urging users to share it.




Fear comes out in many ways and prejudice, hate and violence are some of those.

To counter those, we must counter the fear.

I hope those who care, and I know you are one of the people who do, can shift this attitude.

The Japanese phonetic character ん is generally romanized as a soft "n". However, when the sound precedes a "b" or a "p" sound, it is generally pronounced as a soft "m". So some people choose to romanize it as "n", while others choose "m".

Sometimes, I see the different spellings and I'm not sure if it is because of that or if it's different people or places.
Some letters and letter combos just don't translate easily from one language to another.

Sato 佐藤 is a very common Japanese surname which can be romanized in several different ways: Sato, Satoh, Satou, and Sato with a circumflex or dash over the o.

Would that fit in this pattern?

Reminds me. A few years ago, I was in Victoria, BC and was fortunate to see works by Shinichi Saito.
I was not familiar with his work, but was swept away.

I sat in front of "Lonely Goze" for 1/2 hour or more.

A friend later told me the history of the goze in Japan.

Here's a link with that and a few other pieces:
http://aggv.ca/collection/artist/Saito,%20Shinichi

There is one character combination, 西都, that doesn't involve a drawn-out "o" sound at the end.

But I checked and saw that the Saito you are referring to spelled his family name with the commonly used characters, 斉藤, so it could be romanized as Saitoh, Saitou, etc.

I found a picture here

http://aggv.ca/artwork/saito-shinichi-lonely-goze

and then read about the "goze" here

http://www.geocities.jp/gozearchives/about.html

It seems that the goze were ladies with vision impairments who were essentially traveling minstrels who were looked upon as being inferior from the Shogunate era into the "early" Showa era (which could be anywhere from the mid-1920s to the mid-1940s, I guess)

Knowing about the plight of the "goze" now certainly adds to the emotional impact of the painting.

Saito also wrote books about the goze. These included paintings.

They are listed in the bibliography section of the wiki on goze:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goze


When seeing the painting in person, the snow falls on her cheeks like tears. And yes, learning the history does add to the emotional impact.

with the references to Victoria and Japan, I get the distinct feeling that I have met you on this board some years before :)

for awhile. :)

who was a Japanese-Canadian living on Vancouver Island. She was involved in some way with UVIC, but dropped off the DU radar several years ago.

I've always had the same username and I enjoy visiting BC, but live in Seattle.

Japanese for "I see". :)

At any rate, a little off topic, but since you are in Seattle and occasionally travel to Canada, have you noticed any recent difficulty in going back-and-forth across the border?

That was a couple years ago. though.

A couple years before that, when I went to Vancouver, there was no issue for me going into Canada (though there was for a man who did not have the needed ID). On return, I was fine, but there was a strong DHS presence and search. It was disconcerting, especially the harsh way a young man sitting across from me was grilled.
I posted about that at the time.

Did you cross at the Peace Arch, or the truck crossing? What was the needed ID at the time? The last time I made that crossing was just a month before 9-11, when everything was cool. I've been wondering how things have changed since then.

Very organized, issue-free crossing.

When I went to Vancouver - gosh, it's been so long 2005- I went by Amtrak. I just used my passport so it would be easier. By that time, I think they were wanting state ID plus birth certificate (now I think it's passport or "enhanced" id). I think that was the problem for the man who couldn't go. He was elderly and hadn't heard about the change, only had his ID and was upset. I felt bad for him. He'd obviously been looking forward to the trip there.

Train's my favorite mode of travel. Enjoyed the trip up there. Beautiful views along the coast and many eagle sightings on the way. Would be nice to have a faster train and the right of way though - pulling over for freight trains makes for a lengthier time than it should.
Crossing was easy and the Canadian border guards were polite and welcoming.

The real shock came on the return to the States. As I recall, they actually stopped the train well before the border and from what I could see from my car to the next, it looked like we each had a full measure of DHS team plus german shepherd. Felt like an old movie with "show us your papers and the dog standing by to intimidate. And I've traveled in and lived in Germany and never felt that way there. I'd been chatting across the aisle to a Canadian guy who was going to Seattle to visit friends. I showed my passport and had minimal questioning. But they grilled that poor guy and the tone was very rude, fairly accusatory. Asked him all kinds of specific questions, including his friend's address, etc. I remember that question because I was thinking I'd just been visiting a friend in Vancouver and although I'd stayed at a hotel, I had no clue what his street address was, just his phone number. If I were that guy, I'd probably just tell my friend to visit me next time instead of going through. They finally ok'd him and moved to the next person. Took a long time.

I lived in Bellingham when I was a teenager and used to cross frequently at the Peace Arch. But that was a long time ago and it was never a hassle (ok, once I couldn't go because I didn't have any ID on me - missed a concert because of that).

How do you know about the Peace Arch? Did you live here?

I made the Peace Arch crossing lots of times. As well as the truck crossing. Abbortsford a couple of times. And even Point Roberts. On the weekends, lots of Canadians headed toward Bellis Fair for some reason, but I never could figure out why.

I lived in B'ham before there was a mall. Always had plenty of cross border shopping back then, especially when the exchange rate would shift. Must have been fun to live in Canada!

I've been inside that gymnasium in the first link. It really brings things close to home when I see familiar sights in the non-Japanese press.

And for what it's worth, the gymnasium is no longer being used as an evacuation center, since all evacuees who chose to stay in Tsukuba have been given accommodation in previously-vacant public worker housing.

I'm glad the evacuees have been provided housing.
That's good to hear.

Even if they aren't being bullied, it's hard on a kid to be taken away from friends and familiar places and put in an unfamiliar environment. Some kids can adapt easily, others can't. But like you said, at least they have private accommodation now.

I would guess that many of the children and family have PTSD from the multiple events of earthquake, tsunami and radiation, then being uprooted, then bullied.

As you said, moving like that when you're young isn't easy. But making that transition rather than staying in a place hazardous to your health is a better option for the long run.
I'm personally familiar with that since I went through it, for very different reasons obviously (though it would have been hazardous for me to stay where I was and it was challenging moving, especially since I did that several times in succession).

Private housing is a major start. So important to have a safe place to go home to. And now it sounds like teachers and people in the area have become aware of this, so I hope they can help counter it.

Now why would anyone get the idea that radioactivity was contagious?

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR0Za83hvhWgcfwOVh2BJ9PSm_ZgS3ynXhH95U8l8GuuqWHDZCCOg

not Tsukuba, Ibaraki.

and/or taunted every day, you might think that being bullied is worse than the risk of getting leukemia.

Have Japanese parents lost their minds? I'm sorry that is so pathetic.

Someone doesn't get how very likely it is that children will become sick with such high exposures.

Apparently you never were or had a kid who was bullied at school. We are talking about a potential risk of getting leukemia versus physical and/or mental bullying. It's not as easy a choice as you seem to think it is.

"あるいは、放射線には関連していないらしいけれども、福島県から転校してきた子を集団でいじめた、というケース。

「いじめ」の理由は何でもかまわないのかもしれませんが、震災で大きな被害を受けて、心身ともに傷つき、弱っている相手をいじめの対象にするとは、あまりにも他者への愛や共感力に欠ける行いであり、人として許されることではないと思います。
また、後者のケースでは、始業式の１週間後に、被害児童が「悪口を言われている」と、担任教諭に相談していたにもかかわらず、その後に暴力を受けてケガをさせられています。"

"There was a case where a transfer student from Fukushima was subjected to group bullying, even though he/she seemed to have nothing to do with radiation"

"It doesn't matter what the reasons for bullying are, I think what happens is that kids who have been injured, emotionally and/or physically, by the disaster, are seen as weak by other kids who taunt them because they (bullies) are lacking the ability to love or empathize with others. I think it is something that should not be tolerated."

"In addition, in the case of transfer student from Fukushima, he/she asked a teacher for counseling about gossip being spread about him/her a week after the first day of school, but despite that, the child was injured by violent bullying after that".

http://www.edita.jp/education2/archive/category11-new.html

...been able to bring the radiation, naturally.

PB

Want 'em? They have lied about the extent of the radiation damage. AND IT ISN'T OVER.

Kobe beef is produced in the Kobe area, which is 500 miles from Dai-ichi and has no radiation problems.
Japanese cars are also mostly produced in areas that have nothing to do with radiation.

Now is it? It's the public relations response, but it isn't the answer to the question. The Japanese know the geography of their homeland. How many Americans do?

And why has Fukushima disappeared from the nightly news? Could it be so people will think the problem is contained and they won't question a Made in Japan label?

The Japanese are shunning the people of Fukushima. Why do you think the more geography-challenged world won't shun Japan? Like the crew for Bieber's concerts that refused to fly to Tokyo and Osaka?

Five hundred miles and has nothing to do with radiation? REALLY? You've seen the tests? How is it the radiation can blow in waves across America and Europe but it isn't touching a damn thing outside the Fukushima prefect in Japan? Is Tokyo in the prefect? HOW ABOUT THE TOKYO BREAST MILK?

Wider and wider areas of Japan are being contaminated and you're singing "All Safe!"?

The Fukushima disaster isn't contained. It isn't over. And you have no idea how far and deep the contamination has gone.

You don't seem to know a damn thing about this country. Not a damn thing. You just spout off and act like you know what is happening over here, when it's quite obvious you don't.

You don't know a damn thing about the radiation measurements taken here, yet you try to come off as an expert. Can you look up radiation measurements on a Japanese web site? If you could, you would see that radiation levels are normal in nearly the entire country, with the major exception of Fukushima Prefecture, a small part (5500 square miles) of the country.

Here are the radiation readings for the city of Kobe since March 14-- they are consistently NORMAL, even during the worst part of the crisis

http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/life/recycle/environmental/air/110506radiationdoses.pdf

If you knew anything about Japanese automobile production, you would know that it is centered well away from the Fukushima reactors. Here are the radiation readings for Aichi Prefecture, where much of Japan's automobile production is centered:

http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/jr2zpa/diary/201104090000/

Once again, radiation readings there have been NORMAL, even during the worst of the crisis.

And you don't even seem to know a damn thing about Kobe beef-- it's a BRAND NAME that is STRICTLY CONTROLLED, like Champagne is in France. It is the very top-of-the-line beef. The people who are in charge of Kobe beef quality are NOT going to sell tainted beef-- no way, no how.

Maybe the ports they are shipped from if your contention is the production of certain goods in Japan is so far away from any contamination that it could not happen that radiation be spread through shipments. None of us know anything about Japan or what goes on there, even the shipping officials in Rotterdam.

Only that this shipment had some containers that were radioactive:


Japanese Containers Test Positive for Radiation on Arrival in Rotterdam

By Maud van Gaal and Alaric Nightingale - May 10, 2011 10:34 AM PT

Dutch authorities have found traces of radiation on 19 containers originating from Japan, two months after an earthquake and tsunami there caused leaks from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant.

Five of the containers, scanned on arrival at the Port of Rotterdam, were quarantined because the level of contamination was above the permissible threshold, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority said on its website today. The other 14 boxes were cleared after further inspection, it said.

“Whether this is an exceptional incident with a low impact is difficult to say,” said Philip Damas, an analyst at Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd. in London. “You can get a bit carried away into a panic mode when really it’s a one-off.”

Scans of the ship’s superstructure at sea failed to reveal contamination, which was detected when the containers were screened in Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest port, before being offloaded, said Marian Bestelink, a spokeswoman for the Dutch food authority. Further checks showed goods inside one of the five irradiated containers to be untainted, and they were released, while the other four are undergoing checks, she said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-10/radiation-found-in-19-japanese-containers-in-rotterdam-five-quarantined.html

I looked at the Nikka Whiskey web site and saw quite a few distilleries that are in or near the disaster area (none in Fukushima but a couple that are close). I don't have time to look into it now, but I will when I have some time.

On edit: The facility that is in the disaster area is the one at Sendai. It is the facility shown in the following Japanese web page. You can find it by looking for the English phrase "since 1969"
http://www.nikka.com/company/facility.html

surprised? Christ.

around the plant...

have access to this map? so they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families.
it would be just like a government to make the map then withhold the information.

or those impacted will suffer long term from illnesses and cancer, and Tepco will have long ago restructured or in some other way gotten out of paying for destroying lives.

The Japanese response derelict at best and just evil at worst. The fucking mess should have been buried under sand, boric acid and concrete buy now.Dangerous radiation just keeps going on for ever and ever for all practical purposes. :nuke:

It has been pointed out, as folks suggest the Chernobyl method of entombment, that Fukushima is not Chernobyl. Fukushima is potentially so much bigger, with the fissures and fault lines and generally unstable ground underneath those reactors, COMPARED TO CHERNOBYL, it is no wonder that they haven't begun to do that.

Would like to see the engineering plan for such a fix with a soils analysis as well. That close to the sea, and an unknown amount of radioactive material continuing to seep down into the earth below and around those reactors.

Right next to the sea, with the marine life and currents and tides, etc.

I know, I know, we don't know anything, so we had better just shut up.


Hands off my Social Security!
Hands off Latin America!


rdb

nt

How can anyone invest credibility in the Japanese government?


The dairy farmers who returned to Fukushima's fallout path

In a radiation hotspot downwind of Japan's stricken nuclear plant, families care for their cows – and pour away the milk

Jonathan Watts in Namie
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 11 May 2011 13.22 BST

"The alarm is ringing. That means danger," says Keiko Sanpei with a nervous laugh as she looks at a meter which shows radiation levels, at her dairy farm, more than five times the health limit. "I was afraid when I first returned. But being with the cows, that fear goes away..."

..."The government draws a boundary with a compass from the site of the reactor. But the reality is completely different. The most irradiated areas are in a line heading north-west from the plant. That includes here. But we only realised that in April," says Sanpei.

She now has her own dosimeter. It shows radiation outside her home is 13 microsieverts per hour – 100 times the level in Tokyo and equivalent to having a chest x-ray every four or five hours...

...The government no longer thinks so. After ignoring earlier calls for the evacuation area to be widened, it announced last month that people in hotspots such as Namie must leave by the end of May...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/11/fukushima-fallout-cattle-farmers-radiation

The Russians acted FAR MORE responsibly than the Japanese are reacting now to THIS disaster.

the Soviets, while naively tried to hide the extent of Chernobyl at least admitted it far more quickly than the Japanese government. Furthermore, we have little information to work with, but based on what we know I am deeply, deeply concerned about anyone living in Japan currently.