Edano presser live now:

PB

Edano presser:

I came in right after the beginning so didn't catch the first part -- it seemed to be about the water spraying operation. I am transcribing from what I was able to catch of the English translation given on NHK world & Yosoko News.

#3 reactor: There was a pressure rise but has been stabilized; they see no immediate need to vent & are monitoring.

Detection of radiation on food: They have completed their sampling & will issue the full report tomorrow but he can say:

-2 samples of spinach in Ibaraki had levels over permissible limit (no mention of how many total samples taken or any other background, so...further info on report tomorrow)

-4 samples of milk in fukushima had levels above limit

The milk in question (I got the impression he meant not just the 4 samples, but the milk processed at the same time as well, but not sure) has not been shipped or sold.

Directives about possible bans on shipping/consumption will be issued tomorrow. No immediate threat even if you ate it for a long time.

They are coordinating with governments outside the affected area to take in the refugees from the area (I think meaning those left homeless by earthquake/tsunami as well as the power plant evacuation)

Then Q&A:

Not a lot of actual content -- most of his answers = "we are monitoring". He was asked about:

- An administrative change involving creation of paid positions - why the need for paid positions?

- Public funding for the general effort

- The media is giving the impression Ibaraki & Fukushima prefectures are totally contaminated, is this true? (I didn't hear the total answer because NHK World cut off at that point & I had to pick up on Yosoko News but it was my impression catching the end that he was saying something like it's not the case)

- In response to Q about his opinion -- are things getting better -- he said there's some progress since yesterday but we can't relax, our intent is to keep things at this level of stability & keep trying to make more progress

- Re the detection of radiation in tap water -- no immediate reaction needed because levels are low

- Rain is coming, people are worried that it will bring the radiation in the air down -- Edano answered that they are monitoring air & except in the area around the plant they don't think there is a problem; you can wear raingear but even if you don't they don't see it as significant harm.

- Question about Japanese radiation standards being lower/different than international ones: There are some differences but on the whole ours are conservative. Both local & central governments are monitoring levels everywhere & we will alert people if there's a problem.

- They are prioritizing help in the disaster areas: elderly & sick/injured first priority

- 3rd reactor: TEPCO & NSC (?) differ about whether water has actually (gotten inside & is staying?), what do you think? Edano: I think it's just a difference in the timeline -- they were looking at data from different points. We are pretty sure the water is going in.

- Why did it take 2 days to get the tap water info? (My impression he said that he's not sure when the local gov't got the info to the people in charge, they're working on it)

- Environmental impact surveys being done for effect on river, ground, ocean, seafood around the plant

- How about resumption of power production operations? Edano says it's clear -- objectively -- that Fukushima plant 2 will be able -- materially - to resume power production. But -- the central govt can't say that it *will* (I guess because there will likely be political issues.)

There was also a TEPCO presser immediately before the Edano presser; the main information was the information Edano also gave about reactor #3: The pressure rose but now stabilized & no immediate need to vent.

:hug:

My hat is off to you, Hannah Bell!