#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: After 10 Days from Quake, SDF Is to Clear Debris at the Plant for More Efficient Dousing

Duh.

The Self Defense Force still has to wait for the formal request from the government.

Duh, duh.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (in Japanese; 1:14AM JST 3/21/2011):

The Self Defense Force directed two of its Type-74 tanks to Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant on March 20 from its base in Shizuoka. The tanks are expected to arrive near the Plant on March 21 early morning, after being fueled at the SDF's base in Tokyo.

The tanks' thick metal exterior withstands radiation, and the tanks can be fitted with a plate specially designed to push out debris [called "dozer armour"]. Efforts to douse the Reactors in Fukushima I Nuke Plant has been hampered by debris on the ground from tsunami and explosions. As soon as there's a formal request from the government, the SDF will start clearing the debris.

Duh, duh, duh.

By now, those debris on the ground are probably heavily contaminated with radiation. They could have done it much, much earlier. Why did anyone think of this much earlier?

Even if there was someone who thought of using the SDF's tanks, bureaucratic hurdles were just so high and numerous and probably the request would have gone nowhere.

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