#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Yomiuri Interviews TEPCO PR Manager at the Plant

I already wrote a post about the lack of dosimeters for the workers at Fukushima I Nuke Plant and the absence of proper radiation monitoring until April 2.

(Did you get that one? 8 radiation monitoring systems on the perimeter of the plant weren't operational for all these three weeks because TEPCO didn't bother to connect electricity to the systems until April 1. There's no news yet that they are now actually working.)

Now, surprise surprise, if we are to believe TEPCO, they have suddenly managed to secure additional docimeters from Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuke Plant in Niigata Prefecture, another one right on the ocean, and the workers are now eating lunch on top of that. No word yet on additional water bottle. (See my post on $4855 a day, no lunch.)

Yomiuri Shinbun says it conducted the telephone interview with a TEPCO PR manager who's been at the plant to coordinate between the plant and the TEPCO headquarters [in PR matters].

From Yomiuri Shinbun (emphasis added; 3:04AM JST 4/3/2011):

　東京電力福島第一原子力発電所に泊まり込み、本店との調整に当たっている同原発広報部の角田(かくた)桂一・報道グループマネジャー（４２）が２日、読売新聞の電話取材に応じた。

Yomiuri Shinbun conducted the telephone interview with a TEPCO PR manager, Keiichi Kakuta, who's been at the plant to coordinate between the plant and the TEPCO headquarters [in Tokyo].

　一時不足していた放射線量を測る線量計は９２０個を確保したといい、食事も１日２回から３回に増えている。角田さんは「環境は整えられつつあるが、依然厳しい」と語った。

Kakuta said TEPCO "has secured 920 dosimeters" and the workers are getting three meals a day, instead of two. "The work conditions are improving, though it remains severe," said Kakuta.

　線量計が足りなかった問題は、発覚した直後の１日に、東電柏崎刈羽原子力発電所（新潟県）から５００個を調達するなどし、解消したという。食事の回数も増えたが、非常食や缶詰というメニューは変わらず、「量的には問題なくなったが、メニュー不足は否めない」。

TEPCO sent for 500 dosimeters from TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture on April 1, after it was revealed [by the news media] that there weren't enough dosimeters for workers. Even though the number of meals has increased to three, the meals still consist of emergency foods and canned foods. "Volume is OK, but no variety."

　泊まり込みで作業にあたっている約４００人のうち１００人程度は約１０キロ離れた福島第二原発の施設に宿泊できるようになった。それでも第一原発で作業員らの就寝場所となっている免震重要棟の「緊急時対策室」に入りきらず、廊下で寝る人もいる。

Of 400 workers at the plant, 100 of them get to sleep in at the facility in Fukushima II Nuke Plant which is about 10 kilometers away. Some workers still have to sleep on the corridor as there is not enough space to accommodate the remaining 300 in the designated sleeping quarters in the building 免震重要棟 in Fukushima I Nuke Plant.

　「睡眠は十分とは言い難いが、報道で激励の声が届くことが支えになっており、士気は高い」と話した。

Kakuta said "The workers are not necessarily getting enough sleep, but their morale is high as they know that people are cheering for them."

Let's see, what will be the new missing item that TEPCO will no doubt dribble out (that's their mode of operation, to the point that the Japanese with short attention span - there are many - will forget what they were hearing before)?

My guess at the moment is the full-body anti-radiation suits.

Toshiba generously (I'm sarcastic) donated 45 dosimeters on April 1, and said they would also donate 744 water-proof suits coming from Babcock & Wilcox. Toshiba workers are at the plant, probably not wearing the suits. Their press release on April 1 (available in Japanese only) says there are 150 Toshiba workers at the plant on an ongoing basis at the request of the government and TEPCO, and total 400 Toshiba workers have already worked at the plant at one time since the accident.

The 200 full-body anti-radiation suits that were already donated by a Florida company, which can be worn without assistance, I have no information on them. I can hazard a guess: they are sitting in a custom warehouse somewhere in Japan.

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