#Radioactive Japan with No Money Part 2: Government/TEPCO to Cover Annual Cancer Screening Costs of Only 3.7% of #Fukushima I Nuke Plant Workers

That's 904 workers out of 24,118 who have worked at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant since March 2011, up to September this year.

It's still over 5-fold increase, though. Originally when Prime Minister Noda declared a "cold shutdown state" to the ridicule of the world on December 16, 2011, only 167 workers who had exceeded the cumulative radiation of 100 millisieverts one day prior were to be fully covered by the national government for annual cancer screening for life, but no one else.

In August this year, TEPCO (at that time already effectively nationalized) was kind enough to lower the limit to 50 millisieverts, but the exposure should have been sustained by December 16, 2011 to qualify for the free checkups.

How much does a cancer screening test cost?　About 50,000 yen (US$610). 45.2 million yen (about US$549,000) per year for 904 people, instead of 1.2 billion yen (US$15 million) per year for 24,118 people.

The Japanese government is paying 22 trillion yen (US$268 billion), or about a quarter of the annual budget, in interest payments for its enormous debt. "We owe it to ourselves", say the Japanese citizens, analysts, politicians alike.

I guess they don't feel they owe it to the subcon workers at Fukushima I Nuke Plant.

From Asahi Shinbun (11/22/2012; part):

【青木美希】東京電力福島第一原発で原発事故から今年９月までに働いた２万４１１８人のうち、国と東電のがん検診制度を無料で受けられるのは９０４人で全体の３．７％にとどまることがわかった。国と東電が、５０ミリシーベルト超の放射線を昨年１２月の野田政権による事故収束宣言までに浴びた場合に限る、と期限を切ったからだ。東電は「不安に思う作業員から相談は受ける」という。相談窓口は鈴木正勇弁護士で、電話０３・３５９７・０７４１。

(Report by Miki Aoki) It has been revealed that only 904 workers, or 3.7% of the 24,118 workers who have worked at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant since the start of the accident up to September this year will be able to receive free cancer screening tests from the national government and TEPCO. It is because the national government and TEPCO will allow free cancer tests only to workers who had already received more than 50 millisieverts of radiation by the December [16] declaration by the Noda administration that the accident was over. TEPCO says the workers who are worried can still talk to the company by calling 03-3597-0741 to speak with [TEPCO's] attorney.

収束宣言が出たとはいえ、福島第一原発では高線量下での作業が続く。例えば、９月にも２４人が積算５０ミリシーベルトを超えたが、特別措置対象の東電社員２人をのぞく２２人は、無料のがん検診を受けられない。

Even after the declaration that the nuclear accident is over, the work at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant is carried out in a high radiation environment. For example, 24 workers exceeded cumulative radiation exposure of 50 millisieverts just this September. However, except for 2 TEPCO employees who are exempt [from the government/TEPCO rule], 22 workers won't be eligible for free cancer screening tests.

厚生労働省は福島第一原発の作業員を「緊急作業に従事する作業者」とし、うち１００ミリシーベルトを超える放射線を浴びた人は、生涯にわたり年１回、無料でがん検診を受けられる制度を昨年１０月に設けた。

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare set up the system last October which designated the workers at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant as "workers engaged in emergency work" and allowed them to receive annual cancer screening tests for free for life if their cumulative radiation level exceeded 100 millisieverts.

検診費（１回約５万円）は雇用主の会社が負担するが、作業員が会社をやめた場合は、国が負担することにしていた。

The cost (about 50,000 yen [US$610]) would be borne by the employers, and if the workers quit, the national government would pay the cost.

ところが、野田政権が昨年１２月１６日に事故の収束を宣言すると、厚労省は「緊急作業は原則的に終了した」として、宣言前日までに１００ミリシーベルトを超えた人に対象を限定。１６７人で確定させた。

However, when the Noda administration declared the end of the nuclear accident on December 16 last year, Ministry of Health decided that the emergency work was now basically over and limited the number of workers eligible for the free annual cancer checkups to 167 who had already exceeded 100 millisieverts as of December 15, 2011, one day prior to the declaration.


東電は今年８月、収束宣言までに５０ミリシーベルト超を浴びた作業員６６３人を無料検診の対象に加える救済措置を実施した。また、特定の作業をする一部東電社員は収束宣言後に５０ミリを超えても無料にする特別の措置を始め、これまでに７４人が対象となった。

This August, TEPCO announced the remedial measures whereby 663 workers who had exceeded 50 millisieverts by the time of the declaration would be added to the workers who could receive free checkups. In addition, some TEPCO employees who carry out particular work will receive free checkups even if they exceed 50 millisieverts after the declaration, and there are 74 such employees so far.

福島第一原発では、９月単月でみても、２７人が１０～２０ミリシーベルトの放射線を浴びた。通常、各原発で仕事をしている業者が年間２０ミリ未満を管理基準にしていることからもわかるように高線量で、作業員からは「期限を設けず全員を対象にすべきだ」との声が上がっている。健康管理の問題を甘く見過ぎると、労働者が福島第一原発の作業を敬遠し、４０年かかるとされる廃炉作業が滞りかねない。

At Fukushima I Nuke Plant, in September alone, 27 workers were exposed to 10 to 20 millisieverts of radiation, which is very high, as evidenced by the 20 millisieverts per year standard used by the companies that work in nuclear power plants. There are workers at Fukushima I Nuke plant who say all workers should be included in the program [of free annual cancer screening tests]. If this health management problem is underestimated, workers may start avoiding the work at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, causing the delay in decommissioning which is estimated to last for more than 40 years.

40 years. That's why some right-wing politicians (including the vice governor of Tokyo) have been talking about reinstating the draft and send young people to work at the plant, willing or not.

As you see, the declaration in December last year that the cold shutdown "state" was achieved and the nuclear accident was over was made so that the national government would not need to spend extraordinary amount of money on the workers at the plant and to the residents in Fukushima who were displaced by the nuclear accident. Instead, the government have been generously giving money to general contractors doing the "decontamination" and transporting disaster debris full of asbestos and heavy metals as well as radioactive materials to be burned and buried in faraway places like Osaka and Kitakyushu.

LDP politicians, already planning for their administration (or at least how to spend more taxpayers' money once they get there, which they have no doubt about), wants to have a supplementary budget to the tune of 5 trillion yen or more right after the election. You can bet none of the money is going to Fukushima I Nuke Plant workers.

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Nikkei: "Obama Administration Expressed Grave Concern Over Japan's "No-Nuke by 2030(s)" Policy, Japan Dutifully Scrapped It" (and Nikkei Scrapped the Article 5 Days Later)

Japanese media has been saying for some time that it was the US government who pressured the Noda administration to drop the "zero nuke by 2030" (which morphed into "zero nuke sometime in 2030s) from its new nuclear and environmental policy decision. Tokyo Shinbun reported it a while ago, and now Nikkei Shinbun just reported it with more details. There is no news reported in the US on the matter.

The difference of the Nikkei Shinbun's article is that it names names: President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

It's hard for me to believe that this president has time for trivial matters like actually governing the affairs inside and outside the US in the election year (he must be very busy right now preparing for the big "debate"), but that's what Nikkei Shinbun wants us to believe. The article also mentions Secretary of State Clinton pressuring the Noda administration officials by strongly indicating it was the wish of President Obama and the US Congress that Japan scrap that silly nuclear energy policy.

And then, one added twist: the Nikkei article has disappeared.

The particular article was published on September 25. Nikkei is one of the better ones in retaining the links to the articles, but not in this case. It was still on Nikkei's site as of yesterday, I bookmarked it to write about it later. When I clicked on the link this morning, it was gone.

However, thanks to this blogger, the article was preserved just the way I read it yesterday.

So, here's Nikkei article that has disappeared (9/25/2012; emphasis is mine):

米、原発継続要請は「大統領の意向」

The US request that Japan continue nuclear power plant is "the President's idea"

2012/9/25 0:12

野田政権がエネルギー・環境戦略で掲げた「2030年代に原発ゼロ」の政府方針を巡り、米政府が「オバマ大統領の意向」として強力に見直しを求めていたことがわかった。核不拡散・平和利用に向けた日米協力の枠組みが崩壊しかねないとの懸念が背景。結局閣議決定を見送ったが、あいまいな決着の火だねは今後もくすぶりそうだ。

It has been revealed that the United States government was strongly urging [the Japanese government] to reconsider its policy of "zero nukes in 2030s" which was part of the energy and environmental strategy of the Noda administration, as "President Obama wishes it". [The US objection] was based on the fear that the framework of Japan-US cooperation for non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy might collapse [under the new policy]. [The Noda administration] eventually shelved the cabinet decision, but this ambiguous resolution may cause further trouble in the future.

複数の当局関係者によると野田政権が８月以降、原発ゼロの明文化に動く過程で米側は日本政府に対し、「国家最高指導者レベルでの協議の結果だ」としてゼロ方針を再考するよう要請。オバマ大統領以下、政権の総意との見解を伝えた。

According to the multiple government sources, as the Noda administration was moving in August toward explicitly putting down "zero nuke" in the official document, the US strongly requested that Japan reconsider the "zero nuke" policy, saying the request was "the result of discussion at the highest level of the government", indicating it was the Obama administration's consensus, from the president on down.

９月８日にはロシア・ウラジオストクでのアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議で野田佳彦首相がクリントン国務長官と会談。ここでも大統領を代理する形で同国務長官が懸念を表明した。表面上はあからさまな批判を控える一方、大統領と米議会を前面に押し出し日本への圧力を強めた。

On September 8, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met with the US Secretary of State Clinton during the APEC meeting in Vladivostok in Russia. Here again, representing the US president, Secretary Clinton expressed concern. While avoiding the overt criticism of the Noda administration's policy, she further pressured Japan by stressing that it was President Obama and the US Congress who were concerned.

日本政府は12日、長島昭久首相補佐官らを米に緊急派遣し、日本の対応に業を煮やすホワイトハウス高官らと直接協議。戦略を参考文書扱いとし、米側の視点からは路線転換を見送ったと読めるようにする「玉虫色の決着」（日本当局）で決定的な対立を回避した。

The Noda administration sent its officials, including Special Advisor to Prime Minister Akihisa Nagashima, to the US on an urgent mission to directly discuss matters with the high-ranking White House officials who were frustrated with the Japanese response. By treating the new strategy as only a reference material, the Noda administration averted the confrontation with the US with the "equivocal" resolution (according to the Japanese government source) which allowed the US to interpret the Japanese action as shelving the zero nuke policy.

米政府は、日本の脱原発への方針転換で「米のエネルギー戦略が直接的な打撃を被る懸念が高まった」（エネルギー省元副長官のマーチン氏）とみている。日本の原発政策はオバマ政権の核不拡散や地球温暖化防止に向けた環境政策とも密接な関係にあるためだ。

(According to Former Deputy Energy Secretary Martin,) the US government thinks that "The US energy strategy would be more likely to suffer a direct damage" because of the Japan's policy change toward zero nuclear energy. It is because the Japanese nuclear policy is closely linked also to the nuclear non-proliferation and environmental policies aimed at preventing the global warming under the Obama administration.

日米は1988年発効した原子力協定で、青森県六ケ所村での核燃料サイクル施設ならば米の事前同意なく再処理を認める包括方式で合意。日本は核兵器を持たず、プルトニウムの平和利用を担保する最重要の役割を担っている。

In the Atomic Energy Agreement effective as of 1988, Japan and the US agreed to a blanket statement that as long as it is at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, reprocessing of the nuclear fuel is allowed without prior consent from the US. Japan's most important role [in the agreement] is to secure the peaceful use of plutonium without possessing nuclear weapons.

現行の日米協定の期限が切れる18年に向け、早ければ来年にも非公式な事前協議に着手する必要がある。なお猶予があるとはいえ日本が原発政策を不明瞭な形で放置すれば米が再処理許可の更新などに難色を示す恐れもある。「協定改定の先行きが読めなくなった」（日本政府関係者）との声が出ている。

The current Japan-US agreement will expire in 2018, and the government will need to start preliminary, unofficial discussions [with the US] as early as next year. There is some time before the expiration of the agreement, but if Japan leaves its nuclear policy in vague terms the US may object to renewal of permission for nuclear fuel reprocessing. Some (in the Japanese government) say "We are not sure any more what will happen to the renewal of the agreement."

（ワシントン＝矢沢俊樹）

Never mind that Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, after 19 years of building the facility, is still incomplete, and its operation remains a "trial run".

The US presidential election is on November 6. Why was the Noda administration in such a hurry to have its long-term nuclear policy shot down by the US administration which may or may not be there in a month? My personal conclusion is that Prime Minister Noda wanted to ditch the policy but needed the pretext of "gaiatsu" (external pressure).

And why did Nikkei pull the article?

On the separate news, the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan has just said it will abandon the effort to draw up the Nuclear Energy General Principles. With the establishment of the government's new energy and environmental strategy which left out "zero nuke" policy, the Principles will be decided upon, from now on, by the ministers in charge in a given administration.

Japanese politicians deciding the Principles. (How much more oxymoronic can you get?)

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Angry Crowd Shout "GO HOME! GO HOME!" to PM Noda and Leadership Candidates in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Good job, people.

And thank you citizens of Kyoto City for showing us the way back in March, when you shouted down Goshi Hosono and his underlings.

Frankly, things like this have never ever happened in Japan before - ordinary people shouting down the leadership of the country.

"帰れ、帰れ！　解散しろ！" Go home, go home! Dissolve the Diet and hold election! People shouted at the DPJ leadership candidates speaking atop the van, on September 19, 2012 on the street corner in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

According to people who watched the snippet in the evening news in Japan, the television stations all filtered out the angry crowd. As you see at about 2:20 into the video, there is a wide space between the candidates and people. Plain-clothes secret policemen, who look exactly like yakuza, make sure none of the peasants dare approach the van.

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New Energy Policy of "Unremitting Examination and Revision", Says Noda Administration, Not "Zero Nuke" (Sorry, Angela)

So, the policy about zero nuclear plants operating in Japan by 2030 first became the policy about zero nuclear plants operating in Japan by some time in 2030s, and then the wording was completely dropped from the official cabinet decision document. Now, what is in the cabinet decision?

This is:

The Japanese government is committed to the "unremitting (ceaseless) examination and revision" of the new energy policy.

Reading the Jiji Tsushin article (9/19/2012; part), it almost reads as if this "unremitting examination and revision" is indeed the new energy policy itself:

原発ゼロ、明記せず＝新エネ戦略「不断の見直し」－閣議決定文

Zero nuke is not explicitly written in the cabinet decision document, the new energy strategy "unremitting revision"

　政府は１９日の閣議で、今後のエネルギー政策に関して「『革新的エネルギー・環境戦略』を踏まえ、不断の検証と見直しを行いながら遂行する」との方針を決定した。同戦略は２０３０年代の原発稼働ゼロを目指すとしているが、閣議決定の文言に「原発ゼロ」は盛り込まなかった。

The government [Noda administration] made the decision to "execute the future energy policy with unremitting examination and revision, based on the "revolutionary [innovative, if you so prefer] energy and environmental strategy"" during the cabinet meeting on September 19. The strategy is supposed to aim at zero nuclear power plant operating in 2030s, but "zero nuclear" was not mentioned in the official document of the cabinet decision.

　藤村修官房長官は同日午前の記者会見で「戦略を踏まえてエネルギー環境政策の具体化を図る」と述べた。枝野幸男経済産業相は閣議後会見で、「閣議決定の文書には入っていないが、（戦略は）閣議でオーソライズされた」と表明した。古川元久国家戦略担当相も「こういう閣議決定の形を取ったことの裏に意図はない」と述べた。

Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said in the morning press conference, "We will plan for concrete actions for the energy and environmental policies based on the strategy." Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yukio Edano said in the press conference after the cabinet meeting, "(The strategy) is not mentioned in the document for the cabinet decision, but was authorized in the cabinet meeting." Minister in charge of national strategy Motohisa Furukawa said, "There is no hidden agenda behind the way we made our decision."

　２００５年に策定された原子力政策大綱なども、本文自体は閣議決定の対象としていない。

The body text of the Nuclear Energy Policy Guideline compiled in 2005, for example, was not the subject of the cabinet decision either.

　政府の「エネルギー・環境会議」が１４日策定した戦略をめぐっては、経済界などが強く反発。１８日の国家戦略会議でも民間議員が反対意見を述べ、承認が見送られていた。

The business circle and others were strongly against the strategy that was agreed on by the "Energy and Environmental Conference" of the Cabinet Office on September 14. In the National Strategy Conference held on September 18, civilian members expressed opposition, and the approval of the strategy didn't happen.

There is no hidden agenda behind the way they decided. Now that's unintentionally funny.

Jiji Tsushin is kind enough to make excuse for the minister by citing the precedent, as if that would make it OK to omit the "zero nuke" reference from the formal cabinet decision, after the unprecedented 90,000 public comments on the nuclear energy policy flooded the office of Mr. Furukawa.

The omission is called "plausible deniability". Twenty years from now when all these politicians have long gone to the politicians' heaven or into the cushy retirement, no one will care to know how the decision was made, except by looking at what was written down on paper. Since no mention of "zero nuclear plants in 2030 or 2030s" is found in the document, there will be no reason for the administration at that time (if Japan lasts that long as a nation, given the Chinese threat of dumping Japanese bonds) to make that happen.

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German Chancellor Welcomes Japan's Zero Nuke Policy, But Noda Admin Drops It After Protest from Big Business Lobby and Doubt from IAEA

Oops. Ms. Merkel should have waited one more day.

On September 18, as Jiji Press (English) reported the Chancellor's comments on September 17:

Vienna, Sept. 17 (Jiji Press)--German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed on Monday a new strategy of the Japanese government to lower dependence on nuclear power to zero in the 2030s.

Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin that she expresses respect for Japan's decision and that she hopes the two nations will strengthen cooperation in converting to renewable energy sources.

Since the nuclear accident in March 2011 at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 power plant, Germany has worked closely with Japan on energy policy, Merkel said.

She said Germany is pleased to continue cooperation with Japan and that Japan must be looking for stronger cooperation.

The chancellor said Germany hopes to share information with Japan on energy efficiency, the introduction of renewable energy and the expansion of power grids.

But one day later on September 19, the same Jiji Tsushin (Japanese) first reported:

原発ゼロ、「閣議文書に入らず」＝枝野経産相

Zero Nuke is "Not in the Cabinet document", says Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Edano

　枝野幸男経済産業相は１９日の閣議後記者会見で、２０３０年代の原発稼働ゼロを目指す「革新的エネルギー・環境戦略」について、「閣議決定の文書には入っていないが、閣議でオーソライズされた」と述べた。

In the press conference after the cabinet meeting on September 19, Yukio Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry said that the new energy and environmental strategy that aims at zero nuclear power plant operating in 2030s "is not mentioned in the document for the cabinet decision, but it was authorized in the cabinet meeting."

If you scratch your head and wonder aloud what the hell Mr. Edano meant, here's the minister in charge of national strategy, no less:

新エネ戦略、閣議決定見送り＝政府

The administration put off the cabinet decision on the new energy strategy

古川元久国家戦略担当相は１９日、新エネルギー戦略の閣議決定を見送ったことを明らかにした。

Yoshihisa Furukawa, minister in charge of national strategy, said that the cabinet decision on the new energy strategy had been put off.

So, with the Keidanren's chairman threatening to resign from the national strategy council over the zero nuke policy and IAEA expressing doubts about the implication of zero nuke on the production of plutonium, the Noda administration simply drops the zero nuke strategy which they embraced reluctantly anyway to win popularity in the coming Lower House election.

And guess what. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is expected to win the Democratic Party of Japan's leadership election in a landslide.

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Japan's Future Reliance on Nuclear Power: Noda Administration Chooses "15%" Anyway, Despite 90% of 90K Public Comments Wanted "0%"

Farce, charade, tatemae, facade, or you could call it "democracy" as practiced in most of the western world. The foregone conclusion presented as a choice for people, so that people can delude themselves that they have some say in the state affairs. (See my previous post on nearly 90,000 people sending in their opinions, exercising their democratic right, tatemae or not, and how the statisticians dissed the result.)

(By the way, the statisticians (university professors) were probably hired by the private think-tank Mitsubishi Research Institute to whom the government outsourced the analysis of the public comments.)

Jiji Tsushin article makes it very clear what some people have suspected all along - that the government wants to set "15%" as the policy all along. If I remember right, these people were criticized as "cynical" by the fellow Japanese. What can I say.

The Noda administration has the usual lip service to the (naive) citizens: "Zero nukes in the future". What future?

From Jiji Tsushin (9/1/2012):

「将来的に原発ゼロ」＝中間目標３０年に１５％以下－国民に協力要請へ・政府検討

"Zero nuke plants in the future" with intermediate target in 2030 at 15% or less - the government is considering requesting cooperation from Japanese citizens

政府は１日、新たなエネルギー政策について「将来的に原発ゼロを目指す」ことを打ち出す方向で検討に入った。関係閣僚でつくる「エネルギー・環境会議」で９月上旬にも決定し、野田佳彦首相が発表する方針だ。２０３０年の原発比率は１５％以下とし、原発をゼロにするまでの中間目標と位置付けることも検討している。政府関係者が明らかにした。

The national government started the discussion on September 1 over the new national energy policy, which will likely state "[Japan] will aim for zero nuclear power in the future". The "Energy and Environment Conference", made up of the administration's ministers in the related fields, will decide [on the policy] in the early September, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will announce the new policy. The reliance on nuclear energy in the year 2030 will be 15% or lower, and the government is also considering positioning it as interim target to zero nuclear power. An unnamed government official disclosed [to Jiji Tsushin].

　政府は新エネルギー施策について、３０年の原発比率を１５％とすることを念頭に置いてきた。しかし、７月以降に行った意見聴取会や討論型世論調査で、原発ゼロを求める意見が多かったことから、政府としてゼロを目指す姿勢を示す必要があると判断した。新政策は、エネルギー・環境会議で決める「革新的エネルギー・環境戦略」に盛り込む。これにより、原発依存を高めてきた日本のエネルギー政策は転換点を迎えることになる。

The government has considered all along to set the reliance on the nuclear power in the year 2030 at 15% as the new energy policy. However, as the opinion surveys and focus group surveys in July and August revealed that many people wanted zero nuke plants, the government felt the need to show the attitude of aiming for zero nuke plants. The new policy will be part of the "Innovative Energy and Environmental Stragegy" that will be decided by the "Energy and Environment Conference". It will mark a turning point for the Japan's energy policy which has increased reliance on nuclear energy.

　３０年に原発１５％以下の目標を達成するため、１５年から５年ごとに達成の度合いを検証する方針だ。

In order to achieve 15% reliance or less on nuclear power in 2030, the government will check the progress every 5 years starting 2015.

　新政策では、使用済み核燃料の最終処分や、風力・太陽光など再生可能エネルギーの普及など、原発ゼロに向けたさまざまな課題があることも指摘する。首相が記者会見などで「全国民に協力をお願いする」と呼び掛ける方向だ。

The new policy will also discuss various issues to achieve zero nuclear power, including the final disposal of spent fuel and spread of renewable energy like wind and solar power. The prime minister will use a press conference and other venues to ask for cooperation from every Japanese citizen.

"Innovative Energy and Environmental Stragegy" that will be decided by the "Energy and Environment Conference". Doesn't that sound wonderful, like in former Soviet Union planning?

Renewable energy? There is hardly any renewable energy source to meaningfully contribute to the power grid, but no shortage of energy anywhere in Japan. As to nuclear energy, only two reactors are currently in use (despite jellyfish), and Kansai hasn't had a single blackout. So? What kind of "cooperation" does Mr. Noda want?

More tax, I suppose, so that he has money to pay the bills come October.

Or to give big corporations big "wind" and/or "solar" projects, whether there are needs for them or not, and make citizens/residents foot the bill through subsidies and taxes.

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Japanese Government's Energy Policy (Reliance on Nuclear Power in 2030) May Go the "Fourth Way", Not Even Presented to the Citizens in Opinion Surveys

What a joke. Totally predictable but joke nonetheless.

Remember my post about nearly 90,000 public comments from the Japanese citizens and residents about the future energy policy of the Japanese government, where nearly 90% want "zero nuclear"? Also remember the so-called experts in big-name universities whose expertise is in polling and sampling stressing the "quality" over "quantity"? There were three choices that people could comment on: 0% reliance on nuclear power by 2030, 15% reliance, or 25% reliance.

Now, drum rolls please. Here comes your national government under Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda declaring that the government may opt for the "fourth way".

From FNN News (via Yahoo Japan, meaning the link won't last; 8/27/2012):

原発依存度など、将来のエネルギー比率の3つの選択肢について、政府は、いずれの選択肢も採用しない、新たな案も検討していることが明らかになった。

Regarding the 3 alternatives [presented in the national public comment solicitation] on the reliance on nuclear power, it has been revealed that the national government is considering a new alternative, without adopting any of the existing three alternatives.

政府は、2030年の原発依存度について、「ゼロ」、「15%」、「20～25%」の3つの選択肢を示してきたが、意見聴取会、討論型世論調査、パブリックコメントなどで、「なぜ2030年なのか」など、疑問の声が寄せられていた。

The government has presented the three alternatives regarding the reliance on nuclear power in 2030: "zero", "15%", "20 to 25%". However, there have been those who question "Why 2030?" in the townhall meetings, focus group discussions, and public comments.

こうした意見を受け、政府は、今回はいずれの選択肢も採用せず、原発や再生エネルギーなど、エネルギーごとに、それぞれ目標を設定するという、新たな案も検討しているという。

On receiving such opinions, the government may be considering not adopting any of the alternatives, but come up with a new plan to set different targets for different energy sources such as nuclear and renewable energy.

政府のエネルギー・環境会議は、現在2回目となる世論調査の検証会合を行っているが、専門家などから「熟慮が不十分」など、さまざま意見が出されている。

The government's Energy and Environment Committee is currently having the second meeting to analyze the public opinion survey, but the experts in the committee have expressed opinions including "[public opinions] lack deep consideration".

General public lacking "deep consideration". That's a new one from the arm-chair experts.

You think you've been playing football. And all of a sudden the game changes, literally, and now you find yourself playing ice hockey. Why, you ask? Because the government can. All it needs to do is to declare the game change.

According to some on Twitter, Prime Minister Noda, who appeared on an NHK news program on Monday night in Japan, said something to this extent: "The opinions expressed in the public comments are biased, and cannot be taken seriously.　I would like to listen to the silent majority [who do not submit public comments]."

I remember the general sentiment in Japan when he became the prime minister last year succeeding highly unpopular Naoto Kan - "It can't go any worse, can it?"

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Tuesday Protest Against TPP at PM Official Residence Features Fake "Prime Minister Noda"

Taking the advice (or taunts) from Friday protest organizers, people have started to do their own protests outside the narrow (and at this point meaningless) "single issue" protest on Friday at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo.

Here's one of them, "Against TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership)", a NAFTA equivalent being pushed by the United States and involving countries around the Pacific Rim.

The first protest was held on Tuesday August 21, 2012, and will be held every Tuesday at the PM's Official Residence. On August 21, over 300 people gathered, made speeches, staged a short comic play with "Prime Minister Noda". A good enough start.

(screenshot from the video at Yasumi Iwakami's IWJ)

"Prime Minister"'s mumbling is incomprehensible mostly because of the mask he wears, but it doesn't matter. The real prime minister's rationale for rushing to join TPP is also incomprehensible to most Japanese (other than big businesses) anyway.

In the meantime, the Noda administration has been busy "wagging the dog" - with territorial disputes with the neighboring countries - and trying to fan the nationalistic hysteria of some sort. Whether anyone bites (other than the irascible governor of Tokyo and irascible boy-wonder mayor of Osaka City), we'll see.

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#Antinuclear Japan: Nearly 90% of Public Comments on National Energy Policy Are "Zero Nuke"

That's the number from analyzing 7,000 comments from the public on the national energy policy. 80,000 more to go.

The committee members who have been analyzing the public comments have already started to stress the importance of "quality" over the "quantity".

From Mainichi Shinbun (8/22/2012):

パブリックコメント:原発ゼロ支持９割　７０００件分析

Support for "No nuclear plants" 90% of the 7000 public comments analyzed so far

政府は２２日、新たなエネルギー政策の策定に向けて実施したパブリックコメント（意見公募）の意見の約９割が原発ゼロを支持しているとの分析結果を明らかにした。

On August 22, the national government disclosed the result of the analysis on the public comments that it received regarding the formulation of a new national energy policy, and said that about 90% of the comments supported "zero nuclear power plant".

　同日の「国民的議論に関する検証会合」で報告した。

It was reported in the committee to analyze the national [citizens'] debate.

　寄せられた８万９１２４件のうち約７０００件を分析したところ、「ただちに原発ゼロ」が８１．０％、「段階的にゼロ」が８．６％だった。原発容認と支持は合わせて約４％にとどまった。残りの約８万件も集計が終わり次第、公表する。

7,000 comments out of 89,124 comments have been analyzed so far. 81.0% favor "zero nuke plants immediately", 8.6% favor "zero nuke plants over time". Only 4% favor or support nuclear power plants.

　委員からは「数値の解釈より、質的な分析、考え方の筋道を重視すべきではないか」「（７、８月）２カ月の国民的議論では（短すぎて）熟議できない」などの意見が出た。

Commissioners expressed their opinions, such as "We should pay more attention to qualitative analysis and thought process, rather than the numbers", and "National debate for two months (in July and August) is just (too short to) discuss [the policy] fully".

　検証会合は次回以降、パブリックコメントや討論型世論調査などに寄せられた意見をどう活用するのかを協議する。検証結果は政府のエネルギー・環境会議に報告。将来的な原発依存度を示す「エネルギー・環境戦略」作りに反映させることを目指す。

In the next meetings, the committee will consider how to utilize the opinions from the public comments and opinion surveys in a form of public discussions using focus groups. The result of the analysis will be reported to the Energy and Environment Committee of the national government. The aim is to reflect [these opinions] on the "Energy and Environment Strategy", which will decide the future reliance on the nuclear power plants.

If the commissioners actually said that, it is quite laughable. If they think that the public thought about nuclear power plants and nuclear power generation only in July and August this year, they must be from a different planet.

Besides, these commissioners are supposed to be the experts in the field of statistics. What do they care about "qualitative" aspects?　Looking at the list of commissioners, they are professors at prominent universities in Japan whose fields are law, political science, political economics, media, communications. I see. They must know how to massage the messages then, and that's "qualitative".

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Reuters: #Fukushima residents say resounding "no" to nuclear energy

The government has been holding this sham of public meetings in 20 locations in Japan to "hear" from citizens what the government should do with its long-term energy policy.

It's the one planned and organized and analyzed by one of the biggest PR and ad agencies in Japan, and the politicians attend the meeting as if they are just props. The government was accused of letting the employees of electric power companies (nuclear plant operators) speak at the meetings.

The most recent one was held in Fukushima City, and almost all the citizens who were allowed to speak said "zero nuke". To be expected, Yomiuri Shinbun ignores the news, Asahi Shinbun reports but with no mention that almost all of the citizens were against having any nuclear power plant. Nikkei Shinbun, Kyodo News, and a host of local papers quoting Kyodo News report it (if you read Japanese, here's a link to see for yourself). And Reuters reports it.

From Reuters (8/1/2012):

Fukushima residents say resounding "no" to nuclear energy

(Reuters) - Get out of nuclear power and do it fast, angry Fukushima residents told Japanese government officials on Wednesday at a public hearing on energy policy held in an area ravaged by a nuclear disaster that has whipped up opposition to atomic power.

The Fukushima hearing, the ninth out of 11 planned nationwide, sought to gather views on nuclear power's role in the nation's energy mix as the government struggles to cover a power shortfall by that could threaten economic growth.

Meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 last year caused radiation to spew over large areas of Fukushima, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all of Japan's nuclear plants were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month.

"I want all the reactors in Japan shut immediately and scrapped," a grey-haired woman, who introduced herself as a farmer living 65 km (40 miles) from the Fukushima plant, said at the public hearing in the prefecture capital.

"Many people are now aware that the government's talking of 'no immediate risk to health' is tantamount to 'long-term health risk'," she said to the applause of about 200 residents packed in a small concert hall.

Goshi Hosono, minister in charge of the response to the nuclear crisis, was heckled as he apologized for the suffering of people in Fukushima.

"I will never forget what I heard today, and I'm determined to do everything I can," he said.

Fukushima prosecutors on Wednesday launched an investigation after more than 1,000 residents filed criminal complaints against 15 former and present Tokyo Electric Power officials, including former company president Masataka Shimizu, and 18 government officials, including Nuclear Safety Commission head Haruki Madarame, a lawyer for the group, Hiroyuki Kawai, told Reuters.

Kawai said Tokyo prosecutors had launched a separate investigation.

A panel of experts appointed by parliament concluded last month that the disaster could have been prevented and that failure to take precautions was the result of "collusion" among the utility, regulators and the government.

"After reading the report by the parliament-appointed panel, prosecutors could not stand idly by," Kawai said.

THREE OPTIONS

Japan met about a third of its energy needs with nuclear power before the disaster and had plans to boost that share to more than half, in part, to combat global warming.

Now, three options that the government has put on the table are to phase out nuclear power completely as soon as possible, aim for a 15 percent share of the power supply by 2030, or a 20-25 percent share by the same date.

Residents of Fukushima, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, overwhelmingly backed the zero option, with all but one of the 30 who were picked in a draw to speak backing a swift exit.

The Asahi newspaper reported this week that elsewhere 70 percent of those taking part in the hearings opted for the nuclear-free scenario. It is not clear how the hearings will affect the final energy plan that could come as soon as this month.

But commentators said it would be hard for the government to ignore the findings as 17 months after the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, many still live in fear and thousands hired to dismantle the Fukushima plant face decades of grueling and dangerous work.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's decision to restart two reactors in Japan's western manufacturing hub to avoid blackouts galvanized the anti-nuclear movement.

More than 100,000 people attended an anti-nuclear rally last month and protests staged weekly outside of Noda's residence have grown, with ordinary workers and mothers with children joining the crowds.

"I'm scared. I'm really scared," said a middle-aged woman, addressing the hearing.

"I'd like the government to think about why people have gathered in front of the prime minister's residence every Friday since April. That's not fashion. That's not a temporary fever. That's a heartfelt scream from the public."

(Additional reporting by Linda Sieg in Tokyo; Writing by Tomasz Janowski; Editing by Ed Lane)

"But commentators said it would be hard for the government to ignore the findings as 17 months after the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl"? Who are these commentators? Do they think Japan is a democracy or something?

Reuters clearly doesn't know about the ad agency managing this whole event.

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Noda Administration May Be Planning to Use Sales Tax Proceeds for Large Public Works Projects

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

The Noda administration has successfully pass the legislation to increase Japan's sales tax from current 5% to 8% (then to 10%) with the help of the opposition parties, and the ostensible reason was to "reform and improve the public safety net".

It was BS as it stood, because the money will be taken from the very people Prime Minister Noda says he wants to help. Now, according to Tokyo Shinbun, the administration has much better use of the money that they will have: public works.

Ah. Good old trusty public works that have never succeeded in lifting Japan from the two-decade-long economic stagnation (dubbed "Lost Decades") but have helped in keeping the biggest general contractors in business.

But if you read the article, it's totally illogical. It goes like this:

1. Let's raise sales tax, everybody pays this tax for everything they buy.

2. Lots of money will fill the government coffer. No need to issue government bond to pay for the social services any more!

3. So, the debt (government bond) not issued (because the sales tax covers the cost, supposedly) is the new money created! (No it is not, but you can't argue with politicians.)

4. Let's spend that "money" on public works!

Only in the last bastion of John Maynard Keynes.

My quick translation of the Tokyo Shinbun article (7/30/2012):

A curious discussion has been going on in the Upper House special committee on the simultaneous reform on social security and taxation. The main topic of the discussion is whether to use the extra breathing space from the sales tax hike in public works. All of the money from the tax increase is supposed to be used in providing social security. But if we listen to the discussion, it is almost like "simultaneous reform on taxation and public works".

In the committee meeting, the Councilors from Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komei Party keep repeating, "We should increase the budget for public works because the public works protect the life and living of the citizens." The basis of their argument is the revised regulation that the three parties agreed on in June, "Addendum 18 Item 2".

It says, "Considering the effect of the sales tax hike on the economy, the fund will be specifically allocated to the growth strategy and areas like disaster prevention and disaster mitigation."

If the sales tax is raised to 10% and additional 13.5 trillion yen is in the government coffer, that will decrease the amount of government debt to pay for the social security. So why not use this extra spending power [what's "extra" about this?] in public works for disaster prevention and such? That seems to be their thinking. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is sympathetic to the idea, saying "If the economy grows and tax revenue rises, disaster prevention and disaster mitigation will be the priority for added funds."

The government has been explaining that the purpose of sales tax hike is to achieve both the reform on social security and the fiscal reform simultaneously.

Money is fungible, but if the money from the tax hike is diverted to public works, the fiscal reform will be delayed, and additional tax hike may become necessary. What is the point of the sales tax hike then?

The point of raising sales tax is, because they can, and they want to look good in the eyes of IMF. And because the citizens have long been pushovers (and the foreign residents have no say).

If the economy grows? PM Noda expects the economy to grow by raising tax for the constituency that has no power - individual taxpayers. Japan's large exporters will benefit from the sales tax hike, and they will receive extra credits. I suppose Mr. Noda is not counting on the Japanese citizens and residents to spend money to expand the economy.

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The US and Allies to Give Away $16 Billion to the New "Major Ally" Afghanistan, Pledge Made in Conference in Tokyo

Following the declaration by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Afghanistan is now a "major, non-NATO ally" of the United States, an 80-nation conference to cough up money for the newly minted US ally was held in Tokyo, in which international donors including the ever-obliging Japanese government pledged the total of $16 billion through 2015.

And what will the donors get from the Afghanistan's government in exchange?

Get this: "commitments to crack down on corruption".

From The Hill (7/8/2012):

Clinton hails international pledges to donate $16B for Afghan development
By Meghashyam Mali - 07/08/12 08:06 AM ET

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed international donors on Sunday for pledging to provide Afghanistan with $16 billion in aid thorough 2015 in exchange for commitments to crack down on corruption in that country.

Clinton announced the agreement after a conference on Afghan development hosted in Japan.

Clinton said the sum was “more than enough to meet the World Bank’s estimated requirements.” The bank had estimated that Afghanistan faced a $3.9 billion shortfall between previous pledges and the amount the country would need to sustain their economic development.

Clinton stressed that the pledges were tied to promises to begin tackling widespread corruption in the country, which had made international donors hesitant to contribute.

“We need a different kind of long-term economic partnership, one built on Afghan progress in meeting its goals, in fighting corruption, in carrying out reform, and providing good governance,” she said in a press conference.

Reports said Japan had initially sought $18 billion in commitments, but settled for a lower figure after continued doubts about Hamid Karzai’s ability to institute reforms.

... ...

The development aid pledged Sunday would be spent on healthcare and education and would be in addition to $4.1 billion in military aid pledged to Afghanistan.

On Saturday, Clinton also arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit to announce the administration’s designation of Afghanistan as a “major non-NATO ally.” That announcement is part of a broader strategic partnership between Washington and Kabul.

In Tokyo, Clinton said the U.S. was committed to ensure that the transition to a democratic Afghanistan was “irreversible and that Afghanistan can never again be a safe haven for international terrorism.”

“Just as we met in Chicago three months ago to safeguard Afghanistan’s security future, today we have charted a way forward on Afghanistan’s economic requirements,” she said.

But Clinton cautioned that Afghanistan would eventually need to pull itself off dependence on international aid. “I believe that we have really made a good commitment to putting Afghanistan on a path to economic self-sufficiency,” she said. “As Afghan capacity and revenues increase, our contributions can decline.”

(Full article at the link)

They can, but they may not. I doubt that Afghan self-sufficiency is ever a goal for the US.

Becoming a "major non-NATO US ally" means more military and economic assistance from the US. Snippets from CNN News (7/7/2012):

... it makes Afghanistan eligible to receive military training and assistance, including expediting the sales and leasing of military equipment long after NATO troops leave.

"There are a number of benefits that accrue to countries that have this designation," she said. "They are able to have access to excess defense supplies, for example, and they can be part of certain kinds of training and capacity building."

(I'd be more than happy to crack down on corruption in my household. Can I get a million dollar or two?)

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July 8 EdaNO! Protest Against Nuke Plant Restart & Yukio Edano in Omiya City, Saitama (Mr. Edano's Constituency)

I just missed the USTREAM live netcast, but there were several hundred people gathered in Omiya City in Saitama Prefecture to protest against the Ooi Nuclear Power Plant restart and against Mr. Yukio Edano, whose constituency is Omiya City.

Mr. Edano was Chief Cabinet Secretary in March last year under Prime Minister Kan, and he was the voice and the face of the government and administration dealing with the nuclear accident and radiation contamination (of which he was instrumental in de-emphasizing and diminishing the severity). His refrain of "There is no immediate effect" at his press conferences in those days will be forever remembered by the Japanese people. He is the current Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

According to the tweets of people who were watching the USTREAM (IWJ's channel), they even stopped in front of the huge mansion of Edano and protested. Residents of Omiya City were seen receiving the anti-nuke and anti-Edano flyers from the protesters. Way to go, people.

I'm watching the video recorded live. Ordinary people, quietly walking the main street of Omiya City. As they walk and are warmed up, they start to shout very funny slogans. They also have an excellent collection of hand-made signs and banners.

Screenshot of the USTREAM video (recorded live, still available for a little while), organizers of the event and their handmade sign featuring Mr. EdaNO:

Look at the caricature of Mr. Edano in the screenshot below. The words say "Let's immediately un-elect EdaNO! Goodbye Nuclear [Goodbye] EdaNO! Protest Executive Committee". Take a close look at a yellow balloon that's coming out of Mr. EdaNO's behind. It is a "vent":

People are yelling "Usotsuki EdaNO!" (Liar Edano, with emphasis on NO), "Sayonara EdaNO!", "Don't take us for fools!" "Don't lie to us!", "NO, NO, Eh-Dah-NO!, NO, NO, Eh-Dah-NO!" Then, "Edano wa Jiko Bengoshi." "Jiko bengo" is to defend oneself, make excuse for oneself. "Bengoshi" is an attorney. Edano is an attorney.

This man's sign on his back says "He that will lie will become EdaNO!":

Ah...this is fun.

I think this is Mr. Edano's house. It looks like a fortress (just like TEPCO's former chairman Katsumata's house in central Tokyo):

People are shouting, "EdaNO, Yamero! (Resign!), EdaNO, Yamero!" It rhymes. Sort of. They shouted "Resign!" in front of Mr. Edano's district office in the city center.

Well, Mr. EdaNO is extremely unlikely to resign, so he has to be un-elected, come the Lower House election.

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PM Noda Will "Nationalize" Senkaku Island, No Matter What China or Taiwan Says

After planning to lower the retirement age for the Japanese to 40 to compete with developing countries on wages, now he says he will nationalize the islands disputed by Japan, China, and Taiwan.

Why? He thinks that will win him the next election. Absolutely tone-deaf, harebrained move by the prime minister who seems to be rather popular in the US and UK (particularly among the financial media) for his resolute moves to combat fiscal deficit by raising taxes and cutting social welfare for the hapless citizens.

The move may give more headaches for the Chinese Communist Party who has been battling the unrest cropping up in the country, and cause the Chinese government to appease the angry public by instituting some anti-Japanese measures.

As the Nikkei article below indicates, Noda's move is to prop up support for him and his party in the next Lower House election. By appearing tough, he thinks he can get the right-wing votes, I suppose.

From Nikkei Shinbun (7/8/2012; part):

尖閣国有化、慎重論押し切った首相　弱腰批判を回避

In nationalization of Senkaku Islands, Prime Minister overcame the faction that preached prudence, to avoid criticism of being weak

政府が尖閣諸島の国有化に向けて動き始めた。尖閣購入に先に乗り出した東京都の石原慎太郎知事に触発され、野田佳彦首相が政府内の慎重論を押し切った。次期衆院選に向けて「弱腰」批判をかわし、領土保全で毅然とした姿勢を印象付ける狙いがある。中国の反発は覚悟のうえで、日中関係悪化という火種を抱える決断となった。

The national government is moving toward nationalizing Senkaku Islands. Inspired by Governor of Tokyo Shintaro Ishihara, who has already to purchase the islands, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda overcame the faction inside his government who are more cautious. The purpose is to deflect the criticism of "being weak-kneed" and to create an image of a resolute leader protecting the national border, in preparation for the next Lower House election. The prime minister [and his supporters, if any?] is prepared for the opposition from China. This decision may worsen the relationship between Japan and China.

...

　玄葉光一郎外相は７日、外務省内で記者団に、中国と台湾が事実関係の説明を求めてきたことを明らかにした。７日は日中戦争の発端となった盧溝橋事件から75周年にあたり、中国外交筋は「最悪のタイミングだ」と語る。

Minister of Foreign Affairs Koichiro Genba told the press corp at the Ministry on July 7 that China and Taiwan had contacted his ministry to explain the situation. July 7 marked the 75th anniversary of Marco Polo Bridge Incident [in 1937) that triggered the [Second] Sino-Japanese War. Chinese diplomatic sources say "It's the worst possible timing."

Shintaro Ishihara says his purchase plan with donation money is still in place. As of July 5, 2012, he has collected 1.325 billion yen (US$16.6 million) from nearly 90,000 entities.

Japan claimed these uninhabited islands as its own in 1885, having determined by several surveys that the islands did not belong to any country. During the occupation period after the World War II, the islands were administered by the United States as part of Okinawa. China and Taiwan started to claim Senkaku Islands as their territories after a survey done by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in 1969 indicated a potential of huge oil and natural gas reserves under the sea. (From Japanese Wikipedia)

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#Radioactive, Idiosyncratic Japan: Fukushima People Protest Against Nuke Plant, Miyagi Fish with 3,300 Bq/kg Cesium, PM Noda Wants To Lower Retirement Age to 40

Last post of the day (or night, whatever), a collection of small news pieces that I saw in the past hour or so:

Independent journalist Ryusaku Tanaka tweets he's at Fukushima Prefectural Government Building in Fukushima City. People gathered there are shouting "We don't need nuke plants!" Prime Minister Noda is visiting the governor of Fukushima at his office there today.

Meanwhile, the general manager of the antenna shop in Edogawa-ku, Tokyo that sells agricultural produce from Fukushima says he will drive the sales as hard as he can, paying close attention to quality, according to Jiji Tsushin. Uh huh. The Jiji article did say he asked the wholesalers to conduct the test for radioactive materials last year. No word about this year. And we know how the wholesalers' testing goes.

Miyagi prefectural government announced on July 6, 2012 that 3,300 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected from black seabream caught off the coast of Higashi Matsushima City in Miyagi. That is extremely high, even compared to last year. Miyagi's governor continues to ship disaster debris outside the prefecture even when his own Assembly says the debris should stay inside Miyagi, and he continues to support fishermen without spending much or doing much on testing the catch for radiation.

Nikkei Shinbun says the government committee on national strategy (chaired by Prime Minister Noda) has compiled the report on the government's long-term strategy called "Frontier Plan". What's in the "Frontier"? Japan is indeed going where no one has gone before. Noda and his people want to make the retirement age at 40, with the retirement money of 1 to 2 years worth of salary. Why? To make employment more mobile, to compete with developing nations. They want to eliminate the distinction between contract workers and full-time employees - i.e. cutting the benefits for full-time employees. In their mind, this somehow will translate into (hold your breath).... birthrate increase.

How will an extremely insecure employment with the developing country-level wage lead to the increased birthrate? It won't, except in Noda and his experts' minds it will.

Oh, and the baby Panda is male, says NHK.

I can't take it any more for the day. Signing off...

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Friday Protest at PM Official Residence in Tokyo Is On Again This Week at 6PM, Amid Fear of Provocation from Authorities and Other Interest Groups

(UPDATE 2) Some photos and more video links in my latest post.

(UPDATE) Shizuka Kamei, former head of the party (People's New Party, or Kokumin Shinto) that forms the ruling coalition with the DPJ, is going to join today's protest action in Tokyo at 6PM.

Kamei is a former senior police officer.

Last week, there were several heads of the small parties joining the citizens.

Yasuo Tanaka, head of the New Party Nippon (or Shinto Nippon), is also coming today. (He was there last week also.)

People are already gathering, and the police seems more ready than last week.

IWJ Channel 5: http://ustre.am/usAQ

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Following the last week's huge crowd (17,000 said the Police, 150,000 said the organizers, 200,000 said some newspapers), I'm not sure about the turnout, as there are clearly some disagreements now among major "people of influence" - organizers, anti-nuclear activists, journalists - as I mentioned in my previous post.

Mr. Kouta Kinoshita, for one, is advising his followers not to go, after one of the key members of the organizers tweeted he would want the "Kinoshita-esque" element (and "Hayakawa-esque" element) removed from the protest. I don't know what this person meant, but he continues to call to people whose ideas are different from his to support the protest nonetheless. Kinoshita may have understandably over-reacted. (It is not pleasant to be singled out to be "excluded" when you have been tirelessly persuading people on the danger of radiation exposure since the nuclear accident, as Kinoshita has been.)

I see more tweets this week worrying about some type of "agent provocateur" incident happening this time.

But the protest is on, both in Tokyo and Osaka (in front of KEPCO headquarters), just like every Friday evening since March this year. Yasumi Iwakami's IWJ will be hiring a helicopter again, and dedicating all of their USTREAM channels to report on the protest.

From people at ".@TwitNoNukes":

Date: Friday, July 6, 2012
Time: from 6PM
Places:

Prime Minister's Official Residence [東京都千代田区永田町２丁目３−１　2-3-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, google map]

Kansai Electric Power Company headquarters [大阪市北区中之島3丁目6番16号　3-6-16 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City, google map]

Please refrain from carrying political signs not related to "anti-nuclear".
Please follow the general guidance from the organizers.

The organizers warn that the nearest subway station, "Kokkai Gijido Mae" on Marunouchi Line and Chiyoda Line may be extremely crowded.

People who show up at KEPCO's headquarters in Osaka City have been steadily increasing in number. Last week, the organizers there said 2,200 people showed up, up 700 from the week before.

One of the people I follow on Twitter is a nuclear researcher in Shikoku, Japan. He made an interesting observation regarding the number of people at the protests, particularly in Tokyo in front of the PM Official Residence.

He said (I'm paraphrasing him), "It doesn't really matter exactly how many showed up. If they managed to convince the media that it was 45,000, or 150,000, or 200,000, that all it matters. These numbers will be reported, and these numbers will stay in people's memory. That's the whole point of "demonstration" - to pressure the authority into believing the opposition is much bigger than actually is, and people have succeeded."

If you're going, be careful, and please report in the comment section.

Independent journalist Ryusaku Takana does warn that the "tired old left" dreaming of riding the storm again like in 1960s are trying hard to usurp the movement and claim as their own, and he tells the protest participants not to be easily persuaded by their tactics.

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