#Fukushima I Nuke Plant Reactor 3: Warrior and Packbot Couln't Complete Their Mission

The "Warrior" robot did measure some air radiation levels at 2.5 meters off the floor, but it couldn't get to the place where TEPCO wants to connect the pipe for nitrogen injection because some work benches and other equipment were in its way.

TEPCO released the diagram showing the radiation level on July 6 when the bots went inside the Reactor 3 building, and the measurements are lower than July 2 data. However, July 6 measurements were taken at 2.5 meters off the floor whereas July 2 measurements were done at 1 meter off the floor. On June 9 it was humans who measured the radiation, without the benefit of the double steel sheets. (I wonder what kind of boots they were wearing. I sure hope their boots had lead or tungsten soles.)

According to Asahi Shinbun, the Warrior robot tried to measure the radiation at the candidate location for the nitrogen injection pipe installation, but it couldn't get there. It took the measurement at 5 meters above the floor near the location, and the radiation there was 50 millisieverts/hour, almost double the radiation at 2.5 meters.

The radiation level at 5 meters is not noted in the TEPCO's diagram below.

TEPCO is considering sending the humans again on July 8. All this in order to comply with the government-mandated July 17 deadline for "stable cooling of the reactors" so that the Kan Administration can proudly announce "Now it's safe for the residents in the planned evacuation zone to come home!"

TEPCO that cannot say "No" to the government; instead, it will send the anonymous human workers in the high-radiation zone.

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Kyushu Electric: Emails Sent to 2,300 Employees at Subsidiaries

More on Kyushu Electric Power Company busted (thanks to the Internet) for urging its employees and the employees at its subsidiaries to stuff the hearing for the re-start of Genkai Nuke Plant in Saga Prefecture with "anonymous, pro-nuke" emails.

According to Kyodo News Japanese (7/8/2011), A "Bucho" (general manager of a division) at Kyushu Electric ordered a "Kacho" (junior manager who work under "Bucho") to send emails urging the subsidiaries to participate in the hearing as anonymous pro-nuke citizens. 4 managers at the 4 subsidiaries dutifully forwarded the email to everyone at their respective companies, total 2,300 emails to 2,300 employees.

4 managers at the subsidiaries are all from Kyushu Electric. The "bucho" who ordered the "kacho" to create this email didn't say whether he also specified the details.

As the result of this scandal, even the pro-nuke gung-ho mayor of Genkai-cho (where the nuke plant sits) has grudgingly withdrawn his consent for the re-start, trashing both Kyushu Electric and the national government, who out of the blue has come up with the brilliant idea of nuke plant "stress test" that will not only delay the re-start at best, and at worst may reveal the aging Genkai plant to be very unsafe (if they really test).

But would anyone who believe the test, when the test parameters are set by the NISA and the nuclear industry?

Well, sadly it may well work. Just like the "stress test" for Wall Street banks devised by the US regulators (Turbo Tax Timmy and Helicopter Ben) and the banks themselves seems to have worked. Not that anyone believed the result, but more like "OK it's done, they cheated again, what's next? Anything changed? No. So what? Let's move on. Oh American Idol is on!" And the declaration by the banks and the regulators that "the US banks are safe".

Another minor victory for no-nuke people in Japan is that Banri Kaieda, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry who amassed a fortune selling books on how to invest in risky assets right before the Japan's asset bubble collapsed, may be resigning over this Kyushu Electric scandal.

He feigned surprise and indignation, but hardly anyone believes he didn't have a hand in it. But just like his boss PM Kan, resignation "when the time comes" may mean he will never resign because no one knows "when" the time will come and what he means by "the time".

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Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to Seek Recognition of Japanese Cuisine as World Intangible Cultural Heritage

No, it's not a joke.

From Mainichi Shinbun English, citing Kyodo News (7/6/2011):

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A government-appointed panel held its first meeting Tuesday to consider a proposal to seek UNESCO registration for Japanese food culture as an intangible cultural heritage with a view to promoting food exports and Japan's tourism industry.

Many of those present at the meeting were positive about the idea, saying Japanese food is valued around the world because it is healthy and also because of the esthetics of the way a dish is presented, the farm ministry said.

The panel, assembled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, will submit its report by October with an eye toward winning registration from the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization by November 2013.

The ministry hopes the initiative will help restore trust in the safety of Japanese food now that some 40 countries have toughened regulations on food imports from Japan following the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

So far, French, Mexican and Mediterranean foods have been designated by UNESCO, and Korean imperial cuisine is expected to be added to the lists in November.

Mainichi Japanese (7/5/2011) has a bit more detail. The government panel consists of food industry big shots including the honorary chairman of Kikkoman and the head of a famous cooking school.

If the Japanese government wants to "restore trust in the safety of Japanese food", the best thing it could do is to stop the radioactive material leak from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, and embark on decontaminating the entire Tohoku and Kanto at whatever cost.

The Japanese government always wanted to create "inflation". Here's their chance. Just print money and spend to carry out the necessary work of restoring trust.

Instead, they operate on the cheap, calling radioactivity as "rumor" and pushing, of all things, Japanese food as a World Heritage, as if being recognized as such would somehow decontaminate the food in Japan.

Or they may be promoting a unique blend of 2,000-year Japanese cultural tradition and radioactive cesium and strontium, with a dash of plutonium and cobalt-60. Just like that nutty Fukushima doctor says, "Food with a bit of radiation will fetch premium!"

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Contaminated Water Treatment System at 76% Operating Rate

TEPCO's target was at least 80%, and they were hoping to ramp it up to 90% quickly. Now the company says it will focus on achieving the steady 80% for now.

At least part of the reason for the less than desired operating rate looks to be Kurion's system.

Kurion's system has a decontamination factor (DF) of about 17, instead of 1,000 that was hoped for when the system started. In other words, instead of reducing 2 million becquerels/cubic centimeter of radioactive cesium in the water to 2,000 becquerels/cubic meters (DF of 1,000), Kurion's system reduces 2 million becquerels/cubic centimeter of cesium to 120,000 becquerels/cubic centimeter (DF of about 17).

TEPCO has found out that the Kurion's vessels that contain different types of zeolite for removing different nuclides need to be exchanged far more frequently than planned (which was one a day). In addition, the system needs "flushing" (cleaning out the system with water) every time a vessel is changed, and that results in several hours of downtime for the entire system.

From TEPCO's handout for the press on July 6, "flushing" operations since June 23 (link goes to the Japanese handout, as English handout is missing some info):

June 23: 1:00PM to 2:44PM
June 24: 10:00AM to 12:50PM
June 25: 10:00AM to 3:00PM
June 26: 10:00AM to 18:10PM
June 28: 10:06AM to 12:24PM
June 29: 10:45AM to 2:13PM
June 30: 10:46AM to 1:35PM
July 2: 10:30AM to 1:45PM
July 3: 10:39AM to 12:50PM
July 5: 10:30AM to 12:55PM

According to the tweets from a Fukushima I Nuke Plant worker, the system seems to stop at other times for other undisclosed reasons.

TEPCO changes a vessel when the surface radiation of the vessel reaches 4 millisieverts/hour. Since June 17 when the entire system started to operate, TEPCO has changed 43 vessels as of July 5. In 7 more days TEPCO estimates there will be additional 20 used vessels. TEPCO has the storage capacity of this highly radioactive vessels up to 192. At 20 vessels per week, the storage will reach capacity in less than 8 weeks.

For more on the contaminated water treatment system operation, TEPCO has a detailed report it submitted to the NISA on July 6.

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#Radiation in Japan: Katsuo (Skipjack Tuna) Haul Is Zero at Onahama Port in Fukushima

Katsuo (shipjack tuna) is in season, and in a normal year the port of Onahama, Fukushima Prefecture should be bustling with activities, with fishing boats hauling katsuo they caught into the port, noisy auctioning by the wholesalers.

This year is anything but normal, and the amount of the haul at the Onahama port is zero. Zero.

Where are the fishing boats loaded with katsuo going? Other ports, so that the katsuo that they catch off the coast of Fukushima and all along the Pacific North can be sold as coming anywhere but from Fukushima.

(In other words, watch out, consumers.)

From Yomiuri Shinbun (7/7/2011):

福島県を代表する漁港で、東北地方有数のカツオの水揚げ港でもある福島県いわき市の小名浜漁港が、苦境に立たされている。

The Onahama Port in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, the biggest port in Fukushima Prefecture and one of the best known port for hauling katsuo (shipjack tuna) in the Tohoku region, finds itself in difficult times.

　カツオ漁が最盛期を迎えた中、津波で被害を受けて３週間前に再開した魚市場への漁船によるカツオの水揚げはゼロ。東京電力福島第一原発事故の影響 で「福島産」とみなされるのを心配して、漁船が同港での水揚げを避けて他県に向かうためだ。「漁場は同じなのに……」。地元漁業関係者の苦悩が続く。

It's the prime season for katsuo fishing right now, but the katsuo hauling at the port, which reopened three weeks ago for the first time since the March 11 tsunami, is zero. It's because fishing boats head for other ports in other prefectures, fearful that their catch will be considered "caught in Fukushima Prefecture", a big negative in the aftermath of the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident. The local fishery people lament, "katsuo all come from the same fishery...."

　春から夏にかけて太平洋沿岸を北上する群れを追うカツオ漁は５月から本格化し、いまが最盛期。しかし、小名浜魚市場では、魚を入れるカゴが高く積まれたまま、静まり返っている。

Katsuo fishing, which chases katsuo as the fish migrate north along the Pacific coast from spring to summer, started in earnest in May. Now it's in the prime season. However, at the wholesale fish market at the Onahama Port, all is quiet, and fish baskets remain empty.

　「例年なら、仲買人や市場の職員でごった返し、すごい活気なんですけどね」。市場職員の中野聡さん（３５）はため息をつく。

"In a normal year, the place is chaotic with wholesalers and fish market personnel, bustling with activities," Mr. Satoshi Nakano, 35-year-old worker at the market, sighs.

　水産庁によると、同港で２００９年に水揚げされたカツオ（生鮮）は、全国の漁港で５位の約２４２０トン。地元漁協では、約７割が地元以外の船によるものだったとしている。

According to Japan's Fisheries Agency, 2,420 tonnes of fresh katsuo were hauled at the port in 2009, No. 5 in the whole country. The local fishing co-op says 70% of the haul was from the out-of-Fukushima fish boats.

There have been anecdotal but credible "rumors" for about two months that there are unusual increases of unusual kind of fish in ports outside Fukushima - Tokyo's Tsukiji Port, and a port in Mie Prefecture for example. The rumors say the boats are catching fish off the coast of Fukushima and hauling them at a distant port, and the fish are being sold as "caught in the ocean near that port", which is perfectly legal.

And what about the remaining 30% of the fishing boats that are from Fukushima Prefecture? A group of fishing boats left the Onahama Port for katsuo fishing last month, but they've given up on hauling to the Onahama Port due to the "baseless rumor" of radiation contamination, according to Tokyo Shinbun.

The authorities seem to want to keep it "baseless rumor" by not testing. At this point, even if they start to test, no consumer will readily believe the official numbers.

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#Fukushima: Drawings of AREVA's Decontamination System Written in Italian and French, Details Unavailable due to National or Corporate Security

says an anonymous worker at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. There are many who think it's almost a miracle that the entire system works at all.

The contaminated water treatment system at the plant has been in operation since June 17, and it has been plagued with problems, most of which are blamed on the workers.

When they blame "worker's mistake" as the reason for system malfunction or breakage, suspect some other reasons that they want to hide. This seems to be the case for the troubles at the contaminated water treatment system.

The author of the following tweets seems to be one of the workers at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, and his tweets are considered very credible by many, though a few suspect him to be a TEPCO's shill (which I doubt).

His tweets from July 1, and he talks about the contaminated water treatment system, AREVA's in particular:

続き①：今日も昼間は動いてなかったよ。作業員のミスって報道だけどオイラは管理側のミスだって思うんだけど…。特に一期工事のｱﾚﾊﾞの装置は他の現場で使用してたのを解体して持って来たんだけど施工は日本人でやってるんだ。

The system was stopped during the day today [July 1]. It was reported as "due to a worker's mistake", but I think it's the management mistake. In particular, AREVA's system [that was built] in the 1st phase of construction came from the active processing plant somewhere, which they dismantled and brought to Fukushima. But it was set up here by the Japanese.

続き②：ｱﾚﾊﾞの装置はイタリア製で図面もイタリア語とフランス語が混じって書いてあるからわかりづらいし質問しても構造や細かい所は国家機密か企業秘密かしらないが教えてくれないんだ。購入した東電でさえわかんない事多いみたい。

AREVA's system was made in Italy. The drawings are in Italian and French, so it's hard to understand. When we ask questions on the structure in detail, they don't answer, because of national security or corporate security or whatever. TEPCO, who paid for the system, doesn't seem to know much either.

二期工事も始まってますがあまりにも作業の振り分けがおかしくて現場が混乱してるのが現状なのです。

The second phase of construction has started, but the reality is that we are very confused because the jobs are not being assigned properly.

He says the system is not working as well as they thought, and that it should have been set up by the French or Italians who are the most familiar with the system.

The last I heard about the contract between TEPCO and AREVA (I also read somewhere later that there is no signed contract), even TEPCO didn't know what nuclides that AREVA's system would remove. Matsumoto of TEPCO said it was a corporate secret at AREVA and not to be disclosed.

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Kyushu Electric Power Busted for Using Shills to Promote Pro Nuke Views at Genkai Hearing

Things may be slowly changing, even in Japan.

The Japanese national government and Kyushu Electric Power Company, both of whom are eager to restart the Reactors 2 and 3 (3 is MOX-fuel) at the aging nuclear power plant Genkai in Saga Prefecture, held a hearing back in June to discuss the matter with the 7 "concerned residents" handpicked by the national government (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).

The hearing was broadcast via cable TV and on the Internet. Even before the hearing (June 26), Japanese tweets were abuzz with allegations that Kyushu Electric employees were told to participate via emails and messages as anonymous, concerned private citizens and speak in favor of nuclear power and restarting Genkai.

It took about 2 weeks for the MSM to catch up with the alternative media, but now the news broke even on Yomiuri Shinbun, a traditionally pro-nuke news outlet.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (3:27AM 7/7/2011):

　九州電力玄海原子力発電所（佐賀県玄海町）２、３号機の再稼働問題で、九電の真部利応社長は６日記者会見し、経済産業省が６月に県民向け説明会を 開いた際、九電が子会社や一部社員に対し、一般市民を装い、再稼働に賛成する意見を電子メールで説明会に送るよう指示していたと発表した。

Toshio Manabe, president of Kyushu Electric Power Company, held a press conference on July 6 and admitted that when a hearing organized by the METI took place in June regarding the restart of the Reactors 2 and 3 at Genkai Nuclear Power Plant (in Genkai-cho, Saga Prefecture), his company had instructed the subsidiaries and part of its own employees to send email messages during the hearing expressing support for re-starting the plant.

　真部社長は「説明会の信頼を損ねる形になり、心からおわび申し上げる」と謝罪。読売新聞の取材に対し、進退を検討する考えを示した。

President Manabe apologized, saying "It eroded the confidence in the hearing. I apologize wholeheartedly." In response to the Yomiuri reporting, he indicated that he may consider resigning over the issue.

　説明会は６月２６日、佐賀市で開かれ、国が選んだ県民の代表７人が出席。質疑は番組としてケーブルテレビとインターネットで生中継された。メールとファクスで意見や質問を募集し、一部は番組で紹介された。

The hearing was held on June 26 in Saga City, attended by 7 "representatives" of the Saga residents handpicked by the national government. The questions and answers session was broadcast live on the cable TV and on the Internet. Opinions and questions were sought via emails and faxes, and part of the emails and faxes were discussed in the program.

　九電によると、指示は同２２日、九電本社原子力発電本部に在籍する課長級の男性社員のメールアドレスから、子会社４社と九電の３事業所（玄海原 発、川内原発、川内原子力総合事務所）の社員各１人にメールで出された。発電再開を容認する立場から、県民の共感を得るような意見や質問を発信するよう求 め、自宅からネットに接続するよう指示した。

According to Kyushu Electric, the instruction was sent out via email from a manager-class employee at the Nuclear Power Generation Division of Kyushu Electric headquarters to one employee at each of the 4 subsidiaries and Kyushu Electric's 3 nuclear operations (Genkai Nuke Plant, Sendai Nuke Plant [in Kagoshima Prefecture], and Sendai Nuclear Plant Office). It required the recipients to send in opinions and questions from the pro-restart point of view that would elicit sympathy from the Saga residents, and to connect on the net from their private homes.

I really don't know what the national government was thinking when they announced the hearing with 7 handpicked so-called "concerned citizens" which would be broadcast on cable TV and the Internet. Who did they think they were fooling? The conclusion of the hearing, not surprisingly, was that though the "residents" (7 of them) were somewhat concerned about the safety issues, they were assured they would be addressed adequately enough to allow the safe operation of the plant, and that reflected the opinion of the residents of Saga Prefecture.

Not.

Yomiuri even has a photo of the said email instruction. And it says, in part:

本件については、我々のみならず協力会社におかれましても、極めて重大な関心事であることから、万難を排してその対応に当たることが重要と考えております。

Regarding this subject [re-start of Genkai], it should be of grave concern not only to us at Kyushu Electric but our affiliate companies. We believe it is very important to deal with the issue by doing everything we can.

　つきましては、関係者に対して、説明会開催についてご周知いただくとともに、可能な範囲で、当日ネット参加へのご協力をご依頼いただきますよう、御願い致します。

So, we would like you to be well informed about the upcoming hearing, and we would like you to ask [your employees] to participate in the hearing via the Internet, as much as possible.

　説明会ライブ配信ｗｅｂｓｉｔｅにアクセスの上、説明会の進行に応じて、発電再開容認の一国民の立場から、真摯に、かつ県民の共感を得うるような意見や質問を発信。

They should access the website for the live net broadcasting, and as the hearing progresses, take the stance of a private citizen who approves of re-starting the [Genkai] reactors, and send in the sincere opinions and questions that will elicit the sympathy from the residents in Saga Prefecture.

　なお、会社のＰＣでは処理能力が低いこと等から、是非、ご自宅等のＰＣからのアクセスを御願い致します。

Since the company's personal computers have low processing capacity and for other reasons, we urge you [and your employees] to access via your home computers.

Note "for other reasons". Such as the company's IP address being revealed if they use the company PC...

According to Asahi, 4 subsidiaries were Nishi Nippon Plant Engineering and Construction, Kyuden Sangyo (industrial), West Japan Engineering Consultants, Nishimu Electronic Industries, which have 2,300 employees in total.

It's not known how many employees complied and sent pro-nuke, pro-restart opinions and questions.

I wonder if any of them, as an anonymous, private citizen, voiced concern and opposition to nuclear power and the re-start of the aging Genkai Nuclear Power Plant.

By the way, I hear that the governor of Saga Prefecture is hiding in the prefectural government office, instructing the government workers to block both protesters and supporters of the plant.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant Now Has a Temporary Tide Barrier

From "Photos for Press" page at TEPCO:

Somehow I get the feeling that it may not work after all, because it's not so much of the height of the tsunami wave but the elevated level of huge mass of water behind it.

Well, it still looks slightly better than the sand berm that Hamaoka Nuke Plant has as the protection...

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Update on Steel Sheets on Reactor 3 Bldg Floor at #Fukushima I Nuke Plant: They Are to Block Radiation from Basement Water

It seems those steel sheets that have been laid down are to block the high radiation that may be coming from the water in the basement, according to Kyodo News Japanese.

It was indicated as much by a tweet on July 3 from a worker currently at Fukushima I Nuke Plant.

No information on how high the radiation of the contaminated water in the basement may be.　

The Reactor 3 used MOX-fuel, and the contaminated water that accumulated in the basement got there after it went over the melted (or partially melted) MOX-fuel. The temperature inside the Reactor Pressure Vessel remains high.

High radiation or not, TEPCO seems determined to start the injection of nitrogen into the Reactor 3 Containment Vessel by July 17, which is the deadline by which the step 1 in TEPCO's roadmap, "stable cooling" of the reactors is to be completed. The date has also been indicated by the government to be the day when the government will announce the "reduction" (believe it or not) of the planned evacuation zone.

Extend and pretend. And the bots and carbons alike will have to brave the unknown amount of high radiation at the plant so that the government can "extend and pretend".

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant Reactor 3: "Warrior" Robot Is Now a Photographer

"Warrior" the vacuuming robot is now a photographer, using a gamma camera to take photos of the location where TEPCO wants to fit the pipe for the nitrogen injection system (in the dotted circle in the diagram below) for the Containment Vessel in the reactor building for the Reactor 3.

The bot, accompanied by a Packbot who will monitor and record "Warrior", will enter the high-radiation reactor building on July 6.

TEPCO's press handout on July 6:

No information yet from TEPCO as to WHY the area is so radioactive.

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17,020 Becquerels/Kg Cesium in Dirt Cleaned Out from Elementary School Swimming Pool in Ibaraki Prefecture

And who did the cleaning? Children.

Now on to one of the favorite topics of this blog: Swimming pools in Japan.

Well they did it again, this time the Board of Education in Joso City in Ibaraki Prefecture. Back in May, as one of the annual, educational events of the schools, public elementary schools and junior high schools in Joso City had their pupils clean out the school swimming pools in preparation for the school swimming classes during summer. The teachers also helped out. Together, they cleaned the pools and scooped out the dirt that had accumulated at the bottom of the pools.

5 schools kept the dirt in a corner of the schoolyards. At one elementary school, a concerned PTA member decided to measure the radiation of the dirt. The result? 17,020 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

There are 14 public elementary schools, 5 junior high schools in Joso City. The city's Board of Education runs both elementary schools and junior high schools.

From Mainichi Shinbun (7/5/2011):

常総市の市立小学校が５月にプール清掃を教員と児童で行った際にかき集めた泥土から、１キロ当たり１万７０２０ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出されたこと が分かった。環境省が放射性物質汚染がれきについて定めた埋め立て許容基準の２倍に当たり、この学校は泥土を隔離。これを受けて市教育委員会が４日、全小 中学校のプール泥土の残存状況を調査したところ、同校の他に４小学校が敷地内に泥土を置いていることが明らかになった。

It was disclosed that 17,020 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium was detected from the dirt that were scooped out from the swimming pool when the teachers and pupils of one public elementary schools in Joso City did the cleaning of the pool in May. The amount is more than twice the safety limit set by the Ministry of the Environment for the radioactive debris that could be buried. The school moved the dirt in a separate area. Upon this news, the city's Board of Education surveyed the situation of the pool dirt in city's elementary schools and junior high schools on July 4, and found out there were 4 other elementary schools who had kept the dirt on the school premises.

同校ＰＴＡ関係者が敷地にあった泥土を６月１１日にバケツ１杯分採取し、うち３キロの試料を専門検査会社に送付。同２９日に届いた検査結果によると、セシウム１３４が７７００ベクレル、セシウム１３７が９３２０ベクレルだった。

A member of the school's PTA collected a bucketful of this dirt on June 11, and sent 3 kilograms of it to a laboratory specializing in radiation measurement. The result, which was delivered on June 29, showed the sample contained 7,700 becquerels/kg of cesium-134 and 9,320 becquerels/kg of cesium-137.

　環境省が先月公表した汚染がれき処理基準では、８０００ベクレル以下については埋め立て処理を認めるが、これを超すと放射線遮へい措置が必要となる。文部科学省はプールなどの泥土もこれに準じるとしている。

The safety limit for disposal of radioactive debris, as announced by the Ministry of the Environment last month, is 8,000 becquerels/kg. If it is below that limit, you can bury the debris. If it exceeds, then the measures will be necessary to shield the radiation. The Ministry of Education and Science says the dirt from the pool would be treated in the same manner.

　同校の教頭は「愛校作業として５、６年生が掃除に携わった」と話しており、放射性物質汚染の認識はなかったという。市教委は５月２５日、プール清掃に際し児童生徒の健康に配慮するよう各校長に指示したが、既に同校を含む４小中学校で児童生徒が清掃に参加していた。

The vice principal of the elementary school said, "As an activity to promote love for the school, 5th and 6th graders participated in the cleaning." The school didn't think of the radiation contamination then. The city's Board of Education instructed the principals of the city's schools on May 25 to pay attention to the health of pupils when cleaning the swimming pools, but by that time 4 schools including this elementary school had already had pupils clean the pools.

　市教委は同校のプール泥土を産業廃棄物として業者に処理を委託することを決定。他の４校の泥土については５日に放射線量を測り、校庭よりも高い数値が出た場合は産廃として処理する方針。坂巻幸一教育部長は「プール清掃は学校の指導の一環だが、配慮が足りなかったかもしれない」と述べた。

The city's Board of Education has decided to have a company that specializes in disposal of industrial waste to dispose the pool dirt from the school. As to the dirt at 4 other schools, the radiation will be measured on July 5. If the numbers are higher than those for the schoolyards, the dirt will be disposed as industrial waste. Koichi Sakamaki, manager for education [at the Board of Education] said, "Cleaning the swimming pools is part of the school instruction. But we should have been a bit more careful."

　調査したＰＴＡ関係者は「子どもが放射性物質に汚染された泥土の処理を行った事実を、将来の健康も考えて記録に残してほしい。市教委はきちんと対策を取り、情報を公開すべきだ」と指摘する。一方、県教委保健体育課は「評価基準はないが、掃除の後きちんと手を洗えばそれほど神経質になることはない」としている。

The member of the school's PTA says, "That the children did the cleanup of radioactive dirt should be recorded as such , for the future health monitoring. The city's Board of Education should provide appropriate countermeasures, and disclose information fully." The Board of Education of Ibaraki Prefecture, on the other hand, says "While it's true there is no standard for evaluating the pool dirt, but there is no need to be nervous as long as you wash your hands after cleaning the pool."

How could the school not think of radiation contamination, when the radioactive plume from Fukushima I Nuke Plant was constantly blowing over Ibaraki Prefecture and the air radiation level remains elevated? (I guess the vice principal didn't have access to the Internet to take a look at those foreign meteorological agencies' simulations...)

No matter. Cleaning is over now anyway, and the rest of the schools didn't even keep the dirt. But the pool water is clean, I'm sure.

But since when the dirt that contains that much radioactive cesium can be disposed as "industrial waste", instead of nuclear waste?

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More on the NSC Disclosure of Radiation Survey on Fukushima Children in Late March

(The original post is here.)

Tokyo Brown Tabby found a one-page document (no detailed data) that Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission created on May 12 and last modified on May 13 that simply says:

"Yes, we tested 1,080 children aged 0 to 15, and no one exceeded the threshold of dose equivalent of 100 millisieverts."

According to Tabby, the NSC person said:

"It's not that we withheld this information, but nobody asked us about this already-uploaded-data until a reporter from Tokyo Shinbun did at the press conference on July 4. "

So, I decided to look up three additional documents: the transcript of the press conference on July 4, and the NSC minutes of the meeting on May 12 and the transcript of the press conference on May 12.

First, the transcript of the July 4 press conference. It's in Japanese only, but I can assure you (and you can verify it if you read the language) that there is NO TOKYO SHINBUN reporter asking the question of thyroid radiation of Fukushima children. The NSC person that Tabby talked to did say there was a reporter from Tokyo Shinbun who asked that question.

Conclusion: the NSC edited out the reference from the transcript.

Second, the NSC minutes of May 12 meeting, to see how this information was handled by the Commissioners in the meeting.

The segment where the Commissioners discussed the radiation exposure survey for children in Fukushima reads as if the the survey was done as an exercise to see if SPEEDI simulations had been accurate and if they had indeed predicted the radioactive fallout as would be revealed by the survey. And since no child exceeded 100 millisievert dose equivalent, nothing needed to be done further:

班目委員長: どうもありがとうございました。他に。そうしたらもう１件、ＳＰＥＥＤＩを活用したというか、この結果を活用した例といった方がよろしいのかもしれません。資料第４－３号がございます。これは、事務局の丸山安全調査管理官から、ご説明をよろしくお願いいたします。

Madarame: Thank you very much. Is there anything else [to add]? [Seeing there was none] In that case, here's another example of using SPEEDI, or I should say using the [simulation] results of SPEEDI, as the Reference No. 4-3 [that's the one-page document]. Mr. Maruyama will explain.

○説明者（丸山安全調査管理官） 資料第４－３号に基づきご説明を申し上げます。「福島県における小児甲状腺被ばく調査結果について」ということでございます。平成２３年３月２３日のＳＰＥＥＤＩの試算を踏まえ、原子力安全委員会緊急技術助言組織より、特に、感受性の高い小児への健康影響をより正確に把握するため、屋内退避区域あるいはＳＰＥＥＤＩを用いた試算（３月２３日公表分）で甲状腺の評価線量が高いと評価された地域の小児の甲状腺線量の実測を原子力災害対策本部事務局あてに依頼した。その結果、原子力災害現地対策本部において、いわき市、川俣町、飯舘村において、小児甲状腺被ばく調査を実施した。

Maruyama: Allow me to explain the data, the Reference No.4-3 titled "The survey result of the thyroid gland radiation in children in Fukushima Prefecture". Based on the SPEEDI simulation on March 23, 2011, the NSC advised the Headquarters for the Nuclear Disaster Countermeasures [which was set up by the national government] to conduct the actual survey of children in the areas which the SPEEDI simulation showed potentially high levels of dose equivalent radiation on thyroid gland and in "stay indoors" areas. The Headquarters for the Nuclear Disaster Countermeasures did the survey accordingly in Iwaki City, Kawamata-machi, and Iitate-mura.

１）対象者数、でございます。３月２６日から２７日、いわき市の保健所で測定数は１３４人。３月２８日から３０日、川俣町公民館６４７人。３月３０日、飯舘村公民館２９９人。合計１，０８０人でございます。注書きに書いてございますが、なお３月２４日に川俣町において測定を行っていますが、バックグラウンドが高かったことから測定結果には含めておりません。

No.1, the subjects. 134 children were surveyed on March 26 and 27 in Iwaki City, 647 children on March 28 to 30 in Kawamata-machi, 299 children on March 30 in Iitate-mura. Total of 1,080 children were tested. It's in the footnote but the survey done in Kawamata-machi on March 24 was excluded because of the high background radiation.

２）測定方法、でございます。「緊急被ばく医療ポケットブック」（平成１７年３月 財団法人原子力安全研究協会）の「頸部甲状腺に沈着した放射線ヨウ素の測定」に基づき、ＮaＩシンチレーション式サーベイメータを用いて実施したということでございます。

No.2, method of measurement. It was done using the NaI scintillation survey meter based on the manual issued by the Nuclear Safety Research Association [which was set up as a government association in 1964] in 2006.

３）結果、でございます。対象者は０歳から１５歳でございます。小児甲状腺被ばく調査を実施した０歳から１５歳までの１，０８０人の小児については、スクリーニングレベル０．２μＳｖ／ｈ（１歳児の甲状腺等価線量として１００ｍＳｖに相当）を超えるものはなかった。以上でございます。

No.3, the result. The subjects were aged zero to 15. Among 1,080 children tested for thyroid gland radiation, there was no one who exceeded the screening level of 0.2 microsievert/hour (dose equivalent of 100 millisieverts at thyroid gland for 1 year old). That's all.

○班目委員長 どうもありがとうございました。それではこれにつきまして、何かご質問、ご意見はございますでしょうか。よろしゅうございますか。これは実は、こういう形で、紙で出すのは初めてかもしれませんけれども、実際には４月の時点で既にこのような調査が行われ、特に問題のある結果は出ていない、ということは公表済みだということでございます。改めて、こういうきちんとした形で発表しておきたいということで、今日の日付になっているというものでございます。よろしゅうございますでしょうか。それでは大変ありがとうございました

Madarame: Thank you very much. Is there any question on this issue? No? About this survey, this may be the first time it was published on paper, but I've been told that it was announced in April that there was such a survey, and there was no problem. But we wanted to publish in a more formal way, so it was published with today's date. Is there any comment or questions? Thank you very much.

So they tested children in Kawamata-machi on March 24, one day after the SPEEDI simulation showed high radiation levels. If they were high levels, they weren't reported as such on March 25. Asahi Shinbun that day said 0.24 microsievert/hour was detected from one boy in Kawamata-machi, and the number was much lower than 2 microsieverts/hour (?), so it was safe, no problem. I have no idea where Asahi came up with the "2 microsieverts/hour" number as the threshold number.

If I remember right, Kawamata-machi had been receiving the evacuees from the areas closer to the plant since March 12. So had Iitate-mura.

Also, Maruyama or Madarame didn't mention 45% of children had the radiation exposure at thyroid gland in the May 12 meeting. That information clearly didn't come out until the Tokyo Shinbun reporter asked on July 4.

Third, the transcript of the May 12 press conference. This one's easy. IT DOES NOT EXIST. The NSC started to publish the transcript of the press conference from May 19. Prior to May 19, there was no transcript, there was no recording of the press conference. How convenient. We would never know whether the Commissioners even mentioned anything about the survey in the press conference, or whether there was any reporter who did ask.

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Radiation at Thyroid Gland Found in 45% of 1,000 Children Tested in Fukushima

(More information in the new post.)

The Nuclear Safety Commission headed by Haruki "Detarame" Madarame disclosed on July 4 that the test conducted in late March had found 45% of 1,080 children tested in Fukushima Prefecture had internal radiation exposure at thyroid gland, according to Tokyo Shinbun.

3 months, that seems to be the amount of time that these government people must feel safe to disclose what they had known all along. After 3 months, people may forget, and/or people will give up because the disclosure is too late.

The NSC says the levels were low, and there was no need for more detailed evaluation.

If you look at the numbers, though, you may wonder how they came to the conclusion. To them, 100 millisieverts per year body dose equivalent for 1 year old (or 0.2 microsievert/hour) was acceptable because the ICRP says so. Since the highest they found was 50 millisieverts per year body dose equivalent, they concluded there was no need for further testing.

From Tokyo Shinbun (7/5/2011):

東京電力福島第一原発の事故で、国の原子力安全委員会は四日、三月下旬に福島県内の第一原発周辺の市町村に住 む子供約千人を対象に行った放射線被ばく調査で、４５％の子供が甲状腺に被ばくしていたことを明らかにした。安全委の加藤重治審議官は「精密検査の必要は ないレベル」と話している。

Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission disclosed on July 4 that the survey done in late March on 1,000 children living near Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant had revealed that 45% of the children were exposed to radiation at the thyroid gland. Commissioner Shigeharu Kato says "The radiation level was not the level that would require more detailed examination."

　調査は国と同県が三月二十六～三十日に、甲状腺被ばくの可能性が高いと予想されたいわき市、川俣町、飯舘村で、ゼロ～十五歳までの千八十人を対象に実施。４５％の子供に被ばくが確認された。

The survey was conducted by the national government and the Fukushima prefectural government from March 26 to 30 in Iwaki City, Kawamata-machi, and Iitate-mura, where the authorities expected the high probability of internal radiation exposure at the thyroid gland. 1,080 children aged zero to 15 were tested, and 45% had the internal radiation exposure.

　安全委によると、最高値は毎時〇・一マイクロシーベルト（一歳児の甲状腺被ばく量に換算すると年五〇ミリシーベルト相当）に上ったが、９９％は毎 時〇・〇四マイクロシーベルト以下。同様の換算で年二〇ミリシーベルトに相当するが、加藤審議官は四日の記者会見で「換算するには（調査の）精度が粗い。 精密測定が必要な子供はいなかった」と述べた。

According to the NSC, the highest dose was 0.1 microsievert/hour (body dose equivalent of 50 millisieverts per year at thyroid gland for 1 year old). For 99% of the children tested, the dose was 0.04 microsievert/hour or less, which is the dose equivalent of 20 millisieverts per year at thyroid gland for 1 year old. However, Commissioner Kato said in the press conference on July 4, "To consider body dose equivalent, the survey was too coarse. There was no child who need further detailed examination."

　 国際放射線防護委員会（ＩＣＲＰ）勧告では、年間一〇〇ミリシーベルトの被ばくで発がんリスクが０・５％高まるとして、同量を緊急時の年間被ばく 限度としている。今回の調査でも一〇〇ミリシーベルトを基準とし、一歳児の甲状腺被ばくの年換算でこれに相当する毎時〇・二マイクロシーベルトを超えた場 合、精密検査をする予定だった。

According to the ICRP recommendation, 100 millisieverts per year will increase the risk of cancer by 0.5%, and that amount is set as the maximum annual exposure limit in a nuclear emergency. In the survey this time, the standard was set at 100 millisieverts, and the detailed examination was to be done if 0.2 microsievert/hour dose was found, which would be the dose equivalent of 100 millisieverts per year at thyroid gland for 1 year old.

　国が国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）に提出した報告書では、千八十人の子供の甲状腺被ばくを調査したことを記しているが、何割の子供が実際に被ばくしていたかは明らかにしていなかった。

The Japanese government submitted the report to the IAEA which mentioned the survey done on 1,080 children for radiation at the thyroid gland, but the government did not disclose what percentage of the children were actually affected.

So the Japanese government was secretly testing the children in Iitate-mura, as it scoffed at the suggestion by IAEA that the radiation level in the village was very high and evacuation should be considered. All back in late March when it could have made a difference.

According to Tokyo Brown Tabby who read the Japanese post and called up the NSC, the NSC says the data was uploaded in May to the NSC website. So far I haven't managed to locate it. The NSC also says they informed the parents. I hope so.

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Matsumoto Lasted 8 Days as Minister of Recovery and Reconstruction

Ryu Matsumoto, of Type-B blood and "Taurus", resigned on July 5.

Eight days as the Minister of Recovery and Reconstruction, all he did was to insult the governors of Iwate and Miyagi.

Thanks to Tohoku Broadcasting Co. who wasn't intimidated by this Minister's words and broadcast the news segment and thanks to the Internet users who spread the news video, he's gone. For now.

From Bloomberg (7/4/2011):

Japan’s disaster reconstruction minister quit a week into his job after publicly scolding the governor of a tsunami-devastated region, in the latest blow to embattled Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s administration.

Ryu Matsumoto told reporters today in Tokyo that he had submitted his resignation to Kan, adding that he also quit as disaster prevention minister.

In a July 3 meeting with Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai, Matsumoto rebuked him for arriving late, then told him that unless there was a consensus in the prefecture regarding a rebuilding plan, “we won’t do anything.” Matsumoto then told the assembled press not to report the conversation. Video of the meeting has been posted on the Internet.

Opposition lawmakers called on Matsumoto, 60, to quit and criticized Kan’s judgment in appointing him to the newly created post. Kan is already under pressure from both the opposition and his own Democratic Party of Japan to step down over his handling of the March earthquake and tsunami that caused the biggest nuclear disaster in 25 years.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant Reactor 3: Steel Sheets on the Reactor Building Floor to Shield Radiation

After "Warrior" the vacuum robot swept up "sand and dust" on the floor (whatever it was) which TEPCO said was causing the high radiation in the area (right below the Spent Fuel Pool) and the radiation level didn't go down, TEPCO is laying down the steel sheets on the floor to help shield the radiation.

So the very high radiation is from the floor, and it measures over 100 millisieverts/hour 1 meter above the floor.

In June when the workers entered the Reactor 3's reactor building for the first time since the March 11 start of the accident at the plant, they were seen swiping the floor and collecting samples (see the video). The result of the sample analysis has never been disclosed.

TEPCO's press handout on July 4:

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Matsumoto's Excuse: "I Am from Kyushu and I have Type-B Blood"

Being criticized for his manner when he visited Tohoku, Ryu Matsumoto, Minister in charge of recovery and reconstruction for the Kan Administration, apologized to Tohoku people if "his words had hurt the feelings of people in the disaster area in Tohoku", and defended himself by saying:

"I'm from Kyushu. People from Kyushu talk tough."

"I have the Type-B blood, so I may be short-tempered."

And it looks some people in Kyusu and from Kyushu and some people in Japan with the Type-B blood are highly offended by the association. Japanese are 39% Type-A, 29% Type-O, 22% Type-B, and 10% Type-AB.

And no, he has no plan nor intention to resign.

If you read Japanese, go to this link to read his excuse.

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This Is the New Japanese Minister in Charge of Recovery and Reconstruction

Naoto Kan, after surviving the vote of no confidence thanks to Hatoyama's deluded decision to play "kingmaker", just does as he pleases these days without fear or worry. And that includes appointing this man as the minister in charge of recovery and reconstruction in the Tohoku region.

From Tohoku Broadcasting Company's news report:

(Announcer): Ryu Matsumoto, newly-appointed Minister in charge of recovery and reconstruction from the March 11 earthquake/tsunami, visited Miyagi Prefecture for the first time since the appointment. When he didn't see the governor waiting for him in the meeting room, the Minister got angry, and strongly rebuked the governor.

(Announcer): Here's Minister Ryu Matsumoto visiting the Miyagi prefectural government office. When he did not see Governor Murai in the room waiting for him, his countenance became severe.

(Matsumoto): He [the governor] should be here before me, and that's the proper way, isn't it?

(Announcer): A few minutes later, Governor Murai came in smiling, and offered his hand to the Minister for a handshake. The Minister refused. The atmosphere in the room immediately turned tense. After receiving the documents that detailed the requests [from Miyagi Prefecture], Minister Matsumoto told the governor in harsh words.

松本：（水産特区は）県でそれはコンセンサスを得ろよ。そうしないとわれわれ、何にもしないぞ。だからちゃんとやれ。今あとから自分は入ってきたけど、お客さんが来るときは、自分が入ってからお客さんを呼べ。いいか？　長幼の序がわかっている自衛隊ならそんなことやるぞ。わかった？　はい。しっかりやれよ。今の最後の言葉はオフレコです。いいですか？　皆さん。いいですか？　はい。書いたらもうその社は終わりだから。

(Matsumoto): [Regarding the special fishery zone, which the government is pushing and many local fishermen oppose] Get the consensus. Otherwise we won't do anything. Just do it. You came in after me, but when you greet a guest, be in here first and call in the guest. Understand? The Self Defense Force would do it because they have the sense of seniority. Got it? Do better than this. [Speaking to the news reporters in the room] Oh my last remark is off the record, understand? Everyone. Understand? If any of you dare write it, that will be end of your company.

(Announcer): This remark by Minister Matsumoto is likely to create a stir.

There is no way to convey the sense of what he said to the governor of Miyagi. Japanese language has several modes of speech from super-vulgar to super-polite. While there are English equivalents in more polite forms of speech, the base language used by him cannot be fully translated without adding extremely rude and vulgar interjections. For example, his first word to the governor would be more like "Get the consensus, you piece of sh-t."

Matsumoto's grandfather was the founder of the Buraku Liberation League, and Matsumoto still serves as the vice chairman of the organization. He is a multi-millionaire from the family business (general contractor in construction) and from, as some allege, the Buraku Liberation League money. The League by the way is mired in financial scandals.

During the early days of crisis after the March 11 earthquake, Matsumoto, who was (and still is) the Minister in charge of disaster countermeasures, allegedly hid in the Prime Minister's Residence, shaking in his boots. The initial delay and confusion in delivering aid to the Tohoku area (where he visited on July 3) was due to his panic and indecision. (from Japanese wiki entry)

Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano defended Matsumoto, saying "It was from his strong sense of duty and responsibility that he spoke that way." (from NHK Japanese)

The governor of Miyagi said "I'm sure Prime Minister Kan has appointed the best person for the job." (from NHK Japanese) The governor is a graduate of the National Defense Academy, and was an officer in the Self Defense Force before he ran for office.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant Reactor 3 SFP (not SPF) Has At Least One Fuel Bundle Left, Near Water Surface

(I'm trying to be positive here.)

Arnie Gundersen commenting on Ian Goddard's discovery of a single fuel bundle in the Reactor 3 Spent Fuel Pool:

"Warrior" the vacuuming robot may not have been vacuuming just "sand and dust" after all.

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"Now They Tell Us" Series: Depleted Uranium Storage Facility Next to Cosmo Oil Refinary In Chiba Burned after Earthquake Hit on March 11

The facility belongs to Chisso Petrochemical, and it contained 765 kilograms of depleted uranium at 0.3% concentration. It caught fire when the adjacent Cosmo Oil LPG tank caught fire and exploded. Not a problem, the Chiba government now says, and Chisso hasn't said anything about the facility.

There was a "baseless rumor"(link in Japanese) that circulated on the Internet on March 12 that said "Harmful substance will come down with the rain after the Cosmo Oil fire. Do not expose your skin." Cosmo Oil and the government dismissed the rumor vehemently. Maybe the "baseless rumor" was not about Cosmo Oil's tank but about Chisso's depleted uranium...

From Chiba Nippo (7/1/2011):

劣化ウラン保管施設も延焼
コスモ石油のガスタンク火災で

Depleted Uranium Storage Facility Also Burned when Cosmo Oil's Gas Tank Exploded

　６月千葉県議会は３０日、総務防災と総合企画水道の２常任委員会が開かれた。総務防災では、東日本大震災で発生したコスモ石油千葉製油所（市原市）の液化石油ガス（ＬＰＧ）タンク火災・爆発に伴い、隣接する劣化ウラン保管施設も延焼していたことが明らかになった。放射性物質の漏えいはなかったとしている。

On June 30 Chiba Prefectural Assembly held meetings of 2 standing committees, "general affairs and disaster countermeasures" and "planning and water". In the general affairs and disaster countermeasures committee, it was revealed that the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) tank fire and explosion at Cosmo Oil Refinery in Ichihara City, Chiba also burned the adjacent depleted uranium storage facility. There was no leak of radioactive materials, according to the committee.

　【総務防災】県消防課は、同製油所のガスタンクの火災・爆発事故で、隣接するチッソ石油化学の劣化ウラン保管倉庫の屋根が焼け落ちていたことを明らかにした。

The Chiba prefectural fire department disclosed that the depleted uranium storage facility's roof was burned down because of the fire and explosion of the LPG tank at Cosmo Oil. The depleted uranium storage facility belongs to Chisso Petrochemical [subsidiary of Chisso Corporation].

　同課によると、同倉庫は「核燃料使用事業所」として国の許可を受け、ガス製造用の触媒として使われる劣化ウラン７６５キログラムが保管されており、放射性物質が０・３％含まれていた。

According to the fire department, the storage facility is licensed by the national government as "nuclear fuel usage location", and had 765 kilograms of depleted uranium that contained 0.3% of radioactive material [uranium]. The depleted uranium is used as catalyst for gas production.

Looking at Chisso's press releases, there is no mention of the depleted uranium storage facility at this plant location. The explosion and fire at Cosmo Oil Refinery was finally put out on March 21, at which point Chisso was able to go inside their plant to assess the fire damage.

Ichihara City is on the west side of Chiba Prefecture, facing the Tokyo Bay, and there are many industrial plants and petrochemical facilities on the reclaimed land on the Tokyo Bay. Chisso Petrochemical is marked with a Yellow balloon with a dot:

View Tokyo bay in a larger map
A minor detail, but Chisso Petrochemical is NOT adjacent to Cosmo Oil, by the way. There is Maruzen Oil in between the two. Hmmm. How would Chisso's facility catch fire when Maruzen's did not?

Here are some video of Cosmo Oil explosion on March 11, in case you missed:
http://youtu.be/TZqhc-ysHzM (Asahi Shinbun footage)
http://youtu.be/x3Hy2LV_lLo (explosion that darkens the sky after 1:40 into the video)

By the way, Chisso is the same company that caused extensive mercury poisoning in the Minamata Bay in Kyushu by dumping methylmercury in the wastewater from the company's chemical plant, and the company has been kept "alive" so that it makes profit to pay compensations to the victims. TEPCO's likely future.

(By the way, turning gossipy, Japan's crown princess is the granddaughter of the Chisso president who fought and fought the "allegation" in the 1960s that his company's plant caused mercury poisoning.)

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant Reactor 5 Cooling Stopped for 3.5 Hours Due to Ruptured Pipe

A worker doing the routine inspection of the site in the morning of July 3 noticed the seawater gushing from the pipe that connects to one of the two temporary RHRS (residual heat removal system) pumps for the Reactor 5. The rupture on the pipe was 30 centimeters long and 7 centimeters wide.

During the 3.5 hours while the cooling was stopped to replace the pipe, the temperature of the water in the Reactor Pressure Vessel went from 43 degrees Celsius to 48 degrees Celsius, according to Kyodo News Japanese.

So it would take about 40 hours of no cooling till the water inside the RPV starts to boil. (The RPV of the Reactor 5 is at atmospheric pressure.)

TEPCO called it "leakage", just like a "puddle" that turns out to fill the turbine basement or reactor building basement. An understatement.

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