Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan admits Fukushima nuclear plant may have suffered 'melt-through,' which is worse than a core meltdown, reports Justin McCurry of the Guardian. Kan, also, notes that this accident probably released twice as much radiation as initially reported, showing that Japan's nuclear industry may "not have been as completely prepared for this accident," as it should have been. Kan optimistically predicts that it is probably "inevitable that improvements to regulation will be sought in the future."
Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, said transparency about Fukushima was essential to regain international confidence. Molten nuclear fuel in three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant is likely to have burned through pressure vessels, not just the cores, Japan has said in a report in which it also acknowledges it was unprepared for an accident of the severity of Fukushima. ...
It is the first time Japanese authorities have admitted the possibility that the fuel suffered "melt-through" – a more serious scenario than a core meltdown.
The report, which is to be submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said fuel rods in reactors No 1, 2 and 3 had probably not only melted, but also breached their inner containment vessels and accumulated in the outer steel containment vessels.
What? Talk about burying the headline. Is this the famous Japenese culture of subtle understatement, or more of the ongoing effort to distract us from the real headline?
Whatever it is, it seems works folks, as I will highlight later. Even as I write this I am noticing how effective this subtle Japanese style of understatement, is, as the lead of my story, is on Japan's remarkable "openness and dedication to transparency" and it's laudable desires "to maintain its highly valued credibility in the international community," rather than the headline "Japan Finally, Admits Three Nuclear Breach Of Containment Accidents, three months after they occurred.
From what we can tell, from preliminary reports, if we read the full 750 report, Japan is now essentially admitting that they knowing lied to their own citizens, and the international community about the magnitude of the radioactive leaks, and even now do not seem to know the exact location, or state of the melted corium, in not one, but three reactors!
Notice also, we are hearing nothing about the fact, that, from what we can tell, many in the IAEA, and US radioactive monitoring agencies have also apparently known this, and did not correct Japan's lies.
So is Kan being subtle, or still distracting us from the real headline, of what's happening in the world most significant triple nuclear breach of containment accident?
Notice that even in the Guardian's front page story, the headline focuses on Prime Minister Naoto Kan's heartfelt apology, rather than the amazing situation that a few days short of three months into what now appears to be the world's worst ongoing nuclear disaster to date, that speaking on behalf of Tepco, Japan, and everyone in charge of managing this disaster, Kan is effectively saying "to the best of their knowledge the molten core, has melted through the containment vessel, and is apparently a molten mass of corium or rubble, on the bottom of the reactor buildings," they are not really sure. Stayed turned world readers, for more news on the remnants of the three missing molten cores.
But, almost amazing to me as this announcement, is the lack of press coverage in the worlds media. So far the Gaurdian is the only newspaper to report this.
"And, in other news, Bongo the Panda, passes gas, to the delight of visitors to the Beijing Zoo."
But, at least here, at Daily Kos, let's skip Bongo the Panda, and go back to our story for this morning, on the missing nuclear reactor cores, and unknown amount of radiation still leaking from the Fukushimi site. One under-discussed implication of these three breach of containment accidents is that it may not be possible at this point to predict when we may regain control over these molten rogue nuclear cores.
The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), says it believes the molten fuel is being cooled by water that has built up in the bottom of the three reactor buildings.
The report includes an apology to the international community for the nuclear crisis – the world's worst since Chernobyl in 1986 – and expresses "remorse that this accident has raised concerns around the world about the safety of nuclear power generation".
The report comes a day after Japan's nuclear safety agency said the amount of radiation that leaked from Fukushima Daiichi in the first week of the accident may have been more than double that initially estimated by Tepco.
May I translate here. Tepco, "believes the molten fuel is being cooled by water that has built up in the bottom of the three reactor buildings." Oh, but we're really sorry, and very concerned if this raises issues about safety of other nuclear plants. Maybe we should talk about that a little. We are full of remorse over this.
Oh, yes, BTW, the amount of radiation released was double what we said before, as we didn't want to alarm anyone. We are the kind of folks just full of compassion for others, and remorse.
Where have the other international radiation monitors who also knew this, but apparently did not want to embarrass our remorseful ally Japan, in their moments of great compassion for the Japanese people, while they blatantly lied to the world?
Where has the International Atomic Energy Agency been, who is officially charged with the oversight, and safety of all the worlds nuclear material?
Where has the many US agencies, including the military, and the President, who has known all this time?
When will we discuss the tremendous damage already done to the credibility of the entire world's civilian, and government nuclear oversight experts, academic communities, and monitoring agencies we put our trust in to manage and oversee these dangerous radioactive materials?
When will we here an apology or explanation from them?
But, have no concerns for nuclear safety, dear readers, for Japan and its nuclear industry, reassures us that it is very likely to learn valuable "lessons...from this accident," and Kan's feels that
"We are taking very seriously the fact that consistent preparation for severe accidents was insufficient," the report said. "In light of the lessons learned from the accident, ... Japan has recognized that a fundamental revision of its nuclear safety preparedness and response is inevitable."
Thanks goodness for this. I feel better all ready. Kan reassures us that it is practically "inevitable" that Japan will recognize that it needs revision of it's preparedness and response in the future.
In fact, this is very similar to the mood here in the US, as our nuclear experts have also assured us we would have learned lessons here too, if they were applicable, but since we have already been working on, and thinking about more advanced nuclear plant designs, this accident really has little to do with our concerns here.
"Move on folks nothing to see here, worth fretting about."
And, in this moving burst of self-criticism, and lessons learned.
The nuclear task force's head, Gosh Hobson, said Tepco had failed to adequately protect plant workers early on in the crisis, and had provided inadequate information about radiation leaks.
About 7,800 workers had been involved in the battle to stabilize the plant as of late May, the report said. While their average exposure dose was well within safe limits, "a certain number" may have been exposed to more than 250 millisieverts per year, the maximum allowable dose under revised government guidelines for Fukushima workers.
Well, I'm sure one day, we will all look back on this little incident and just laugh.
Either that, or the World Court, will indict, top Tepco, and Japanese leaders for "crimes against humanity" for failing in their duty to warn citizen of Japan, and the world, of the true data about real conditions at the Fukushima nuclear reactor, and the magnitude of the radiation release, and the unknown, and perhaps unknowable nature of the ongoing risk.
And, not to toot, my own horn, but to note on the issue of credibility, I warned warned Tepco, and the Japanese Government of the dangers of destroying tier own credibility here at Daily Kos, on March 23, 20112, in Evidence of Lack of Complete Candor From Japan Emerges in this satirically under-stated title, that some did not catch the meaning of at the time.
From my diary then.
The French group already believed that data from four days ago, or so justified a rating of 6, which I agree with. This means their has been significant release of radiation outside of the immediate area. This is now confirmed. When will the Japanese government allow confirmation that this is already a level 6 accident.
...
I warn the IAEA, the US Government, and all associated scientists that we risk our own credibility if they do not join in demanding greater openness from the Japanese.
Credibility which will be severely missed if this accident evolves, or already has evolved, to a level 7 or higher.
Our statements that the public should not panic, will be ineffective, and even backfire, if we squander our integrity and credibility now.
And, seriously risk being indicted for "crimes against humanity" if serious harm comes to people due to the lack of complete, prompt, and honest disclosure of the truth.
You can note in a review of my archives, that I was also the first to report here, or almost anywhere when the INES rating was finally changed to Level 7.
As, soon as I get secondary confirmation, I am going to report soon, that one engineer inside Tepco has recommended that the IAEA define a new level 8, on the INES scale, to classify where this Fukushima accident appears to be heading.
8:59 AM PT: In what appears to be an attempt to match the poignancy of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's praise of the virtues of transparency, and openness, the Iranian Ambassador To the IAEA, Soltanieh "criticizes IAEA for inaccuracy of Fukushima reporting" and is calling "for all the countries close cooperation to promote nuclear safety in line with peaceful use of nuclear energy."
http://www.irna.ir/...
Seeing how strongly Iran feels about compliance with IAEA standards, and global cooperation to promote and achieve the compliance with the highest standards of the IAEA.
Folks, I am not making this up. This is reported in today major Iranian Newspaper. But, I am also an editor of Hydrant, Daily Kos's center for satire, and Onion-like humor, and I'm at a loss for what I could write that could match this in poignancy.
Vienna, June 8, IRNA -- Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh criticized the UN nuclear watchdog for inaccuracy of reporting on Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Soltanieh further noted that observance of safety standards is necessary.
He said that both the IAEA and Japan were committed to regularly inform the member states of the dimensions of the disaster in Fukushima and that the director general of the agency was expected to obtain the news from Japan and reflect them to the member states after examining their authenticity.
He deplored that not only the IAEA failed to fulfill its obligation, the Japanese technical staff refused to answer the questions at the technical justification sessions at the agency's secretariat.
Soltanieh said that all the countries were entitled to obtain reliable information on radioactive contamination.
He said that neither the agency nor Japan did fulfill their commitment to the conventions of agency.
'If the disaster happened in another country, would the agency act like this?' Soltanieh asked.
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