Japan seeks to allay radiation fears

SINGAPORE: Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Sunday said “there is no risk to human health” from radioactive rain in the vicinity of the quake-and-tsunami-hit civil nuclear plant in Fukushima. Mr. Kan gave the assurance amid official hints that the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, already devastated by the March 11 temblor and tsunami might indeed be demolished altogether.

The appeal from Mr. Kan's office to the people in the affected areas, a copy of which was received by The Hindu from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, reads as follows: “There is no risk to human health, even if it rains. Please rest assured.

Higher-than-normal levels of radiation could be detected in rain, but it would contain only a small amount of radioactive substances which do not affect health at all.

The levels wouldn't go beyond the average of natural radiation dose.”

Suggesting that the people could take some precautionary measures at the time of such rainfall, Mr. Kan told them: “Even if you don't take these measures, it doesn't impose any threat on your health.”

In line with such assurances, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano hinted, at a press conference in Tokyo, that the Fukushima Daiichi atomic energy plant might be demolished because it was not clear whether the devastated reactors could be reactivated in course of time. However, there could be no definitive statement on this issue at this stage.

On another front, officials also sought to allay concerns over the risk of heightened radiation in the event of steps being taken to ease the pressure inside the containment facility of the worst-affected reactor. Plans were afoot to release “gases” from it into the atmosphere.

Air release

An official of the Tokyo Electric Power Company said, in televised remarks, that “the current situation does not necessitate an immediate air release. So we will not do so right away.” Earlier, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency had suggested the possibility of risking the release of some radioactive substances into the atmosphere in a bid to prevent a greater catastrophe at the containment facility.

Amid these developments, efforts to cool the stricken reactors by spraying on them huge quantities of water by whatever means continued, and officials claimed a drop in the overall radiation levels around the multi-reactor complex.

Earlier, Japanese spokesman Hidenobu Sobashima had told The Hindu from Tokyo that no radiation-related fatalities had occurred as of then.

On the food-radiation scare in Japan, the International Atomic Energy Agency, clarifying its earlier statement, said the Japanese authorities had only “requested an investigation into the possible stop of sales of food products from the Fukushima Prefecture.” The IAEA earlier said Japan had stopped such sales.

source:http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/21/stories/2011032157831400.htm

Japan races to avert nuclear meltdowns

Facing an unprecedented nuclear crisis, Japan on Sunday struggled hard to avert multiple meltdowns at two of its reactors damaged by the devastating earthquake and tsunami as it braced itself for a fresh explosion at the Fukushima plant amid fears that the toll may exceed 10,000 in the ravaged northeastern coast.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said excessive levels of radiation at the Onagawa nuclear power plant led authorities to report a state of emergency there.

“Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that the first or lowest state of emergency at the plant has been reported by the Tohoku Electric Power Company,” the agency said.

It insisted, however, that, according to the authorities, the three reactor units at the plant “are under control.”

At the Tokai No 2 nuclear power plant, 120 km from Tokyo, a cooling pump failed but an additional pump was working and cooling the reactor, a plant spokesman said late in the night.

In southwestern Japan, the 1,421-metre Shinmoedake volcano erupted ringing alarm bells as ash and rocks shot up into the sky but it was not immediately clear if it was a fallout of the massive earthquake.

In a televised statement, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Japan was experiencing its biggest crisis since World War II as it tackled the aftermath of the massive earthquake, the ferocious tsunami and the worrying nuclear crisis.

Meanwhile, thousands of military personnel and civilians joined hands in a massive search and rescue operation.

The Kyodo news agency said 1.80 lakh people were evacuated from a 20-km radius of the Fukushima nuclear plant. Already over 3.5 lakh people have already moved out of the region.

More than 2.15 lakh people are said to be living in 1,350 temporary shelters in five prefectures in quake-hit areas.

International disaster relief teams are being sent to Japan, with the U.N. helping to coordinate the operation.

The Japan government said it expected a “considerable” economic impact from the disaster.

Economists say it is still too early to assess the full cost of the destruction.

Leading risk analysis firm AIR Worldwide said the quake alone would exact an economic toll estimated at between $14.5 billion and $34.6 billion, without taking into account the effects of the tsunami.

The Bank of Japan plans to pump “massive” funds into markets on Monday in a bid to help them stabilise following the linked disasters, Dow Jones Newswires said.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index is expected to tumble, with the index possibly breaking the psychologically important 10,000 level.

The quake and the tsunami have damaged or closed down key ports, although airports such as Tokyo's Narita have since reopened. Rail lines and roads have been crippled along parts of the northeast.

Many top Japanese firms have said they are suspending operations.

Millions are already without electricity, and Mr. Naoto said he had authorised a nationwide programme of planned power cuts to prevent any sudden major supply disruption. He appealed for public understanding.

source:http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/14/stories/2011031458920100.htm