Japan: Extinction By Suicide
Channel: rumorecurioso
Date: 05/01/2014

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/  

WORKERS GIVEN OK FOR OVERNIGHT STAY IN FUKUSHIMA

Japan's central government has decided that under certain conditions workers will be allowed to stay overnight in some of Fukushima's off-limit areas.

 The purpose is to speed up the decontamination process nearly three years since the March 2011 nuclear accident.

 The decision applies to areas where residents are currently permitted visit their homes only during the daytime.

 The conditions attached to over-night stays stipulate that workers be involved in projects deemed especially indispensable for restoration and revival, and that radiation levels are 20 milli-sieverts or less per year.

 Businesses and local governments had requested that workers to be allowed to stay in affected areas because of road congestion caused by decontamination projects and the rebuilding of infrastructure.

 The central government notified local authorities of the decision. It says that allowing workers to stay overnight is an exceptional measure.

 Municipalities will confirm which projects fulfill the conditions and must then file requests with the central government's nuclear taskforce. A request from Iidate Village has already been approved.

 Businesses involved will be in charge of monitoring the radiation exposure levels of their workers who stay in such areas.

 Makoto Akashi is the Director of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences. He points out that stricter monitoring of radiation exposure levels will be needed for each worker, including their off-work hours.

Dec. 29, 2013 - Updated 16:55 UTC

GOVT. TO SEEK LOCAL CONSENT FOR STORAGE FACILITIES
 
Japanese government officials are getting ready to explain to people in Fukushima the details of a plan to store radioactive waste collected from decontamination work.

 The intermediate storage facilities would be designed to hold contaminated soil and debris for up to 30 years.
 Last month, the central government asked three towns around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to host them.

 Officials plan to spend two months telling local people about the safety of the facilities. They will also explain how they plan to compensate for land or buildings they need to expropriate.

 They're aiming to win approval for the plan as soon as possible so they can start using the facilities in January 2015.

 But some locals say they don't want to give up land their families have owned for generations. Others say they're afraid the existence of the facilities would hamper rebuilding efforts.

Jan. 1, 2014 - Updated 08:14 UTC

TEPCO'S 10-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN PRESENTED
 
Japan's state-backed fund for nuclear crisis compensation has broadly approved a 10-year business plan by Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

 The Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund held a meeting of its steering committee on Wednesday to discuss the plan.

 The plan outlines the restarting next year of 2 of the 7 idle reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture on the Japan Sea Coast. The 2 reactors are now undergoing safety screenings by the government.

 TEPCO plans to restart 2 more reactors at the same plant in 2015.

 But it says the remaining 3 reactors will not start until 2016, or even possibly until 2023, as preparations are needed to meet new government safety standards.

 The utility says it aims to reduce fuel costs for thermal plants by resuming the idle reactors and making profits between one and 2 billion dollars per year.

 If the profits are realized the utility plans to gradually reduce electricity charges by up to about 10 billion dollars annually over the next 10 years.

 The plan also includes an increase in the government funding for interest-free loans to the utility to pay for compensation and decontamination work from the nuclear accident in March 2011.

 The utility and the fund will apply to the government for approval of the plan on Friday.

Dec. 25, 2013 - Updated 17:11 UTC