Tuesday 30 August 2011
Monday 29 August 2011
Radiation-induced mutation breeding of plants was precursor to modern-day GMOs
Radiation-induced mutation breeding of plants was precursor to modern-day GMOs
(NaturalNews) The motives of feeding the world and ending hunger are expressed to keep critics at bay. Although some real issues are occasionally addressed successfully, scientists are prone to meddle with nature without investigating potential hazards.
And there are those, including this author, who say the short sighted technocrats who gleefully meddle with nature are serving a larger vision of depopulation.
The Atomic Energy Plant Mutation Breeding
Not many know about the precursor to today's GMO madness. Shortly after WW II, a movement for peaceful applications of atomic energy, "atoms for peace," began.
Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/033441_GMOs_mutations.html#ixzz1WPRDlSjz
And there are those, including this author, who say the short sighted technocrats who gleefully meddle with nature are serving a larger vision of depopulation.
The Atomic Energy Plant Mutation Breeding
Not many know about the precursor to today's GMO madness. Shortly after WW II, a movement for peaceful applications of atomic energy, "atoms for peace," began.
Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/033441_GMOs_mutations.html#ixzz1WPRDlSjz
Cesium in incinerator dust across east Japan | The Japan Times Online
Cesium in incinerator dust across east Japan | The Japan Times Online
High levels of cesium isotopes are cropping up in dust at 42 incineration plants in seven prefectures, including Chiba and Iwate, an Environment Ministry survey of the Kanto and Tohoku regions shows
Sunday 28 August 2011
Kan wants Fukushima nuke waste storage site | The Japan Times Online
Kan wants Fukushima nuke waste storage site | The Japan Times Online
Kyodo
FUKUSHIMA — Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Saturday asked Fukushima Prefecture to host a temporary facility to store soil and debris contaminated with radioactive materials from the crippled nuclear plant.
Thursday 25 August 2011
Fukushima caesium leaks 'equal 168 Hiroshimas'
Fukushima caesium leaks 'equal 168 Hiroshimas'
TOKYO — Japan's government estimates the amount of radioactive caesium-137 released by the Fukushima nuclear disaster so far is equal to that of 168 Hiroshima bombs, a news report said Thursday.
Government nuclear experts, however, said the World War II bomb blast and the accidental reactor meltdowns at Fukushima, which has seen ongoing radiation leaks but no deaths so far, were beyond comparison.
The amount of caesium-137 released since the three reactors were crippled by the March 11 quake and tsunami has been estimated at 15,000 tera becquerels, the Tokyo Shimbun reported, quoting a government calculation.
Fukushima fallout said 30 times Hiroshima's | The Japan Times Online
Fukushima fallout said 30 times Hiroshima's | The Japan Times Online
Video footage of Tatsuhiko Kodama's impassioned speech before a Diet committee in July went viral online recently, showing the medical expert's shocking revelation that the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant spewed some 30 times more radioactive materials than the fallout from the Hiroshima atomic bombing.
 |
| Tatsuhiko Kodama |
Officials to inspect agricultural products without advance notice | The Japan Times Online
Officials to inspect agricultural products without advance notice | The Japan Times Online
The farm ministry will conduct spot inspections for radioactivity on produce from 14 prefectures in northeastern and eastern Japan, as no checks had been conducted in about 100 of 600 municipalities in those prefectures by late July, ministry officials said.
Vegetables, rice, meat and tea produced in the prefectures are subject to inspections amid the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant disaster.
Produce found to contain radioactive materials exceeding the state-set limit will face a government-imposed shipment ban. Such checks are usually done by municipalities, but they are under no legal obligation to perform them.
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Evacuate FUKUSHIMA - 福島の子供を守れ
To View Video CLICK HERE
Part 1 - The whole international press have blackout the worst catastrophe in modern history. So this is a humble reminder of what really is going on in Fukushima and beyond today ! There is a crime against humanity happening right under our nose and all we can hear is a deafening silence. Please spread this video as much as you can ... in the name of humanity ! Thanks !
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND FORWARD TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. It will take a second ... a second the children of Fukushima do not have ------> ipetitions.com/petition/evacuate_fukushima/
Part 1 - The whole international press have blackout the worst catastrophe in modern history. So this is a humble reminder of what really is going on in Fukushima and beyond today ! There is a crime against humanity happening right under our nose and all we can hear is a deafening silence. Please spread this video as much as you can ... in the name of humanity ! Thanks !
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND FORWARD TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. It will take a second ... a second the children of Fukushima do not have ------> ipetitions.com/petition/evacuate_fukushima/
Monday 22 August 2011
Sunday 21 August 2011
Cesium detected in a Miyagi boar
Cesium detected in a Miyagi boar
Kyodo
SENDAI — Radioactive cesium more than four times the safety limit has been detected in the meat of a wild boar killed in Kakuda, Miyagi Prefecture, officials said.
It is the first time radioactive contamination exceeding the limit has been found in a wild animal or bird in the prefecture, the officials said Friday.
They said they will ask residents not to eat meat from wild animals or birds.
The meat of the boar, which local hunters caught in the mountains in Kakuda on Aug. 7 as part of a city extermination request, was found to have 2,200 becquerels of cesium per kilogram. The provisional safety limit is 500 becquerels per kg.
Hot spots mapped
KYODO
The science ministry has published a map on cumulative radiation estimates and hot spots five months since start of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
In giving estimates for 50 locations in the no-entry zone for the first time, the ministry said Friday a spot in the town of Okuma, 3 km southwest of the plant, had an estimated accumulative radiation of 278 millisieverts.
The annual radiation exposure limit for humans is 1 millisievert.
The government has urged people living in areas around the plant, where annual exposure is likely to exceed 20 millisieverts, to evacuate.
Saturday 20 August 2011
Reducing Radiation Exposure with Natural Remedies.
Reducing Radiation Exposure with Natural Remedies...
1. Nascent Atomic Iodine
Radiation has a direct effect on the thyroid gland, prohibiting its ability to create iodine, an imperative player in healthy DNA integrity, immune function, metabolic and endocrine balance, as well as cardiovascular health. Supplementing with nascent atomic iodine helps counteract the effects of radioactive Iodine. It is one of the single most bio-available forms of iodine, and may be effective in aiding individuals exposed to radiation by lowering accumulated and stored radioactive toxins in the thyroid. Detoxadine® is Global Healing Center’s brand of standardized nano-colloidal nascent atomic iodine manufactured with a unique transformative bio-elemental matrix using a revolutionary process. This means that it will be gentler on your digestive system than other iodine supplements.
2. Potassium Orotate
In addition to radioactive iodine, the body may also be exposed to a radioactive isotope of caesium known as Cesium-137. This is formed as bi-product of nuclear fission. Potassium orotates can prevent the accumulation of Cesium-137. In fact, getting enough potassium from food such as bananas is a good first step at preventing radioactive cesium 137 retention. That said, potassium in the diet may not be enough. According to the CDC, potassium can play a major role in protecting the body and thyroid gland after an internal contamination, as in the example of the Japanese nuclear reactor explosion. Potassium Orotate is the best form of potassium to use for radiation exposure.
3. Calcium and Magnesium
Each of these essential minerals can decontaminate a form of nuclear waste known as Strontium 90. Dr. Linus Pauling recommends calcium supplementation, as it can lower Strontium absorption by up to 90 percent. I recommend using calcium and magnesium orotate found in the product IntraCal.
4. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
Dimethylsulfoxide is an antioxidant sulphur compound. Studies show that DMSO actively detoxifies and protects the body from the effects of harmful radiation. One study from Japan found that even small amounts of DMSO offered radio-protective benefits on human DNA and overall cellular structures. It also neutralizes exposure from radio-isotopes. Studies show that the X-irradiation that can damage the body’s Kupffer and serous cells can be prevented with the use of DMSO.. Animal studies also show that rats exposed to x-ray radiation could be protected from the negative effects of the exposure via the intake of DMSO. This chemical could at least partially protect the rats by halting the typical toxicant reactions associated with radiation. Another study from the School of Medicine at the Yokohama City University in Japan found that DMSO offered protective effects for cell destruction, as well as DNA aberrations, in mice exposed to radioactive substances.
5. Zeolites
Nuclear waste is typically “cleaned” or “stored” in the environment by mixing it with Zeolite clay and packing it underground. Zeolites can attach themselves to and remove nuclear waste from the cellular level. In fact, one European study found that Zeolite clay was an effective decontaminate for animals affected by the nuclear waste disaster in Chemobyl. Zeolite clay can also be taken internally for detoxing radiation. Perhaps the best evidence proving that Zeolite helps detoxification of radiation was its widespread usage in the nuclear meltdowns at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and the British Nuclear Fuels (BNF), where it was used to absorb radioactive strontium and cesium – 137 from walls and floors. Similarly, the United States’ nuclear weapons facilities use Zeolite clay to line walls and floors to prevent toxicity.
6. Other clays
There are many types of clays that bond to nuclear waste from the body. Others include Kaolin, Red Clay, Bentonite, Fuller’s Earth, Montmorillonite. French Green Clay is another absorptive clay shown to possess the ability to rid radiation, toxic metals and chemical residues from the human body. This should come as no surprise, as clay has often been used by engineers, and by the environment itself, to remove toxins from the body or ground. Again, it was also used at Chernobyl in 1986. In fact, the former Soviet government added this type of clay to chocolate bars that were then given to citizens to help them remove radioactive waste from the system.
7. Activated Charcoal
Another wonderful substance heralded for its absorption properties. Studies show that charcoal possesses the unique ability to neutralize radiation, and that 10 grams of charcoal can neutralize up to 7 grams of toxic material.
8. Papain
Papain is a cysteine hydrolase extracted from papaya fruit known for its ability to reduce toxicants. In one laboratory study on rats, it was found that half of rats supplementing with papain could survive a lethal amount of radiation, whereas control rats did not survive.
9. Bee Pollen
Initial evidence suggests that bee pollen may significantly lower the negative side effects of radiation exposure, in particular that of radium, x-rays and cobalt-60 radiotherapy. Because exposure to radiation lowers many of your body’s natural vital substances like white and red blood cells and antibodies, bee pollen is a natural way of boosting these vital functions.
10. Beets
Upon radiation exposure, the body’s blood haemoglobin can be broken down. Studies show that beets can help aid the body in rebuilding this damaged haemoglobin. In fact, animal lab studies have shown that rats eating a diet heavy in beet pulp were able to more effectively reduce the effects of radioactive cesium-137 than rats who did not eat beets. In fact, the beet-eating rats absorbed and detoxified up to 100 percent more effectively than the control group animals.
11. Cold-pressed Organic Vegetable Oils
Oils such as sesame oil, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil also help pull radiation out. Sources recommend drinking 4 ounces of oil if you have been exposed. Not only do the lipids in the oils bind the toxins, they also offer a protective layer on cellular membranes. Studies done on mice exposed to lethal doses of x-rays have found that the mice can survive if they are given oil. Another study on mice found that olive oil could protect the mice against high doses of x-rays ranging from 300 to 2,400 roentgens.
12. Organic Brewers Yeast
Sources recommend using organic Brewers use for prevention against radiation exposure. In terms dosage, 5 mg. to 15 mg. should be given to children, and 25 mg. to 50 mg. can be given to adults. For cases of direct exposure, these amounts can be doubled, or tripled. Brewer’s yeast may aid the body in both repair after exposure, as well as protection.
13. Organic Germanium-132
An oxygen-rich, free-radical scavenging organic compound. When we are exposed to radiation, the rays from this exposure release harmful electrons the kill blood cells (haemoglobin). Organic geranium has been shown to snatch up these radioactive rays, allowing them to move freely inside the nuclear structure of the Germanium, instead of entering the human cells and bloodstream. This is related to geranium’s ability to protect the amino acid cysteine, in the human body. Other studies showed promising results involving the use of germanium-132 and a strong reduction in cell death in those cells exposed to cesium-137 and gamma rays. Currently, the Japanese are recommending 100 mg. per day.
CLICK HERE FOR SOURCE
1. Nascent Atomic Iodine
Radiation has a direct effect on the thyroid gland, prohibiting its ability to create iodine, an imperative player in healthy DNA integrity, immune function, metabolic and endocrine balance, as well as cardiovascular health. Supplementing with nascent atomic iodine helps counteract the effects of radioactive Iodine. It is one of the single most bio-available forms of iodine, and may be effective in aiding individuals exposed to radiation by lowering accumulated and stored radioactive toxins in the thyroid. Detoxadine® is Global Healing Center’s brand of standardized nano-colloidal nascent atomic iodine manufactured with a unique transformative bio-elemental matrix using a revolutionary process. This means that it will be gentler on your digestive system than other iodine supplements.
2. Potassium Orotate
In addition to radioactive iodine, the body may also be exposed to a radioactive isotope of caesium known as Cesium-137. This is formed as bi-product of nuclear fission. Potassium orotates can prevent the accumulation of Cesium-137. In fact, getting enough potassium from food such as bananas is a good first step at preventing radioactive cesium 137 retention. That said, potassium in the diet may not be enough. According to the CDC, potassium can play a major role in protecting the body and thyroid gland after an internal contamination, as in the example of the Japanese nuclear reactor explosion. Potassium Orotate is the best form of potassium to use for radiation exposure.
3. Calcium and Magnesium
Each of these essential minerals can decontaminate a form of nuclear waste known as Strontium 90. Dr. Linus Pauling recommends calcium supplementation, as it can lower Strontium absorption by up to 90 percent. I recommend using calcium and magnesium orotate found in the product IntraCal.
4. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
Dimethylsulfoxide is an antioxidant sulphur compound. Studies show that DMSO actively detoxifies and protects the body from the effects of harmful radiation. One study from Japan found that even small amounts of DMSO offered radio-protective benefits on human DNA and overall cellular structures. It also neutralizes exposure from radio-isotopes. Studies show that the X-irradiation that can damage the body’s Kupffer and serous cells can be prevented with the use of DMSO.. Animal studies also show that rats exposed to x-ray radiation could be protected from the negative effects of the exposure via the intake of DMSO. This chemical could at least partially protect the rats by halting the typical toxicant reactions associated with radiation. Another study from the School of Medicine at the Yokohama City University in Japan found that DMSO offered protective effects for cell destruction, as well as DNA aberrations, in mice exposed to radioactive substances.
5. Zeolites
Nuclear waste is typically “cleaned” or “stored” in the environment by mixing it with Zeolite clay and packing it underground. Zeolites can attach themselves to and remove nuclear waste from the cellular level. In fact, one European study found that Zeolite clay was an effective decontaminate for animals affected by the nuclear waste disaster in Chemobyl. Zeolite clay can also be taken internally for detoxing radiation. Perhaps the best evidence proving that Zeolite helps detoxification of radiation was its widespread usage in the nuclear meltdowns at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and the British Nuclear Fuels (BNF), where it was used to absorb radioactive strontium and cesium – 137 from walls and floors. Similarly, the United States’ nuclear weapons facilities use Zeolite clay to line walls and floors to prevent toxicity.
6. Other clays
There are many types of clays that bond to nuclear waste from the body. Others include Kaolin, Red Clay, Bentonite, Fuller’s Earth, Montmorillonite. French Green Clay is another absorptive clay shown to possess the ability to rid radiation, toxic metals and chemical residues from the human body. This should come as no surprise, as clay has often been used by engineers, and by the environment itself, to remove toxins from the body or ground. Again, it was also used at Chernobyl in 1986. In fact, the former Soviet government added this type of clay to chocolate bars that were then given to citizens to help them remove radioactive waste from the system.
7. Activated Charcoal
Another wonderful substance heralded for its absorption properties. Studies show that charcoal possesses the unique ability to neutralize radiation, and that 10 grams of charcoal can neutralize up to 7 grams of toxic material.
8. Papain
Papain is a cysteine hydrolase extracted from papaya fruit known for its ability to reduce toxicants. In one laboratory study on rats, it was found that half of rats supplementing with papain could survive a lethal amount of radiation, whereas control rats did not survive.
9. Bee Pollen
Initial evidence suggests that bee pollen may significantly lower the negative side effects of radiation exposure, in particular that of radium, x-rays and cobalt-60 radiotherapy. Because exposure to radiation lowers many of your body’s natural vital substances like white and red blood cells and antibodies, bee pollen is a natural way of boosting these vital functions.
10. Beets
Upon radiation exposure, the body’s blood haemoglobin can be broken down. Studies show that beets can help aid the body in rebuilding this damaged haemoglobin. In fact, animal lab studies have shown that rats eating a diet heavy in beet pulp were able to more effectively reduce the effects of radioactive cesium-137 than rats who did not eat beets. In fact, the beet-eating rats absorbed and detoxified up to 100 percent more effectively than the control group animals.
11. Cold-pressed Organic Vegetable Oils
Oils such as sesame oil, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil also help pull radiation out. Sources recommend drinking 4 ounces of oil if you have been exposed. Not only do the lipids in the oils bind the toxins, they also offer a protective layer on cellular membranes. Studies done on mice exposed to lethal doses of x-rays have found that the mice can survive if they are given oil. Another study on mice found that olive oil could protect the mice against high doses of x-rays ranging from 300 to 2,400 roentgens.
12. Organic Brewers Yeast
Sources recommend using organic Brewers use for prevention against radiation exposure. In terms dosage, 5 mg. to 15 mg. should be given to children, and 25 mg. to 50 mg. can be given to adults. For cases of direct exposure, these amounts can be doubled, or tripled. Brewer’s yeast may aid the body in both repair after exposure, as well as protection.
13. Organic Germanium-132
An oxygen-rich, free-radical scavenging organic compound. When we are exposed to radiation, the rays from this exposure release harmful electrons the kill blood cells (haemoglobin). Organic geranium has been shown to snatch up these radioactive rays, allowing them to move freely inside the nuclear structure of the Germanium, instead of entering the human cells and bloodstream. This is related to geranium’s ability to protect the amino acid cysteine, in the human body. Other studies showed promising results involving the use of germanium-132 and a strong reduction in cell death in those cells exposed to cesium-137 and gamma rays. Currently, the Japanese are recommending 100 mg. per day.
CLICK HERE FOR SOURCE
Friday 19 August 2011
Water decontamination a 'major challenge' in nuclear crisis: Hosono
Friday, Aug. 19, 2011
Water decontamination a 'major challenge' in nuclear crisis: Hosono
Kyodo
Goshi Hosono, the minister in charge of the nuclear crisis, said improving the ability of water decontamination facilities at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant is a "major challenge" toward achieving cold shutdown of the crippled reactors.
He made the remarks at a news conference Wednesday to announce the latest version of the road map for containing the crisis, which left unchanged the broad time frame to stabilize the reactors by January at the latest.
Hosono also highlighted the need for "planned training and deployment" of experts on radiation dose management.
Wednesday 17 August 2011
Tuesday 16 August 2011
Unpopular cargo: Radioactive waste shipload coming
Unpopular cargo: Radioactive waste shipload coming
Delivery set to raise serious questions over long-term storage
Bloomberg
Japan will soon receive its first shipment of highly radioactive waste amid the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant triple-meltdown crisis that started in March, and at a time when the storage of such dangerous substances is increasingly problematic.
 |
| Hot potato: The Pacific Grebe, which set sail from the U.K. on Aug. 3, is Japan-bound with 38 metric tons of highly radioactive waste.INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR SERVICES LTD. / BLOOMBERG |
The freighter Pacific Grebe set sail from Britain on Aug. 3 with more than 30 tons of radioactive waste on board. The cargo, Japanese spent fuel reprocessed in the U.K., is returning sealed in 76 stainless steel canisters packed into 130-ton containers. It is set to arrive early next month at Mutsu-Ogawara port in Aomori Prefecture for delivery to Japan Nuclear Fuel's nearby Rokkasho storage site.
About 400 km south of the port, thousands of workers are struggling to contain radiation leaks, amounting to some 300 tons of atomic waste, from Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s crippled plant.
NGO offers wisdom from Chernobyl
NGO offers wisdom from Chernobyl
Kyodo
NAGASAKI — A Russian nongovernmental organization supporting children affected by the Chernobyl disaster is offering to create safer environments for Japanese youths caught up in the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
Anton Vdovichenko, a leading member of Radimichi: For the Children of Chernobyl, said in a recent interview in Japan that he wants to say to those trapped by the crisis at the radiation-leaking nuclear plant they are "not alone."
Vdovichenko, 34, said he grew up in the town of Novozybkov, an area that was designated a contamination zone even though it is about 180 km northeast of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant.
people in Fukushima, who are likely to encounter similar problems in several years.He said the group his father Pavel set up a year after the 1986 accident to support young people in the disaster-hit areas has expertise that can help the
Monday 15 August 2011
NGOs, academics call for abolition of nuclear plants
Antinuclear nongovernmental organizations and academics called for the complete abolition of nuclear power plants in Japan on Monday, the 66th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Drawing parallels between the nation's nuclear policy and the Imperial Japanese Army — both of which caused unwarranted grief to the public — University of Tokyo professor Tetsuya Takahashi urged the government to revise the nation's energy infrastructure.
Drawing parallels between the nation's nuclear policy and the Imperial Japanese Army — both of which caused unwarranted grief to the public — University of Tokyo professor Tetsuya Takahashi urged the government to revise the nation's energy infrastructure.
"Having a group of people profit from the sacrifice of the public is wrong," Takahashi said, stressing that the people in Fukushima have had their lives torn asunder since March 11.
During a gathering at the Japan Education Center in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, the expert on the contentious Yasukuni Shrine issue and Fukushima native accused the government of employing the same tactics to deceive people into supporting pronuclear policies as it did during the war to marshal support.
Some Cabinet members, he noted, heap praise on those working to cool the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, much in "the spirit of Yasukuni Shrine," built by the government to honor the war dead including Japanese soldiers.
"One's life, health, fortune, honor, hope . . . those rights should not be sacrificed" as they are today in Fukushima to benefit a small group of people, Takahashi said.
"Japan must seek a path that will not require such acts by the public," he added.
Yoshinobu Koizumi, of the Tokyo-based People's Research Institute on Energy and Environment, also pointed out that Japan's nuclear energy policy was imposed undemocratically on the people.
By JUN HONGO
Staff writer
Sunday 14 August 2011
Fukushima update: Radiation danger continues
(Natural News) Five months ago today, the nuclear crisis began in Fukushima, and the government began lying about the threat and the dangers to its people. Now they are beginning to build a gigantic tent over reactor number one. We do not have any information from Japan about people dying but the plants are dying in the middle of central Tokyo and it could be because of the increase in radiation. One irony of the radioactive fallout from Fukushima is that people in Japan are starting to pay more attention to nature.
The picture above was taken on the side walk of Hakusan Dori in Bunkyo-ku in Tokyo, and was uploaded on July 30. The air radiation in Bunkyo-ku has been higher than the official Tokyo number (measured in Shinjuku-ku, western central Tokyo), along with several other eastern "ku" (special wards of Tokyo).The person who took the picture says, "About 30% of azaleas on the sidewalk are completely dead. Ginkgo leaves are browning."
CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE
The picture above was taken on the side walk of Hakusan Dori in Bunkyo-ku in Tokyo, and was uploaded on July 30. The air radiation in Bunkyo-ku has been higher than the official Tokyo number (measured in Shinjuku-ku, western central Tokyo), along with several other eastern "ku" (special wards of Tokyo).The person who took the picture says, "About 30% of azaleas on the sidewalk are completely dead. Ginkgo leaves are browning."
CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE
Saturday 13 August 2011
Sasebo nuclear waste disposal urged
Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011
Sasebo nuclear waste disposal urged
KYODO
Norio Tomonaga, mayor of Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, urged the central government Friday to swiftly dispose of low-level radioactive waste gathered during the U.S. forces' disaster relief operations and stored at the local U.S. Navy base.
Separately the same day, Okinawa also urged the Foreign Ministry on Thursday to swiftly disclose information on the radioactive materials similarly stored at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, local officials said.
"Okinawa residents are concerned. We need enough information on it," said Susumu Matayoshi, chief of the Okinawa governor's public liaison office.
The low-level radioactive waste includes cleaning cloth and other items used by the navy when decontaminating aircraft deployed to the quake and tsunami-devastated areas of the northeast during Operation Tomodachi, officials in Sasebo said.
The nuclear waste poses no harm since the radiation only amounts to 3.2 microsieverts, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Friday 12 August 2011
Half of rice harvest to be tested for cesium
Half of rice harvest to be tested for cesium
By KANOKO MATSUYAMA
Bloomberg
The rice harvest is traditionally a time of festivities celebrated even by the Emperor, as farmers reap the rewards of four months of labor in a 2,000-year-old tradition. But not this year, with radiation seeping into the soil.
Farmers growing half of the nation's rice crop are awaiting the results of tests to see if their produce has been contaminated by radiation from Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s wrecked Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. Rice, used in almost all meals and the key ingredient in sake, is being tested before the harvest starts this month. Radiation exceeding safety levels has so far been found in produce including spinach, tea and beef.
Shigehide Oki, a 61-year-old farmer near Tokyo, this week passed the first hurdle after a preliminary round of tests showed no trace elements of radioactive cesium, the main source of concern. Losing his crop of about 80 tons of rice would "destroy" him, he said.
"I'm very relieved and I'm telling customers that I can be 90 percent certain my rice is safe," said Oki, who's been farming rice for 40 years in Katori, Chiba Prefecture, about 190 km south of the nuclear station. "But I'm also saying it's not the end yet because we still have to pass the main part of the survey after the harvest."
The government is asking 17 prefectures in eastern Japan to test farmland for radiation, an area accounting for 54 percent of domestic rice production. If initial surveys show a certain level of radiation, wider tests will be carried out, the government said.
Chiba rice free of radioactivity
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011
Chiba rice free of radioactivity
Kyodo
CHIBA — No radioactive substance has been detected in sampling tests on rice before harvesting in Tako, northeastern Chiba, the prefectural government said.
The result announced Tuesday is the first for radiation tests for rice under a guideline set by the central government, Chiba officials said.
Prefectures mainly in eastern Japan are conducting radiation tests on rice to check if rice planted this spring is contaminated with radiation from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
Until rice after harvesting clears tests in late August, the prefecture will voluntarily refrain from shipping rice from Tako, an official said.
Wednesday 10 August 2011
Contamination (including human exposure)
US Navy personnel have been storing low-level radioactive material, including cloths used to decontaminate aircraft used in Fukushima relief efforts, at the Sasebo Naval Base in Nagasaki Prefecture. Sasebo city officials were unaware of the materials and will ask the central government to dispose of it. Monitoring stations near the base have shown no raised levels of radiation.
Yahoo Japan has published an online map, updated every five minutes, showing radiation levels in 11 areas of Japan. The data is uploaded by researchers from Keio University, and the number of monitoring stations is expected to increase in the future.
As a result of issues surrounding caesium-contaminated beef, Japan will no longer vouch for the safety of Japanese foods, according to a statement by Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto.
Frustrated that the central government is not acting fast enough, the town of Minani-Soma in Fukushima Prefecture will begin decontamination of the city in August and September, except for areas in the no-entry zone. Government officials will work with scientists from the University of Tokyo to map areas of decontamination and treat them. Volunteers and workers from non-profit organizations will assist with treating private homes. The city government has set aside 960 million yen for initial cleanup costs, and has yet to decide if they will hold TEPCO and the central government responsible for the costs.
Fukushima fish radiation excessive, Greenpeace says
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011
Fukushima fish radiation excessive, Greenpeace says
By JUN HONGO
Staff writer
Radiology and marine experts from Greenpeace said Tuesday that four out of eight samples of various fish obtained last month at five ports in Fukushima Prefecture exceeded the government-set limit of 500 becquerels per kilogram of radiation.
Although fishery cooperatives in Fukushima have halted coastal commercial operations since March 11 and catches from the area are not being sold to retailers, the environmental group urged the government to conduct detailed checks on fish caught off the Fukushima coast to prevent their accidental sale.
A sample of "kuromebaru" rockfish hit 1,053 becquerels per kg, the group said.
"These were eight samples that were donated to Greenpeace, eight randomly taken samples" that were provided by local and amateur fishermen, Jan van de Putte, radiology safety expert of the NGO, said at a news conference in Tokyo.
But Van de Putte stressed that even the least contaminated fish showed traces of radiation.
Greenpeace said the government must work quickly to ensure the safety of consumers, including measures to trace the origin of such products.
Tuesday 9 August 2011
Last year's rice being hoarded over radiation contamination worries
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Consumers are beginning to hoard last year's rice as their dietary staple over concerns that freshly harvested rice may be contaminated with radioactive materials released from the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, retailers said Friday.
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry is working to establish a system for ensuring the safety of rice ahead of the harvest season in autumn, with plans to inspect the crop in two stages.
The buying spree, however, indicates deep public distrust of the government's handling of food safety issues in the wake of the nuclear crisis following a scare over contaminated beef.
A rice seller in Tokyo's Nerima Ward said regular customers began asking it to keep rice on stock just around the time the ministry disclosed its rice inspection plans on Wednesday.
A supermarket in Koto Ward, also Tokyo, said rice is selling at twice the normal pace at the outlet, while various rice brands were mostly sold out at a nearby shopping center.
"It's like a rice panic," said a store clerk at a supermarket in Chuo Ward, noting that given the strong demand for old rice, wholesalers are hesitant about quickly releasing their stock.
According to Kitoku Shinryo Co., a major rice wholesaler based in Tokyo, rice from the previous year does not sell much around this time of year ahead of the arrival on the market of freshly harvested rice. Retailers therefore tend to refrain from stocking it at their outlets, it said.
Noting that rice, which is mostly marketed after polishing, is not the kind of produce likely to show levels of contamination above the allowable limit, a Kitoku Shinryo official said, "The panic will probably subside once fresh rice starts to go around."
Some retailers are concerned, however, about how consumers would react if radioactive materials are found in rice even at levels below the limit.
"I know an acquaintance who has hoarded rice from last year," said a 53-year-old woman who was shopping at a mall in Tokyo's Koto Ward. "I would be lying if I said I'm not worried, because it's a staple."
Consumers are apparently motivated in part by their mistrust of the government for the way it has handled the contamination of cattle with radioactive cesium and the distribution of affected beef.
A 47-year-old designer in Chuo Ward said he believes that consumers must do what they can to protect themselves. "Contaminated beef got into the distribution chain. It would be too late if we were told afterwards that there were (excessive levels of radioactive materials in rice) after all."
(Mainichi Japan) August 5, 2011
Japan Witheld Nuclear Meltdown Simulation Showing 18,000 Deaths And 55 Mile Dead Zone
Japan Withheld A Nuclear Meltdown Simulation Showing 18,000 Deaths From Acute Radiation Poisoning And 55 Mile Uninhabitable Radius Do To Fears It Would Damage The Nuclear Industry
A report from The Asahi Shimbun reveals that Japanese officials withheld a critical nuclear meltdown simulation from the public.
The simulation showed that 18,000 people would die from acute radiation poisoning if they were not immediately evacuated and a 55 mile radius would be rendered permanently uninhabitable due to politicians fears that it would spark anti-nuclear power sentiments.
The 1984 simulation showed that the worse case scenario would be caused by a complete loss of power the nuclear reactor and breach of containment with radiation leaking into the atmosphere, which is what has occurred at the Fukushima nuclear plant, and could be caused by several events such as damage from a guided missile.
Monday 8 August 2011
Stop claiming food is safe, ministry told
Monday, Aug. 8, 2011
Stop claiming food is safe, ministry told
Kyodo
Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto has committed an about-face on policy by telling his ministry to refrain from vouching for the safety of Japanese food.
The ministry stance changed after radiation-tainted beef was found to have been sold to consumers nationwide, sources said.
The contaminated meat is coming from cattle that were fed rice straw contaminated with cesium isotopes ejected by the disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
To handle surging concerns abroad about the food supply, the Foreign Ministry told embassies and other diplomatic offices overseas to brief local authorities, importers and media organizations on measures the government is taking to prevent contaminated food from making it into public distribution channels.
The ministry has also asked its diplomatic offices to repeat its stance of disclosing safety information in a timely manner.
Sunday 7 August 2011
Cleanup plan in works for Fukushima
Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011
Prelude to return of evacuees
Cleanup plan in works for Fukushima
Kyodo
The government is thinking of setting a decontamination target of halving the areas in Fukushima Prefecture where radiation exposure exceeds 20 millisieverts a year by March 2013, sources said Saturday.
Fukushima teacher muzzled over radiation
By TAKAHIKO HYUGA
Bloomberg
As temperatures soared above 37 degrees on a recent July morning, schoolchildren in Fukushima Prefecture were taking off their masks and running around playgrounds in T-shirts, exposing themselves to a similar amount of annual radiation as a nuclear power plant worker.
Toshinori Shishido, a Japanese literature teacher of 25 years, warned his students two months ago to wear surgical masks and keep their skin covered with long-sleeved shirts. His advice went unheeded, not because of the weather but because his school told him not to alarm students. Shishido quit last week.
"I want to get away from this situation where I'm not even allowed to alert children about radiation exposure," said Shishido, 48, who taught at Fukushima Nishi High School. "Now I'm free to talk about the risks."
After the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated the Tohoku region, the central government evacuated as many as 470,000 residents, including 160,000 because of radiation risks from the wrecked Fukushima No. 1 power plant. More than 2 million people, including 271,000 children, remain in Fukushima, the third-biggest prefecture by size.
The government is closely monitoring radiation levels, said Yoshiaki Ishida, an official in the education ministry.
"We don't think we are at a stage to tell Fukushima people to evacuate at the moment," Ishida said.
Kiyoharu Furukawa, 57, assistant principal at Fukushima Nishi High, said the school told Shishido not to spend too much time talking about radiation during his classes because some students and parents had complained. He confirmed Shishido resigned.
Radiation can damage human cells and DNA, with prolonged exposure causing leukemia and other forms of cancer, according to the World Nuclear Association. Children are more susceptible as their cells grow at a faster rate.
"It's all invisible. The trees are still trees, people are shopping, the birds are singing and dogs are walking in the street," said Chris Busby, a visiting professor at the University of Ulster's school of biomedical sciences, who visited Fukushima recently to provide information on health risks. "When you bring out the (Geiger) machines, you can see everything is sparkling and everyone is being bitten by invisible snakes that will eventually kill them."
Friday 5 August 2011
Japan’s Fukushima catastrophe brings big radiation spikes to B.C.
After Japan’s Fukushima catastrophe, Canadian government officials reassured jittery Canadians that the radioactive plume billowing from the destroyed nuclear reactors posed zero health risks in this country.
In fact, there was reason to worry. Health Canada detected massive amounts of radioactive material from Fukushima in Canadian air in March and April at monitoring stations across the country.
The level of radioactive iodine spiked above the federal maximum allowed limit in the air at four of the five sites where Health Canada monitors levels of specific radioisotopes.
On March 18, seven days after an earthquake and tsunami triggered eventual nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, the first radioactive material wafted over the Victoria suburb of Sidney on Vancouver Island.
For 22 days, a Health Canada monitoring station in Sidney detected iodine-131 levels in the air that were 61 percent above the government’s allowable limit. In Resolute Bay, Nunavut, the levels were 3.5 times the limit.
Meanwhile, government officials claimed there was nothing to worry about. “The quantities of radioactive materials reaching Canada as a result of the Japanese nuclear incident are very small and do not pose any health risk to Canadians,” Health Canada says on its website. “The very slight increases in radiation across the country have been smaller than the normal day-to-day fluctuations from background radiation.”
In fact, Health Canada’s own data shows this isn’t true. The iodine-131 level in the air in Sidney peaked at 3.6 millibecquerels per cubic metre on March 20. That’s more than 300 times higher than the background level, which is 0.01 or fewer millibecquerels per cubic metre.
“There have been massive radiation spikes in Canada because of Fukushima,” said Gordon Edwards, president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
“The authorities don’t want people to have an understanding of this. The government of Canada tends to pooh-pooh the dangers of nuclear power because it is a promoter of nuclear energy and uranium sales.”
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