This is a direct transcript from a press release read out on the Japanese public TV station NHK
A reading on March 12th, one day after the massive earthquake and tsunami hit the plant, shows that radioactive tellurium was detected 7 kilometers away. Tellurium is produced during the melting of nuclear fuel.
Three hours before the data was collected, the government expanded the radius of the evacuation area around the plant from 3 kilometers to 10 kilometers.
But the government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reported at a news conference several hours later that the nuclear fuel was intact.
The government also failed to disclose the high radiation levels in weeds 30 to 50 kilometers from the plant. On March 15th, 123 million becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 per kilogram were detected 38 kilometers northeast of the plant.
The nuclear safety agency says it deeply regrets not releasing the data.
Professor Yasuyuki Muramatsu of Gakushuin University says radioactive iodine has a high effect on children. He says that if the data had been released earlier, more measures could have been taken to protect them from exposure.
So, even though they knew how dangerous the levels were (and that a reactor core had suffered a meltdown) they weren't truthful and now many people, especially children will suffer; but that's all ok because they've said sorry for witholding the data.
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Frederick Douglass
nexus wrote:
So, even though they knew how dangerous the levels were (and that a reactor core had suffered a meltdown) they weren't truthful and now many people, especially children will suffer; but that's all ok because they've said sorry for witholding the data.
What would telling the truth have done to stop the radiation?
"We're just waiting, looking skyward as the days go down / Someone promised there'd be answers if we stayed around."
Presumably at least some of the local population would have heard it as a warning and got out of the area, probably saving themselves years of illness in later life.
RenewableCandy wrote:Presumably at least some of the local population would have heard it as a warning and got out of the area, probably saving themselves years of illness in later life.
Maybe... but admitting the magnitude of problems is not something anybody should expect their governments to do.
If our government came clean about Peak Oil, for example, lots of people would probably have their lives saved by timely emigration.
"We're just waiting, looking skyward as the days go down / Someone promised there'd be answers if we stayed around."
The fundamental role of government should be to protect all the citizens, not protect the interests of the nuclear industry while hoping for the best.
There is a judgement call when demanding mass evacuation because that in itself has risks. It would be good if that judgement were made without being clouded by vested interest or the common human attribute commonly attributed to ostriches.
The fundamental role of government should be to protect all the citizens, not protect the interests of the nuclear industry while hoping for the best.
+1
What would telling the truth have done to stop the radiation?
What good would lying about the meltdown and the safe areas do?
Putting aside the overwhelming moral arguments for being honest about the danger so that people can look after themselves, I believe there are other compelling reasons for governmental honesty.
In times of civil emergency it is even more important that citizens can trust their elected representatives to give them correct information, at the very least not directly lie to them. Surely in the long term a lying government will foster mistrust and people are less likely to follow their instructions in future situations?
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Frederick Douglass
Well the use of the word 'lying' is yours, not mine.
What's not given here is the level of Te contamination - it could be very small. Certainly, the I radiation level is quite low. And you don't get Te exclusively from meltdown - that's just stupid.
As for any ordered news releases less than 24 hours after a magnitude 9 earthquake, and a huge tsunami, well, there but for the grace of god go all countries. The Germans can't even make a sensible fist of E.coli announcements!
But the government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reported at a news conference several hours later that the nuclear fuel was intact.
The government also failed to disclose the high radiation levels in weeds 30 to 50 kilometers from the plant. On March 15th, 123 million becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 per kilogram were detected 38 kilometers northeast of the plant.
The nuclear safety agency says it deeply regrets not releasing the data.
They had good reason to believe a meltdown had occurred, but instead said the fuel was intact- sounds like a lie to me.
Te found 7 miles from Fuku just after massive explosions/meltdown? In addition to the Iodine readings and radioation readings in weeds- could they all be caused by something other than a meltdown?
As for the news release- even if you allowed for the chaos caused by the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, they didn't correct it for over two months! Plus they managed to get themselves together enough to put out some factually incorrect information (or as we like to call it in the UK, some LIES).
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Frederick Douglass
But the government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reported at a news conference several hours later that the nuclear fuel was intact.
The government also failed to disclose the high radiation levels in weeds 30 to 50 kilometers from the plant. On March 15th, 123 million becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 per kilogram were detected 38 kilometers northeast of the plant.
The nuclear safety agency says it deeply regrets not releasing the data.
They had good reason to believe a meltdown had occurred, but instead said the fuel was intact- sounds like a lie to me.
Te found 7 miles from Fuku just after massive explosions/meltdown? In addition to the Iodine readings and radioation readings in weeds- could they all be caused by something other than a meltdown?
As for the news release- even if you allowed for the chaos caused by the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, they didn't correct it for over two months! Plus they managed to get themselves together enough to put out some factually incorrect information (or as we like to call it in the UK, some LIES).
I wasn't aware you established the standards for the UK. There are obviously different interpretations available; I'll stick to my own view on this, thanks. using your sort of language gets us nowhere.
Feel free to find for me a dictionary definition for lying which doesn't include willfully giving information that you know to be factually incorrect.
The fact that you are debating the semantics of the word 'lie' and making ad hominem attacks, rather than actually answering my points shows you up for the 'orrible little troll that you are.
It amazes me that you are IN ANY WAY defending the Japanese governement failing to tell their population how serious the disaster was, so that precautions could be taken. They have blood on their hands and so, in an indirect way do you.
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Frederick Douglass
The implications of a fifty mile evacuation zone around Oldbury or Hinckley Point, for instance, would be horrendous. You'd have to evacuate Cardiff, Newport, Bristol, Gloucester, Bath and, in the case of Oldbury, even Swindon. If they started evacuating Swindon I would start getting worried.
I wonder if we have an emergency plan for that sort of evacuation? Even at 10 miles from Oldbury, most of Bristol would have to be evacuated.
There's been a big hoo-hah locally because the HSE have asked for a new housing exclusion zone around AWE. Apparently they are worried about increased numbers of people causing problems with evacuation procedures in case of an accident at the plant. Tesco own a bit of land next door to the plant and as they can't get planning for a new store there they want to build houses. The HSE have said no! Ha! Ha! Couldn't have happened to a nicer company. It would make a nice park.
