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Abe's claims to have Fukushima under control criticized

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Serrano, the debt is internal, therefore Tokyo indeed has the ability to generate funding...you need to learn and study the difference.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

"Tokyo pledged last week to spend nearly half a billion dollars on cleaning up the plant"

Tokyo doesn't have half a billion dollars to spend on anything, the gov't is in debt up to its ears.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

If it is suicide you are talking about I have not seen evidence of it per se in the 34 deaths, but let us put it into perspective, firstly 34 is an extremely low number and when it comes to suicide(if indeed any did commit it) unless a note was left by the deceased it would be extremely difficult to prove a correlation.

Definitely fukushima is adversely affected, but not tokyo, not where I live in Northerm saitama and I havent seen any short term negative affects in terms of radiation. the levels are extremely normal even just 65kms out of fukushima. Nonetheless i do hope the government does step in quickly and clean it up as this is far bigger than what TEPCO can handle. I do not see this as a coverup, it is quite in line with the Japanese way of thinking...However, I do want to see improvements in many areas pertaining to updating the public at large in a timely fashion as to what is happeneing. But once again, I see no evidence of radiation endangering the lives of the public anywhere outside 65kms of fukushima.

I have greater fear for my health eating US beef, or foods imported from china.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Americanhonor; But they died or committed suicide because this happened, had it not they would be alive today. The government always says "directly related" when talking about deaths and no "short term affects" with regards to radiation.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Where have they failed to admit it? 90% of those who died due to stress caused by the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami (yes losing loved ones will definitely affect you severely) were over 70 years old...the numbers related to the nuclear incident account for only 34 people, largely again the elderly who suffered from shock and also the long travel, delay in food and water...I do not see these incidences and major coverups or a massive deathtoll. far from it.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@daito_hak: People have died from Fukushima, the government fails to admit it:

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201208220051

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@gogogo you need to provide facts, as your claims are unfounded. I live 1 and a half hours away and the situation is normal where I live. the total number of radiation caused deaths (workers at the plant) is around 10... 18000 people lost their lives due to the earthquake and tsunami, if anyone tells you that the radiation deathtoll is anywhere close to that then they are creating fictitious news...that is irresponsible reporting and plain nonsense. let's stick to the facts and stop the spreading of untruths.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

3kunfuu: A serious number of people have died from stress and bad living conditions due to the radiation that has forced them out of their homes.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

There has not yet been a single documented case of someone getting sick from radiation from the Fukushima plant. I think the Japanese government needs to do a better job of educating the world about the situation and demonstrating that everything is under control and Fukushima poses no threat to anyone. I wonder about the political agenda of those people trying to say something is going wrong at Fukushima. Who do they really work for?

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

"More people in Fukushima are now likely to have died as a result of health problems and stress related to nuclear evacuation than died in the 2011 quake and tsunami itself, a Mainichi newspaper survey showed on Sunday."

Is this information well verified? If this information is true, this is huge. Any link to where we can read more about that?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

95% thought Fukushima was a serious problem.

What was going through the minds of the other 5%?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

“I would like to state clearly that there has not been, is not now and will not be any health problems whatsoever,”

I don't even know what to say to that.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Japanese media are just "reporters" they report whatever they are told, there is no digging, just listen, copy and write.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Yeah, it's controlled alright. A controlled clustertruck is what it is. The Abe gov has not done a damn thing except sit by and watch TEPCO make a complete balls up of it through trying to clean up the worlds worst nuclear disaster as cheaply as possible using untrained and unskilled temp laborers. It is a bloody disgrace! And then, to have this baffoon claiming it is under control is a downright insult! Yeah, he has pledged half a billion bucks of public money to clean it up, but what is he gonna do and when is he gonna do it? And, what about the 10% increase in electricity tariffs we are paying to TEPCO for the clean up? Is the public gonna get that back or do we have to pay twice to watch this clown show? Criticized? He is just a lip serving liar!

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Abe may not be PM in 2020. So he can say whatever he wants and pass the buck down.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

“I would like to state clearly that there has not been, is not now and will not be any health problems whatsoever,” Abe told a news conference.

If Japan had any real press, then they would have asked him to schedule an event from the Olympics in the area. I doubt that would have flown at the selection comittee.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

...maybe now there will be enough foreign pressure to get this thoroughly taken care of

Hey! The J. Nuclear Village are invincible and they know that. Since way back in 2002, the New York Times published a paper something saying "Something has happened to the Japanese, and it doesn't look good" and nothing good happened.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/16/world/safety-problems-japanese-reactors-begin-erode-public-s-faith-nuclear-power.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

It will take a chain reaction, maybe, to get everything taken care of IMHO.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The only 'real' investigate reporting here is by the tabloids, who don't care too much about corporate advertising or toeing the establishment line, and do not belong to the 'kisha club'; a great example being the exposure of Olympus. TEPCO and the other NPP utilities spend billions of yen in advertising, and none of the papers want to risk losing any of it. The mainstream media will only touch sensitive subjects when they have been reported in foreign media, and they have to have some sort of obligatory response. A good account of this is in Gamble and Watanbe's book 'A Public Betrayed: An Inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities and Their Warnings to the West'.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Anything, good and/or bad can happen within seven years, Mr. Abe.

You'll eat your words soon!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

I guess all we have to do now is wait for something terrible to happen at the plant, which will prove that Abe is a liar, followed by another election and game of political musical chairs. There is no way that he will see his term to the end. Some new guy will come in and vow to fix everything, then fail us like everyone else and the cycle continues...

6 ( +6 / -0 )

What a contradiction with what lies ahead.

Who would gain if Abe's official promises are broken? IOC? Any secret clause in the host contract to compensate should the games suspended due to nuclear-related accidents?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Lip service, the government is just sweeping the entire thing under the rug

5 ( +9 / -4 )

fulll full full full ........................ stop lie

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If they can build huge olympic domes in less than 7 years, then they can cleanup Fukujima in less than 5.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

"Let me assure you the situation is under control," Abe said. "It has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo.

"There are no health-related problems until now, and nor will there be in the future -- I make the statement to you in the most emphatic and unequivocal way."

That above statement by Abe is an outright lie. Everyone here should know that many parts of the greater Tokyo area ARE dangerously radioactive, and will be for many years to come. If you are currently living there, you should seriously consider leaving- especially if you have children. See the two video links below that prove it:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gDdJ0UQlBmI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgDdJ0UQlBmI

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vurvqo5IWw&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1Vurvqo5IWw%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

5 ( +7 / -2 )

It is really sad ! The Japanese people had to hear from its leader in government announce in English what they should have heard in Japanese at home for a while now. Abe was selling a Toyota in Argentina and the IOC bought it . Secret votes in the IOC !? When will we ever know what kind of transactions were behind the scene ? Transparency is not part of the IOC World .... The people do not matter ! It is all big business ... Abe now will be able "to get away with murder ".... Japanese people will keep on bowing !!! Japan recently changed prime ministers like most change underwear ,now ,if nothing happens at Fukushima , they will have Abe and the LDP forever. 8% soon , but yeah BIG BUSINESS is coming around the bend !!!!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Yes way. 53rd in the ranking of press freedom: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/31/national/japan-falls-far-on-press-freedom-list/

6 ( +8 / -2 )

“I would like to state clearly that there has not been, is not now and will not be any health problems whatsoever,” Abe told a news conference.

He just went from Mr Lip Service to Mr B.S Service with that statement. History will judge him.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Because of the press clubs. If newspapers start spouting off against the government, they stop getting invited to the press conferences, and they have no first-hand source for news anymore.

Government-influenced censorship of the press in Japan? No way!

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Why isn't the Japanese press all over this then? If there were proper news reporting in Japan then PM Abe wouldn't be coming out with such exaggerated statements!

Because of the press clubs. If newspapers start spouting off against the government, they stop getting invited to the press conferences, and they have no first-hand source for news anymore. This is death for any company in the news game. So they are very careful about speaking out against the government. Freedom of the press is an illusion here, and if you compare the freedom of the press in Japan with other countries in the world, it ranks quite low. They don't impose direct controls over the press, but they created a system where the press has no choice but to control themselves, or lose out altogether.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

Abe's claims to have Fukushima under control criticized

Say it often enough, and you'll be able to convince others.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

"There have never been any health problems, and what's more there won't be any more ever again."

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

"More people in Fukushima are now likely to have died as a result of health problems and stress related to nuclear evacuation than died in the 2011 quake and tsunami itself." A Mainichi newspaper survey showed on Sunday.

Why isn't the Japanese press all over this then? If there were proper news reporting in Japan then PM Abe wouldn't be coming out with such exaggerated statements!

12 ( +14 / -2 )

“I would like to state clearly that there has not been, is not now and will not be any health problems whatsoever,” Abe told a news conference.

Please don't lie Mr Abe. There's no shame in asking for help with a disaster of this unprecedented magnitude.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

I think Abe’s strategy is to ganner cheap popularity and short-term gains to win the next election and please the nuke village. By denying the health effects which are obvious and known globally, he comes out as some unreliable, shameless liar, bent on exporting eco-terrorism and impunity, while prioritizing profits before safety and security of not only his citizens, but the entire world. He paints a bad image for Japan and needless to say, he may be considered a poor leader par excellence...

20 ( +22 / -2 )

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