Fukushima plant springs another radioactive leak

Time to launch another cover-up----errr.... "Internal investigation".

I still remember a buddy of mine telling me about the meeting between international monitors and TEPCO after the Niigata incident in 2006 (?) and him telling me how much of a joke it was. They dodged questions, recycled answers, denied allegations (then admitted them), denied knowledge (then admitted it), etc. And yet, nothing is ever done towards this company with it's history of coverups and corruption.

Farmboy said it all. No need for additional comments. Just click Good.

It is terrible to say "I told you so". But we are getting numb to all the problems with TEPCO. This article didn't even make to the main headline. I wonder if there will be a time when mishaps like this one will not get published at all. Then that would be victory to TEPCO.

I suppose the usual reaction to these radioactive leaks is to be expected - although obviously they justifiably cause great concern amongst the people - namely TEPCO's allegedly continued incompetence.

After the incident, TEPCO had to get to work very quickly to contain radioactive leaks, with relatively temporary structures necessarily having to be installed, eg containment tanks and pipework.

If, instead, TEPCO had gone through a rigid design process, everyone would have been justified is saying that TEPCO were mad - all hell would have been let loose!

Now that these temporary structures are showing that they are indeed temporary, there's still complaints about TEPCO's effectiveness.

Well, living here in South Africa - and about 25 km from the Koeberg nuclear power station - I obviously don't know anything more about TEPCO than what I have read in Japan Today. I am aware that they have brought in overseas specialists, to advise, and I can't really believe, with the results of such a disaster to be dealt with, that they have learnt nothing about what they have to do. But it's long term. But also, just maybe, for the years ahead it might be advisable for TEPCO now to seriously consider the construction of rather more permanent (upgraded) safety and containment structures, on the basis, I would assume (I hope correctly) that radioactive leaks of contaminated water currently present the worst threat.

At least Japanese residents can be assured that, after this time from the incident in March 2011, the amount of heat being produced in the destroyed cores of three reactors (1, 2 & 4 as I recall) will have fallen by many orders of magnitude as the shorter half life radionuclides in the core have decayed to nearly zero activity.

People are getting aware that how difficult to dispose radioactive waste. Nevertheless why we need a nuclear power? I can't understand.

"Experts" - Experts like Tepco?

I am so angry when I see stuff like this. Japan's culture and politeness is touted the world over and it is true there are so many special things to admire. But the flip side of all the things we admire is a perverse inability to tell the truth, make decisions and take responsibility in a meaningful way. Japanese company executives, managers and bureaucrats see their sole mission in life as to pass through their working life without rocking the boat but that no longer works.

(1) The famed Japanese style of consensus - no doubt the reactor and other reactors in Japan passed and continue to pass all the necessary annual tests and the requisite number of employees sign off on whatever meaningless safety certificates they need to sign off. If everyone agrees it is safe, it must be safe, right? Pass the little tray from person to person to the guy at the back of the room as is done at banks all over Japan for exchange of $10 worth of currency. Nemawashi has no place in nuclear safety!!

(2) Japanese style crisis management - yes, Japanese are always prepared for disasters! From their time at elementary school they prepare for earthquakes and fires with the requisite standard drills but no-one actually is taught to use their heads - everyone is taught from a young age that they need to ganbare for everything from meaningless after school tests to standardized sporting events - "gambare Nippon" is a stale slogan that passes the buck from the politicians and bureaucrats to the population. Please start thinking about how to change your society, you deserve better!!

(3) Tell the truth!! Japanese society is generally peaceful because no-one really questions whether others are telling the truth and no-one aggressively challenges their neighbors and colleagues. Japanese do not ask the right questions so they do not get the right answers. Everything is kept very vague and aimai. All very nice to be peaceful, but it is time for Japanese to realize that they need to challenge each other and expect the truth of those in positions of power.

(4) Taking responsibility: The Japanese way to take responsibility by bowing and apologizing (maybe even resigning in extreme cases) is long past its use by date. It is time for people to be held accountable under the law. Look at the case of Olympus where the only guy who tried to get it right (who happened to be a courageous foreigner) is no longer there!! Obviously Tepco executives should be hung out to dry. It is time for Japanese to start holding their corporate and government officials accountable under the law.

Enough is enough Japan. You continue to negligently expose your people to risk of radiation, your education system and your economy is in a mess and no-one seems to want or have the courage to drive change.

Time for fundamental change Japan. Ganbare!!

Right about now is when they discover that the plastic they've been using to line the reservoirs rapidly degrades when exposed to gamma rays.