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Hula girls' spa reopens in Fukushima

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I love the spirit of these women. I hope to visit Iwaki next year.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"But it is expected to struggle for survival due to fears over radiation from the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant 50 kilometers away."

These aren't just "fears" but the reality that 50 km from the power plant, which is still giving off 1/4 th the radiation in March, is inherently unsafe and dangerous. The plant is in no way stable and yet they tell us we should cheer for people and create "hope". You normally have to go to a sort of televangelist healers show to see this sort of disillusion. The radiation in the area (as shown in this map) didn't just disappear, and years from now these people will want to know they have problems. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P21M9FXGxXI/ToZUb8mO9CI/AAAAAAAACHE/qKcJmJ1dtMk/s1600/hayakawamap-route.JPG

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I too admire the spirit of these women, and I've no doubt it will prompt a number of locals (who are still able) to visit the place, but I doubt it'll help draw in too many people from the outside. I'm not sure I'd want to test the waters there, so to speak, given water contamination outside the plant.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Measurements taken by the Japanese science ministry and education ministry in areas of northern Japan 30–50 km from the plant showed radioactive caesium levels high enough to cause concern. Food grown in the area was banned from sale. Based on worldwide measurements of iodine-131 and caesium-137, it was suggested that the releases of those isotopes from Fukushima are of the same order of magnitude as those from Chernobyl in 1986;

I won't visit or recommend anyone to visit an area of concern.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Definitely will have to visit them during my next trip to volunteer :)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

beangry,smithinjapan and flamnhead said it all and I concur. Human Life is priceless and I just wish that J Govt felt the same way. No human being should be within 80km and or where the plutonium, strontium and cesium is located because all these elements are harmful to human health. Whether you believe in whats real or not these elements will get into your system and do damage and they don't care about patriotism or civic unity because they are what they are.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I forgot my quote....

We indeed really feel for Japan, and for the people of Fukushima.....

I have been documenting the event since it happened out of self interest in the Emergency.

I would gladly go to the event, but sadly, it is a dangerous excerise using common sense.

I, and my family pray for all of you in this endeavour to fix it.

At first I was angry, but now, I am saddened by the continuance of this tradgedy.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

We can feel for Japan and feel for Fukushima and Tohoku all we want, but the sad truth is that Tecpo, Tokyo Electric and the stupid Japanese government have a lot of explaining to do! No matter how lovey dovey we get over Fukushima, this is not going to make the nuclear reactors there any safer right?? So aloohaaa, like sayonara aloha no, konnichiwa aloha, meaning I would not take my family to this fake Hawaiian resort in Fukushima, even if I was paid a million $$$, meaning I do not trust the information about the nuclear situation here in Japan, let me see everyone in Nagata cho move over to Fukushima, eat all the fish and vegetables, drink the water etc..there first!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So they are working to promote the spa in the hopes of wooing customers to come and spend money there? This is disgusting. Neither the girls nor the owners of the spa can guarantee the safety of the customers. It is beyond irresponsible to encouraging people to visit the area when no one knows what the actual spread of radioactive contamination is.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

ssway: It IS disgusting, but what's disgusting is not the efforts of the women nor the response of the people, but the idea that the government DEPENDS on these type of people to keep things propped up while it quietly tip-toes around the fact that it's not safe and its actually THEIR job to inform the people and keep them out. They'll commend the Hula-girls and talk about how stoic the Japanese are and how brave, and that's true in a lot of cases, but you'll not hear them say they shouldn't be there... because that would hurt the feelings of the people there.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Based on worldwide measurements of iodine-131 and caesium-137, it was suggested that the releases of those isotopes from Fukushima are of the same order of magnitude as those from Chernobyl in 1986;

Cesium is a concern and the government is going to have to do something about it. It's half-life is over 30.7 years. Iodine-131 has a half-life of 8 days, so efforts to clean up Iodine-131 are not realistically cost-effective. (The particles are gone almost as soon as you determine where they're located). That said, Iwaki is SOUTH of the reactor and IIRC, most of the radiation spread northwest of the reactor. I guarantee you that the people of Iwaki know EXACTLY what the radiation situation is in their city. I'm sure they hired their own monitoring group considering the government's responses have been less than forthcoming.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ Fadamor- have you seen Zichi's map link for the Daiichi incident?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P21M9FXGxXI/ToZUb8mO9CI/AAAAAAAACHE/qKcJmJ1dtMk/s1600/hayakawamap-route.JPG

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@utrack, that map tells us noting about current conditions in Fukushima or elsewhere. What sort of particles were released? For how long? We know that radiation levels in Kanto were elevated for a while but they went down and are now normal. Is it the same in Iwaki? Seems they are still a bit elevated according to http://radiation.goo.ne.jp/

2 ( +2 / -0 )

opening the spa back may not be the best of ideas. We all know that radiation is nothing to play around with and 50 kilometers isn't very far. Fukushima may if fact be the next Chernobyl and any playing around radiation is bound to end up like the poor souls that stayed near chernobyl.

gtrainapp.blogspot.com

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ pawatan- Here is The Ministry maps strontium, plutonium fallout but there is no indication of the neutron radiation that was emitted from the incident.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ2011100112896

0 ( +0 / -0 )

All of these people, well most of them that are in Fukushima Prefecture are living in denial. Opening hula girls spa resort may seem like a great idea, but they are overlooking the fact that radiation can`t be smelled, seen or felt, and although there may not be any immediate results from radiation contamination, in the long term, there will be a lot of sick people due to the cause of not facing the reality of what is truly going on in Japan. It will be very sad to see a lot of people get sick from not knowing the truth.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Some of these posts are so wimpy,i wanna just gag! You only live once and in the enjoyment &quality of life means everything in my book-Bring on the Wahini's!!! A L O H A Nui Loa!!!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I'm not a boxer but how about a Hawaiian Punch.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Unfortunately, the average Japanese has not clue about how dangerous the situation is ............so better to have a show and a dance.

Feel better now?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Forget the radioactive measurements! What's the girls' measurements?!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Unfortunately, the average Japanese has not clue about how dangerous the situation is

Why do people continue to say this? Japanese people are not stupid, backwards children. Westerners are not so much better informed - probably much LESS informed as the average westerner in Japan isn't so proficient in Japanese language to know what the press and actual people are thinking and saying.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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