TEPCO to scrap 4 reactors at crippled nuclear plant; president hospitalized

Two days ago CNN reported this guy had been out of sight for over a week. Probably exhausted from playing golf in Kuala Lumpur while TEPCO workers labor 16 hours a day and subsist on crackers and juice (as reported by CNN).

The Japanese way of deflecting critiscism and gaining sympathy - go sick.

"Probably exhausted from playing golf"

I'd put money on that NOT being the case. In fact, dollars to doughnuts, odds are greater that you're just being a bit of callous.

I am pretty sure he wasn't playing golf either but this is still pretty pathetic, fleeing to hospital to evade his responsibilities.

Like I said amakudari is the only way to go! Move up to president and take no responsibility for the corporates actions, even better fake a sick was and get away Scott free......

what makes you think he's "fleeing to hospital to evade responsibilities"?

You think 'death by stroke' wouldn't be just another way out? He does no good to anyone dead. Show a little humanity, people.

I would be surprised if it was not simply the fact that he cannot handle the considerable stress of the situation, which is perhaps understandable but is his responsibility as president. Sorry, but it is hard to feel too much sympathy.

no sympathy. it is his JOB, he gets the paycheck, he has to deal with it. i am sure his health is taxed. what about the workers who are feverishly trying to stablize the plant. if he and his crew had not neglected so many things i think his health would be fine.

@Beer99. Are you saying that Mr. Shimizu is a retired politician or bureacrat? I wasn't aware of that. I'd assumed he was a life-long TEPCO empployee, who has had the misfortune of being the guy at the helm when the shit-tornado hit.

taj: Next you'll be saying this is not TEPCO's fault and that they have no responsibility for what's happening. The man's stressed-out, no doubt, and that is yet ANOTHER blunder by TEPCO -- hiring people who have no idea what they're doing and don't seem to care one iota except about appearances.

Hire people who can do their jobs... don't give it away as some amakudari reward and just hope nothing goes wrong.

@Beer99, Please look up the meaning of amakudari. Masataka Shimizu joined Tepco in 1968, right out of university.

@sillygirl, Do you assume his paycheck is disproportionately large? My guess, and unfortunately I can't find these details, is that it wouldn't be even double what I earn, as a regular mid-career office worker in Tokyo. Possibly triple, but not something in an order of magnitude larger, like with American companies. Japanese execs don't bring home the huge salaries while keeping their masses of employees struggling at the poverty line, or headed there at the executives expense. Perhaps you mean that any paycheck, even a small one, means that he owes his life. Meh. What good does that do? Does it stop the problem? Does it help the area farmers? Does it protect the workers in the plants? No. It just makes his grandkids sad.

"headed there at the executives expense." should read = "for the executives benefit." (thinking of Ken Lay and that ilk, ditching their stocks before things tanked and leaving the employees SOL).

Smith, it wasn't amakudari. And no, I'm not ever going to say TEPCO did nothing wrong. I just hate seeing people so ready with the pitchforks.

the main point here - he is not doing his job no matter the paycheck. since day one of the crisis he/tepco did not give straight answers (i am sure some of the time there were none) but tepco has hidden away so much neglect, cover-ups and ignored safety issues - no wonder the man (no matter how much his paycheck is he still has a responsiblity to the company and the people who live in japan and pay HUGE electric bills) has his taken to his bed.

Masataka Shimuzu followed his father into TEPCO at the age of 23, he is definitely NOT an amakudari appointment. However, there are a number of other executives who did join TEPCO after a career in either the Japan Nuclear Regulatory Agency or other bodies. One was a former Deputy Director, and the appointment was so obvious, even TEPCO apologised!

Was that in the mid 90's, wanderlust? Or more recently?

To Taj,

"@Beer99, Please look up the meaning of amakudari. Masataka Shimizu joined Tepco in 1968, right out of university."

Japanese Corporations are different from, say, US Corporations. There isn't the polarity between management and workers as you clearly showed. The more traditional Corporations do hire graduates, and many still stay until retirement - the famous seniority based lifelong employment in Japan, salient feature of "Japan, Inc.". It is a common feature of US observers of Japan to overlay the US model of polarity between management and workers, commonly refered to the management/union polarity.

The head of TEPCO may not be a saint, but his function and responsibilities are different than his US counterpart. I feel Masataka Shimizu, president of Tokyo Electric Power Co., should be allowed to take time off while those w/ the expertise to address the pressing problems at the nuclear plant. The quake and tsunami were unprecedented, and should be seen from that perspective.

"‘We apologize for causing the public anxiety, worry and trouble due to the explosions at reactor buildings and the release of radioactive materials,’’

It's nothing - don't apologize. Everyone's more worried about poor Shimizu San.

@taj

I just hate seeing people so ready with the pitchforks.

Better stay away from the JT site, then. This place is "Pitchfork City" most of the time!

Sure everyone gets sick and we can't control when we may need to be hospitalized... BUT, think of the manner that this happend and how he dealt with it. He just stopped showing up, had no press release and the media actually had to ask about him before there was any mention... Then it was a bumbled response. He should have publically stated his regret for the situtation, and indicated who was properly briefed to take over his reposibilities... I don't think that happened, did it?

apecnetworks, of course you are quite right, what could be more natural than the president of a major company taking time off to relax in hospital while his company faces the biggest crisis in its history. Truly exemplary leadership from Shimizu-san.

To Bogart,

Let's just say that if he is as good a President of TEPCO, even if he is not at the nuclear plants, the personnel will methodically knock out the problems one by one until only the damage that cannot be addressed remains. He is not the "head" of the company, but something else.

Correction:

"Let's just say that if he is as good a President of TEPCO as the best Japanese Presidents of other Corporations,...."

taj: People deserve to be angry, and in fact nothing would make me more upset than to see the usual apathy. TEPCO has been a disgrace, and yet been allowed to make cover-up after cover-up, and commit scandal after scandal. Now they want to try and save a couple of the reactors and Shimizu is hiding out. Anyone surprised? angry? absolutely... as they should be.

If he can't step up and be strong in this kind of situation he doesn't deserve that position.

smith, you are free to be as angry as you like. scream, shout, get it all out. hopefully that will help you lower your blood pressure.

Rage does nothing to solve the on-going crisis though. Emotion rarely goes hand in hand with logic. Cool analysis in the near future will be a better response than fits of rage right now.

But as I said, do feel free to look after your own health by cursing and swearing and shouting at the TV or posting at me, if it helps.

taj: "smith, you are free to be as angry as you like. scream, shout, get it all out. hopefully that will help you lower your blood pressure."

I don't have any blood pressure problems, and I certainly won't run to the hospital and claim sickness to shirk my responsibilities. I called this nearly two weeks ago -- said the guy would probably be hospitalized for stress. I was bang on.

"Rage does nothing to solve the on-going crisis though."

Neither does being an absentee company president, last I checked. This guy is not only doing NOTHING to help solve the crisis, he's helping contribute to it getting worse. You seriously don't think the missteps and blunders of TEPCO are nothing to be upset by? The Japanese government has admitted that TEPCO did not have adequate measures in place to deal with what happened or what's happening. They have sent workers in without the proper gear and caused them to get radioactive burns, etc.

Sorry if I want to hold them accountable while others seem to suggest they're not doing a bad job.

"But as I said, do feel free to look after your own health by cursing and swearing and shouting at the TV or posting at me, if it helps."

Much obliged. Unfortunately, misdirecting anger and frustration DEFINITELY won't solve anything -- it should be focussed on the source of the problem (TEPCO) and they be made to pay for what's happened with the aforementioned blunders and missteps; not simply say, "Go-meiwaku oh kakete, shitsurei shimashita". Like I said, they're already trying to save a couple of the reactors.

thepro: "If he can't step up and be strong in this kind of situation he doesn't deserve that position."

Exactly what I said above. Hire people that can do the job, fire those who cannot. Clearly, this man cannot, but I bet he still gets his pension and a big old golden parachute for his 'suffering'.

The president of TEPCO was at a hostess club at Ginza immediately after the disaster occurred. That is widely known among Japanese.

Earlier Wednesday, TEPCO said its president, Masataka Shimizu, was hospitalized Tuesday for hypertension and dizziness.

How many times have we seen top Japanese officials fall to pieces under duress? They just can't handle any stress! Weak! Man up and face your disaster fool!

smithinjapan -

What exactly should he have done? If he had made a press conference, would that have resolved the crisis? If he was present at the plant giving orders to his workers would they have not gone in without the proper gear? I think what "Taj" is trying to say that you cannot simply place the entire blame on one man. Yes, a crisis arose and this man failed the test, at being a public figure head. But you seriously cannot think that he really could have made any real difference in what happened. No amount of planning could really prepare anyone for a crisis such as the one that happened. It is amazing and commendable that no one was killed at the plant, and so few injured. This is a unique situation that must be looked at rationally at the moment, so that the best resolution can be reached. In a few months, when things can be taken into perspective, and the real issues can be seen, then you can place blame and get angry. Save your anger for when you can direct it better.

Ehm... wasn't the fact that those reactors never will be up and running normally again clearly obvious for everyone more than two weeks now?!

It is better he goes, he does not have the skill set needed at this time. Let's hope a real leader steps up.

The Ginza hostess club story is about a different Tepco executive not Shimizu.

Scrap schmrap! TEPCO had better get those reactors back up and running ASAP, I want those escalators at all the train stations and all the dang lights back on! LOL!

Hopefully with the new help from France and the U.S. this will not get much worse. We can expect the reduced power consumption for a long time.

TEPCO said its president, Masataka Shimizu, was hospitalized Tuesday for hypertension and dizziness.

Obviously this clown does not have the metal to be head of any company, spinning out at a time of crisis.

A leader needs to be strong at times like this not crumble like a rice cracker.

Can not blame one man , probably 1,000 or more are at fault but first for the chop has to be the president of the company involved, then the agency that oversaw the whole shoddy industry. Universities that did not train the company experts or speek out over concerns they now claim to have had. It was a natural disaster no question about that but compounded by TEPCOs incompetence that is the point of this story.

Those that are critical of the TEPCO President most likely will see what they wish. He will most likely have to resign, but not for incompetence, not for taking sick, not for solving the horrible problems. He may resign for a different reason.

"scrap reactors 1 to 4 if we look at their conditions objectively"----- Child understand that it is necessary to scrap 6 reactors.

‘‘We apologize for causing the public anxiety, worry and trouble due to the explosions at reactor buildings and the release of radioactive materials,’’ Katsumata said at the news conference at the company’s head office. Very well, now that I got Cricopharyngeal Spasm because of you, shall I send you the bill for my treatment?

No amount of planning could really prepare anyone for a crisis such as the one that happened.

Well actually that could. The height of the anti-tsunami wall could have been heightened - it was known to be too low. There have been reports a few months ago advising a shutdown of Fukushima. The government could not shut it down, because of the % of electricity it generates for the country, but it could have demanded measures to be taken for emergency situations like these while expanding the permission to operate. Tepco could have installed emergency equipment for situations like these with our without government conditions.

What exactly should he have done?

And after the disaster, Tepco could have contacted the Americans and the French for their robots, that would have spared a lot of the lives and health of the F50/F400. They could have allowed independent measurements of radiation. The Tepco topman could have gone to the plant himself to have a firsthand observation. He could have bought the best equipment for his employees that the world has to offer. He could have made sure that the F50/F400 have adequate food and drink.

Perhaps he was asked to leave? Is he the only one to be blamed? Should anyone be blamed?

Yes, by all means close those reactors.

The TEPCO president has been hospitalized?

Hey, he must be sick due to worrying so much about the severity of the situation and the many efforts his staff are making under these muzukashi conditions.

I can't believe anyone can be so naive as to think he might be pulling a fast one and faking it.

Gosh, there is just no way under Japan's 4 unique seasons that that would happen....!

kyushu Joe - "Better stay away from the JT site, then. This place is "Pitchfork City" most of the time!"

Wow, you must be a "New Bie" to Japan Today.com.

Japan Today is only used by insightful, rational, considerate and unbiased individuals who have the good of the Global Community at heart.

That is why so may Japan Today users are concerned for the plight of the TEPCO president Mr. Shimizu.

@SushiSake3

Nice! :)

Shimizu is suffering from hypertension and dizziness? This is serious! Best wishes for a full recovery!

I fear this horrible trifecta will be Japan's Vesuvius...

Unless this poltroon has been hospitalised with self-inflicted lacerations from a ceremonial sword, we can swat away any nonsense about "we Japanese have sincere honour..." with the disdain thus merited.

@Ivan

we can swat away any nonsense about "we Japanese have sincere honour..."

Only if you're happy to judge a nation of 120 million by the actions of one individual....

kyushujoe

The whole nation is scared of going on holiday because they have a deep-rooted need to care for their colleagues and not pose a burden. In a hierarchical society, the workers look to their superiors (and I use the word in a very limited sense) for an example. Let us hope the long hot summer will not be made even more unbearable by the compulsion to stay inert at a desk until a middle-manager goes to his loveless bed, when we have all seen that the stratum which is supposed to lead can't give a fig for their responsibility.

Ivan

I agree with your general thrust but you're still using one guy as a yardstick with which to judge a huge amount of people.

we have all seen that the stratum which is supposed to lead....

you say. But your "stratum" consists of one person.

It is only logical that TEPCO will be Nationalised and subsequently split up - which will be the ultimate shame for its senior management...

Is there any truth to the management of TEPCO being Senior Civil Servants ? Hence the reason why the government couldnt challenge them ?

kyushujoe: "Only if you're happy to judge a nation of 120 million by the actions of one individual...."

I would say 'INaction' would be more apt in Shimizu's case. Still, you are correct; Japan cannot be judged as a whole by the louts at TEPCO, and even the people they subcontracted out to can't really be blamed (especially as they are risking their lives to try and make up for Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s horrible mistakes).

sarge: "This is serious! Best wishes for a full recovery!!"

And soon thereafter best wishes for prosecution and time in prison -- or at the very least the guy should be made to go help clean up the mess. Want to know what's more serious than this guy's panic attack? THE SITUATION IN FUKUSHIMA, thanks in no small part to short-cuts he allowed, and warnings he helped ignore.

stevemcqueen, yes it's true that only honorable, hard-working Japanese beuracrats who have the best interests of Japan at heart are chosen to 'amurakudai' into plum positions after they retire late at 45-50 years of age. That's largely why the power plant recovery operation is succeeding so sucessfully.

As to the current & former TEPCO President(s), I would rather that we dont see them or their ilk being given the opportunity for 切腹 and much rather see a fitting tourtue of being kept alive to witness what they've done to our beautiful country of Japan. However, that said, the complete blame should not rest soley upon them, as there are others to whom we should be looking at more closely and asking questions of...

Well, that is a redundant statement if I ever saw one. Did anybody seriously consider to repair those 4 glow-in-the-dark heaps of scrap?

I take it he suggests that no. 4 and no. 5 can be repaired, which is something he should explain...

sorry I meant no. 5 and no. 6

I agree with "sillygirl". It is his job. If he think the paycheck is too small then he should quit long time ago. Maybe it is the perks that comes with the job or kickback that make him stay. If he had not short charging the public or have not so cosy relationship with Govt, the plant will be better built and today problem will not be as great. I hope people who comment here understand what is "responsibility". The guys in the plants trying to seal the leak probably earn much less, but they are doing things that no one dare to do. They understand what is "responsibilities".

Full Report without lies: Cooling Efforts at Stricken Nuclear Plant Fail to Contain Radiation The decision to prevent a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant by pouring seawater on the reactor has put the Japanese government in a terrible dilemma.

Its original plan was to cool the reactors with seawater as the plant's cooling systems was damaged in the earthquake, lower radiation levels, allowing workers to fix the damaged equipment, and normalize the operation. But things have not gone as planned, and after two weeks, it has realized that the seawater poured into the water tank housing spent nuclear fuel rods as well as the cores of the troubled reactors is contaminated and left sitting near the facilities.

On Monday, as much as 1,000 mSv of radiation per hour was detected in the 4,000 to 5,000 of water that filled the drainage tunnels near the turbine room.

The reactor core and the drainage system linking it with the turbine were damaged in the earthquake, causing contaminated water to seep out. Unless the contaminated water is removed from the drainage tunnels, restoration work cannot proceed, but workers still need to keep pumping more water into the reactors to keep them from overheating.

On Tuesday, temperature readings on the surface of the reactor's outer shell began to surge, prompting officials to pour more water onto it. The bind is that pumping in more water will lead to the seepage of heavily contaminated water, but stopping could cause a core meltdown. Now it appears the core has already melted through the bottom of its containment vessel and on to the concrete floor, while the fuel remains partially exposed in all three stricken reactors.

Officials are saying they should have used water sparingly in order to minimize seepage.

All TEPCO CEOs and employees who profited from this power plant should be forced to live the rest of their lives in Fukushima as their punishment.

retirednukeop, thats it in a nut shell. It is a dead end situation at the moment, I hope the people who created this are held to account and the people who are trying to get us out are looked after and rewarded.

All TEPCO CEOs and employees who profited from this power plant should be forced to live the rest of their lives in Fukushima as their punishment.

hey, I live in Fukushima, its an awesome prefecture, the people are amazing, dont send that trash over here

"hey, I live in Fukushima, its an awesome prefecture, the people are amazing, dont send that trash over here"

Okay, they should have to live in the plant parking lot.

I am very glad to hear the Daiichi reactors are being scrapped. I am not at all happy for the workers who are working long hours there for the sole reason it seems of trying to avert a meltdown. I think it is highly probable to have already happened. I am not a scientist so I may be wrong, but here is my case.

When the three Daiichi reactors exploded due it is to be believed hydrogen, it tells us inside the reactor vessel must have been around 1500 degrees celcius. The reason being certain metals like zirconium take up oxygen from water at that sought of temperature leaving behind hydrogen. Zirconium is in the fuel rod casing of most modern fuel rods. The hydrogen must have escaped to explode like that so why wouldn't what is left of the water vapour escape aswell, leaving the reactors dry. The incident itself suggests a temperature rise and when each of the reactors was abandoned due to high radiation levels immediately afterwards, there would be nothing extra to stop the natural incline of temperature of the fuel rods. My guess is in the hours following the explosions there occured a number of meltdowns which were contained inside the reactor because they are of much more solid construction than Chernobyl. Perhaps the control rods being down caused what would have been an explosion into more of a phut. I am not aware that nuclear science has experienced a dry reactor vessel with all control rods engaged.

Perhaps if there had been a meltdown there would be particular gasses formed which could be detected. I do not know what they are. It makes a big difference because in the meltdown scenario, I would guess they could afford to take their time over trying to cool the reactors and ensure the fuel rods in storage are safe. This could help save worker lives, I think.

On the other hand if there has not been a complete meltdown in the reactors and pretty much ignoring them by ceasing the pumping of water on them could cause a much more widescale problem. What do you think?

For your interest, Chernobyl's disaster was from an experiment which lasted only a few hours. In this experiment they averted what I think is called a cold shutdown by withdrawing all but six control rods. A little later the reactor exploded. A UN body estimates thyroid cancer deaths (I believe) to be around 60,000 people in connection to Chernobyl so remember your iodine tablets.

If reactors 5 and 6 are undamaged, it would be nuts to abandon them. Two reasons: these things cost a fortune to build, and Japan needs all the electricity it can get. If you're nervous about it, I imagine they would be happy to build a 20 meter wall around it.

Alldinkles: "I am very glad to hear the Daiichi reactors are being scrapped."

FYI, TEPCO wants to try and save No. 5 and 6.

poor president. Lets all Japan think about the welfare of TEPCO president and all those top guys in the TEPCO for last 10 years. Earning good money and just enjoying the life. Today they called USA and France to help. Why so late.......................

TEPCO pretty much HAS to save 5 & 6, there isn't any other generating capacity to take up the slack. But yeah, 1 - 4 are scrap now. Very dangerous scrap.

Chernobyl was a graphite moderated reactor. Basically fuel and control rods put in graphite cases. Once the graphite started to burn from the overheated fuel the heat from the fire took the radioactive particles high into the wind. Fortunately there is not that problem at the Dai Ichi plant. Water is a bit more controllable.

The solution is pretty simple really. Replace Shimizu with one of the many iron willed know-it-all posters from this board. They will be down there in a pair of cover-alls with their balls out and have everything fixed in short order. After that they will go on T.V., look everyone in the eye and give them the straight dope. Next order of business will be scrapping all reactors, working or not, and just shrug off the multi-billion yen loss, because that is how real men do it.

The solution is pretty simple really. Replace Shimizu with one of the many iron willed know-it-all posters from this board. They will be down there in a pair of cover-alls with their balls out and have everything fixed in short order. After that they will go on T.V., look everyone in the eye and give them the straight dope. Next order of business will be scrapping all reactors, working or not, and just shrug off the multi-billion yen loss, because that is how real men do it.

Exactly.

@RoninGaijin

If the management at TEPCO had been doing what they were paid to do in the first place the situation would not be so grave.

These so-called execs are a bunch of cretins who think they are overlords in some feudalistic funny-money economy and are simply occupying ceremonious positions.

God forbid they actually had to do something!

|^-_- ^|

solution is pretty simple really. Replace Shimizu with one of the many iron willed know-it-all posters from this board. They will be down there in a pair of cover-alls with their balls out and have everything fixed in short order. After that they will go on T.V., look everyone in the eye and give them the straight dope. Next order of business will be scrapping all reactors, working or not, and just shrug off the multi-billion yen loss, because that is how real men do it.

.....................

I see a potential problem , the laptop or I-pad may not be radiation resistant .

Without wikipedia, we have no expert know it all iron-he-man poster here.

Please ask those execs to go and blow air with their mouth to cool down the reactors.

...and you can give each of them bellows, too, so they can use their hands as well as their mouths to blow air onto those toasty little reactors.

If shimuzu-san is real Nihonjin. He will do only honorable thing left to do. That is all.

Yeah, he's real I bet; he'll PAY someone ELSE to do it to themselves, so he won't HAVE to.

(Continuation from above) What do you BET the Hospital he is IN, is a FALLOUT Shelter ! Yeah, he's REAL alright.

I am not too keen on reactors 5 and 6 either. If they are as-good-as new, they would still benefit with some adaptions. Maybe if they had another access point for putting water in and bypassing the usual pump; the fuel storage pool could have been thick heavy fuel storage troughs, which could have been movable by crane so fuel rods could be moved to safety in times of crisis; there would be less to go wrong and much simpler if the electric water pump was replaced by a large special water-tower which would push round water by pressure.

Sorry TEPCO, I would make illegal the current reactors at Daiichi and I am guessing this would not bode too well for your other reactors.

Anyway I have one perhaps helpful suggestion, maybe you could heavy clad a number of tanker lorries and have a team of drivers to drive the water to somewhere safe. Maybe if you managed to get a hull of a ship to the reactor front door you could put some water in there. You are going to have to do something shortly, else it is going to become even more messy. Rather than point the finger, we need some good ideas. Does anyone have any better suggestions - I have already excluded Tupperware and washing up bowls, but perhaps not many baths with lids for instance.

Laughing @RoninGaijin. Funny, funny. Let's hear it for the JT Radiation Cowboys.

I hope the last two working reactors are saved and people in that area can get back to work again. The NPP's are a huge part of business in that area and need to be kept. The tsunami got rid of plenty. Save all you can.

If the 2 remaining reactors can be saved, by all means, please do so.

But, if there are even the tiniest cracks or abnormalities, scrap them. The cost of rebuilding these multi-billion-dollar plants may be even smaller than having to maintain a malfunctioning reactor.

Actually, I couldnt be bothered reading all the pitchfork answers; but Id heard that Shimizu-perhaps it was Shimizu, the Head-had wanted to go to Fukushima straight away, but those working there-and perhaps his next in lines?- wouldnt let him come. Lets hope all our workers are as trueblue as those at TEPCO. This would explain his feeling sick to me better than the assumptions that are being floated around here that stem from economic disadvantages. And as for the reactors, Im sure theyre doing what they need to, it hasnt blown up yet, that's quite a feat, in fact I reckon that is pretty incredible and shows how we humans can be a little like supermen-and science does have it's advantages. I am glad that the temporary blackouts WILL be lasting until next year, I really think that people should change their lifestyles at a personal level. The congestion of the cities has gone just a little too far. Infact, this could all be a blessing in disguise to prepare ourselves for the Tokyo earthquake that is overdue-you think that the high rises that have been tested on man-made machinery can reeeeally stand up to an earthquake? I have a lot of doubt. And what about the fires and predicted fire tornadoes, and being trapped up so high, and another tsunami in Tokyos front yard, and food and water supplies etcetcetc. This blessing may make all the reactors prepared for these kind of catastrophe, in order to avoid it, when Tokyo earthquake hits. Im sure TEPCO have learnt their lesson; have you?

i wonder how many TEPCO employees were former government nuclear safety regulators?

The solution is pretty simple really. Replace Shimizu with one of the many iron willed know-it-all posters from this board. They will be down there in a pair of cover-alls with their balls out and have everything fixed in short order. After that they will go on T.V., look everyone in the eye and give them the straight dope. Next order of business will be scrapping all reactors, working or not, and just shrug off the multi-billion yen loss, because that is how real men do it.

Hands-down, the best response to the JT peanut gallery I've read since this debacle started.

TEPCO did not learn lesson. But they new what they had to do 5 years ago. 2004 Niigata earth quake time there was an explosion in their Kashiwasaki plant and all the workers run away from the plant. They tried to cover up everything. TEPCO know that this can happen any time to any of their plants. They did nothing for 5 years. They did nothing to discuss it with other nations. But look at USA and France they planned and prepared for a terrorist attack to any of the power plants and they are well prepared with robots and a plan and b plan and c plan to control the fire and radiation in the event of an accident or attack.

Is that so? I cant be bothered looking up all the details;there always seems to be dirty play somewhere....But a Latin proverb comes to mind. A wise man quietly prepares for war. Of course the emphasis is on the singular, man, not nation, company etcetcetc. I agree with wolfbiscuits, peanut gallery.

Hands-down, the best response to the JT peanut gallery I've read since this debacle started.

Actually an idiotic response that is somewhow trying to defend a president who has abjectly failed his company during its moment of greatest need.

if noone can go anywhere near the site for many yrs how the hell will they operate 5 and 6

With a little hard work I'm sure they could get all six back online. Now that fresh water is being used to cool the others...should only be a matter of time before they get the cleaners in there. :P

Alldinkles:

" I am not too keen on reactors 5 and 6 either. If they are as-good-as new, they would still benefit with some adaptions. "

...the obvious adaption being this time to make damned sure there are triple, quadruple and quintable spare diesel generators available to keep the cooling pumps running. With that available, none of this would have happened. But this is how humanity progresses: We learn from mistakes.

The luddite calls to stop all nuclear power now and windmill ourselves into the middle ages are childish.

forinagai:

" With a little hard work I'm sure they could get all six back online. "

Really? I hope you volunteer for some of that hard-work. And don´t complain about your glow-in-the-dark appearance when you come back.

Hey, to the person who calls me a luddite, very funny, but your suggestion of five spare generators is not enough if your internal pumps simply seize-up, clog-up, wear out, or break down because of one weak part. I would also like to point out that storing your fuel right above the reactor is not the safest place to put it.

Decommissioning those damaged nuclear reactors will take 30 years and at least 1 trillion yen according to engineers.

It took them three weeks to figure this out? Captain Obvious must have been on vacation.

The reactors have already done way more than 1 trillion in damages to Japan as it is. Most of the cost has little to do with decomissioning - it's a cost you pay either way. The cost of not decommissioning is actually greater.

Now that they have about two olympic swimming pools of radioactive water, I am not for the reactors immediate cover by cement. It may be a good idea to safely move the stored fuel rods first too, but I am not certain it is possible.

Well, good to know President Shimizu will be back to work soon to lead TEPCO out of this mess.

This is really hard to take...but will keep reading.

Maybe he got radiation poisoning!!