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Stress test

31 Comments

Photographers and TV camera crew surround an anti-nuclear activist, center, in Tokyo on Wednesday. Activists were protesting against government nuclear officials during a session that is set to give preliminary approval on stress test results for two nuclear reactors in western Japan. The approval would pave the way for resumption of the reactors if local communities consent.

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Those protesters were demanding to observe the meeting in the same room, but they were only allowed to observe through a TV monitor in a separate room. Two of the panels, University of Tokyo Hiromitsu Ino and Shibaura University Masashi Goto, said those protesters should be allowed to observe in the same room in order to make things clear to the public. Edano said it's not possible. Ino and Goto left the meeting. The other panels moved to a different room and proceeded the session. The stress test (done by NISA) needs to get passed by the panels last night because IAEA is coming next week and METI needs to show the result to IAEA. Two experts didn't participate the meeting, the meeting was not open to the public. I wonder if IAEA would approve the stress test result...

http://hosted2.ap.org/COGRA/APWorldNews/Article_2012-01-18-AS-Japan-Nuclear/id-45406a0696e64e038fcd687e1c21356f

3 ( +5 / -2 )

BH, thx for the extra info, sounds like the a-holes that be dont want to have to answer any tough questions or be watched & held accountable, pretty much standard operating procedure for this country.

I say give'm HELL!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I bet they pass the stress test with flying colors.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Why is it Japanese media feel the need to do the Rugby scrum/pack of wild animals thing? Is it the love of bullying?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

So currupt

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Maybe more Japanese are finally waking up to how they've been lied to for so long, thanks in large measure to social media like Twitter...

http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2012/01/slow-and-rude-awakening-of-japanese.html

As usual, the Japanese MSM twisted the facts here to purposely make the citizens attending look bad or at fault. The public attend a public hearing? How dare they!

These meetings have long been just a formality, with just the image of public outreach or participation. The powers that be, especially those connected to the nuclear industry, have never had any intention of letting anything as unpredictable or uncontrollable as public sentiment get in the way of their what they want.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@MaboDofuIsSpicy:

Maybe he is wearing Uniqlo to save money so that he can donate more for the victims of the disaster?

This kind of materialistic, brand-fixed arrogance is one of the reasons, why Japan goes down the drain. Look at brands, look at names - after all, if it's a Japanese company, you don't have to be so precise with safety checks, since a Japanese company would never ever blow up their nukes and hurt the Japanese public...

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I'm glad he is wearing UNIQLO. The founder of UNIQLO donated quite a lot of products immediately after the quake to the survivors. I'm happy to help corporations that practice good social responsibility. Of course I realize that the also get good PR from these actions, but, that doesn't take away from the fact that they did something that helped people.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Blair, thanks.

The problem is that stress tests are not comprehensive. They only look at certain areas, and it's not appropriate to determine safety based on an evaluation on limited areas.

The tests are not COMPREHENSIVE. WOW. This sounds like a big trouble to me.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

time to run !!!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yonekura, chairman of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) was furious

@Blair, Very interesting you brough up his name again here. I have already left Japan after the mission accomplished. Now I recall how he and CEO of Yomiuri Giants refused to go along with a mandatory energy saving schedule while many who depend on respirators (16,000 of them in Tokyo) for their ultimate rights for survival were denied. They just do not care about these poor helpless people. These two only care about a profit. I believe Mandatory Stress tests of Nuke plants are critical, but it has to be comprehensive and transparent.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

More cameras then activist(s).

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Corrupt old men.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Look at that ONE protester. And he is wearing clothing by Uniqulo

It is exactly this attitude of never speaking out or condemning what is wrong, that has gotten Japan in the problems she is in now. Exactly what have YOU done to make things better - except insulting people's clothing?

0 ( +4 / -5 )

Why is it Japanese media feel the need to do the Rugby scrum/pack of wild animals thing? Is it the love of bullying?

monkey see, monkey do. It's called group society but it really just manifests itself as a bunch of copycats. Comedy, music, politics, education business, why would you expect different from the media? Activists are also going to answer questions, spokesmen et.al , not so much!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I'll save them some trouble. Whatever it costs to do the test, I'll do it for half and get the same result. Let me see...hold on mates... no problem whatsoever.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"The approval would pave the way for resumption of the reactors if local communities consent."

Hahaha! Like they won't restart them when the public ultimately disapproves. They ALWAYS do this -- seek support but do something anyway when they don't get it. Restarting the reactors means BIG money for the companies, which means big envelopes for those with vested interests. They're not going to pass up the chance to make more. They'll "ask for understanding" and Edano will say, "We can't allow you to be in the same room where the panel is taking place, so sorry, but the restarting of the reactors will not harm human health", but they'll most certainly restart them.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I understand Edano's position on this, it would be close to impossible to have a meeting while protesters are present. We had the same problem in a debate open to public of a much less hot topic (the future of science in Japan), where security had to escort two hysterical guys out. nobody understood what the hell those guys wanted or protested against.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

BurakuminDesJan. 19, 2012 - 10:40AM JST

Look at that ONE protester. And he is wearing clothing by Uniqulo

It is exactly this attitude of never speaking out or condemning what is wrong, that has gotten Japan in the problems she is in now. Exactly what have YOU done to make things better - except insulting people's clothing?

Johannes WeberJan. 19, 2012 - 12:40PM JST

@MaboDofuIsSpicy:

Maybe he is wearing Uniqlo to save money so that he can donate more for the victims of the disaster?

This kind of materialistic, brand-fixed arrogance is one of the reasons, why Japan goes down the drain. Look at brands, look at names - after all, if it's a Japanese company, you don't have to be so precise with safety checks, since a Japanese company would never ever blow up their nukes and hurt the Japanese public...

That how Japanese are raised to be non-thinkers, non-truth-speakers and non-problem solvers in centuries. They are called "otaku" if I understand the translation correctly. I can tell which posts are written by gaijin, which are written by Japanese. Japanese written posts are often missing the truth, problem solving and critical thinking. But some are excellent writers. I have been enjoying these good ones.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

German Gov’t Study: Children living near nuclear plants have double leukemia rates, high incidence of solid cancers. Reactors cannot prevent radiation from escaping

0 ( +0 / -0 )

if local communities consent.

Don't consent then...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

NISA (which is under METI) is not so serious about this stress test to begin with. The idea of this stress test was suddenly brought up by Kan Naoto last July as he wanted to stop Genkai nuclear plant to restart. Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) was furious, former METI minister Kaieda broke into tears in the Diet... If NISA/METI were serious about the safety for all those nuclear plants and having constructive talks, the meeting would not need to be closed to the public. I wonder what they are afraid of...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

stress all over...fast approval may save us from further stress.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

There needs to be a MASS organized Demonstration against Nuclear power like a mass mailing of the demstration date to like 5 million people. THEN the JGovt has to listen, I hope.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

He is wearing UNIQLO?! おまえだれの人ですか?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Nuclear power is the safe and clean energy source of the future. Those who oppose nuclear power must realize their position is one that would damage the economy of Japan. Is this not in line with what the North Koreans want? Might there be a connection between the two?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I am pro nuclear, so I do want them to start up the reactors.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I would say that ignorance is bliss. but in this case its a face full of cameras and questions.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Look at that ONE protester. And he is wearing clothing by Uniqulo

-7 ( +2 / -8 )

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