Kan says Japan will remain on 'maximum alert' to deal with crisis

As of today, radiation has exceeded 4000 times above normal limits and it will probably cause more people to be evacuated. This is certainly sad, but we also have so many Monday morning "Quarterbacks" involved. I certainly hope installation of new nuclear power plants will be put on hold until a thorough investigation is made.

What's with all the scaremongering? Because Plutonium has been found in soil samples? Of course it has. The reason it's there is because of the Nuclear testing age when the Americans spread Plutonium dust all over the world.

You should all read reputable news and information sources, rather than this crap which is about as close to reality as a Unicorn winning the Dubai World Cup. It's a well known fact already that even in the worst case scenario there would be little human and enivornmental damage from this nuclear power plant; this was assured about 2 minutes after the Earthquake when the reactors were shut down, thus ending the possibility of any major disaster.

Maximum alert- they should provide latest information of radiation level everyday in neighbouring state like gunma, saitama, ibaraki and chiba.

I think Japanese gov needs to improve Japan's safety measures for big earthquake, tsunami and nuclear emergency in the future. Japan took a great lesson from the Hanshin earthquake 16 years ago. It's time for a new one. Areas that were devastated by the tsunami must be rebuilt immediately. There is always the possibility that this major catastrophe will boost Japan's economy and things will be better than before. Mr. Kan, please lead Japan out of this crisis as soon as possible.

Fadamor, the japanese have already said that the french robots aren't appropriate for what's needed at Fukushima.

Plutonium at any level is a killer = unsafe.

France has that robotic nuclear catastrophe monitoring and clean-up unit that would seem to be ideal for Daiichi, but the question is will France do without the robots in the unit while the unit is solving Japan's problem?

asiantTourist: "I suggest you contact staffing agency to get a job as editor at JT from Minnetonka-based office."

Probably should, but I don't think they like me very much. In any case, they did not write the article, just posted it. Like I said, it was probably direct translation so it comes off as awkward in English.

it´s good that they recognized they are helpless now and can ask for help. Hope everything goes well...

Bingo, kristie ... You are a fortune-teller. Germany has shut down its nuclear power plants with a reason ... It does not expect to invite French and American experts to fix .... so the world may say "Germany, you make good Mercedes, but bad nuclear ..."

Japan has finally asked for French help after rejecting it over a week ago.

Well I can´t imagine American people or French people letting strangers into their nuke-plants, I would like to solve the problem myself if I could, it´s good that they recognized they are helpless now and can ask for help. Hope everything goes well...

So the half life of plutonium is a few hundred thousand years.

Japan will be on 'maximum alert' for a very, very long time.

What on earth were they thinking?

Kan doesn't need all this aggravation.

Your advise worth an alliance

"Wan but resolute" I think not many people can do this.

You have learned Chinese Proverb now

"Wan but resolute"

I think not many people can do this.

Kan doesn't need all this aggravation.

“From now on, we will continue to handle it in a state of maximum alert.” I realize we're dealing with translation here, but 'from now on' and 'continue to do' shouldn't be in the same sentence. And if 'from now on' is in there, why haven't they been on maximum alert from the start?

I suggest you contact staffing agency to get a job as editor at JT from Minnetonka-based office.

However this plays out, Japan have the cash to rewrite any history they wish. So, this is a done deal -> business as usual.

If you are Japanese, you can win the Tokyo governor election this year.

Kan says Japan will remain on 'maximum alert' to deal with crisis

We are ready now ... Utilize all resources at highest efficiency

I think many of us have been feeling quite alert for the last couple of weeks. But it is good to welcome Mr Kan back from his hibernation.

Japan is so vulnerable! In time of peace: endless earthquakes / possible tsunami. In time of war ,enemy just bombs nuclear plants and thats it.

A prime minister in my native Netherlands would not resign if such a disaster occurred. But if consequently he gave repeated reassuring information, which turns out to be unfounded, he would be honor obligated to resign. I am confident that the same applies to many west european countries.

Kan, draw your own conclusions.

Japan has finally asked for French help after rejecting it over a week ago. Not sure what they will bring to the table, but so much for the "Team Japan" and SHAME they did not take it when offer the first time. But, I guess maximum alert includes accepting help from overseas.

However this plays out, Japan have the cash to rewrite any history they wish. So, this is a done deal -> business as usual.

Is it possible for Japan to convert their remaining reactors to use thorium in place of uranium and plutonium over the next decade or so? Because otherwise Japan may have to wean itself off nuclear power completely.

Maximum alert, that took two and a half weeks to concede, Does that mean he dons a white boiler suit? My guess is they have been told to put eyebrows up and down when filmed. It is past disaster and is now a comedy, tomorrow there will be a little more news...and stll none to lead. Their county, I just pay taxs and work no need for me to judge things that effect me and my family.

Alvarez: "Brilliant. What happened to "All Japan is a team"? I doubt that there is any leader in any country that could "handle" this well."

It's been a couple weeks... more than allowable for the opposition to start casting stones.

but added: “From now on, we will continue to handle it in a state of maximum alert.”

So what does this mean, you Kan and the others having been pissing about with this disaster or what?????????

What they need to do is the J govt get its hands on some super tankers and pump this water into these for now, fix the problems at hand then build large storage tanks and pump the water into those later.

“We cannot let you handle the crisis,” lawmaker Yosuke Isozaki said in the Diet. “We cannot let you be in charge of Japan’s crisis management.”

Brilliant. What happened to "All Japan is a team"? I doubt that there is any leader in any country that could "handle" this well.

Harry_Gatto: That's likely what they'll do, and likely the next big ecological disaster once the containers burst due to pressure. You cannot just seal this stuff up and forget about it... eventually a seal will break and the stuff will leak. Yet more proof that nuclear power simply is not safe.

smithinjapan: quite so. Personally I think that they have little choice other than to dump this water in the Pacific a couple of hundred miles offshore and let it be diluted.

“From now on, we will continue to handle it in a state of maximum alert.”

I realize we're dealing with translation here, but 'from now on' and 'continue to do' shouldn't be in the same sentence. And if 'from now on' is in there, why haven't they been on maximum alert from the start?