politics

Kennedy inspects Fukushima nuclear plant

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Inspects? I would call that a visit.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

her visiting, I understand, but WHY??? would she bring her 21 year song to this place???

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Bad2Dbone, I am guessing the guy really wanted to go, as he thought it would be the coolest thing to tell people. I can even hear him saying, "If you're going, Mom, then so am I!"

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Apparently the guy thought it would be a good way to keep it in the forefront of people's minds and to show that his generation cares about the situation in Fukushima. Maybe he's just a thoughtful young guy who wanted to offer a little show of support to the people affected by the disaster. Go figure.

Schlossberg, who is 21, said, "I hope my peers, my generation in the United States will keep Fukushima in mind and understand that there is still work to be done and we can all do something to help."

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Did they mention that the this reactor was US built? Forced on Japan by the "Atoms for Peace" program after WWII? Japan was in no position to refuse. Generall Electric engineers refused to move emergency power inland as suggested by Japanese engineers, "for safety reasons". I say that because on some message boards I saw comments like "How can Japanese be so stupid to build nuclear reactors? They have earthquakes!"

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

gokai_wo_maneku: "Did they mention that the this reactor was US built? Forced on Japan by the "Atoms for Peace" program after WWII? Japan was in no position to refuse. Generall Electric engineers refused to move emergency power inland as suggested by Japanese engineers, "for safety reasons". I say that because on some message boards I saw comments like "How can Japanese be so stupid to build nuclear reactors? They have earthquakes!""

Um you do realize the plant was put online in 1971 right? Also, would you care to provide some links for your little theory because it seems there is nothing I can find to back up your fairy tale. All the information I have found is that it designed and built IN CONJUNCTION between GE, Boise, and TEPCO.

Also it was the Japanese government that under PM Eisaku Satou that approved each step and it was also TEPCO who got approval to lower the bluff the reactor sits on 25 meters although nuclear scientists at To Dai, Mei Dai, and Kyushu Dai had warned them of the dangers in doing so.

There is enough false information out about Fukushima, you do not need to add to it.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Did they mention that the this reactor was US built? Forced on Japan by the "Atoms for Peace" program after WWII? Japan was in no position to refuse. Generall Electric engineers refused to move emergency power inland as suggested by Japanese engineers, "for safety reasons". I say that because on some message boards I saw comments like "How can Japanese be so stupid to build nuclear reactors? They have earthquakes!"

Quite the contrary. It was reported in the government investigation of the Fukushima meltdown that TEPCO officials were told of the dangers of having the diesel backup generatators in basement levels in the event of flooding/tsunami prior to construction and TEPCO management refused to alter General Electric designs. I find it difficult to believe that General Electric would 'refuse' such an obvious safety consideration or more to the point be in a position to dictate if such alters could be made or not. The Japanese government and related agencies give final approval for reactors which ultimately means it falls on them, not GE.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@ambrosia , I do understand his intentions , its great! , but with all the bad luck all male Kennedy have....just saying

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Truth is wouldn't matter where the backup power was sited. the types of generator used are totally unable to providdee adequate power from a cold start and have a history of malfunction......... Nevertheless, without nukes the Japanese economy is eventually toast.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

On Tuesday, she met high school students and threw a ceremonial first pitch for a professional baseball match involving a local club in the city of Sendai.

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Excitement for students, A ceremonial pitch in MLB major and minor games, often intended ball drops instead of going to pitcher' glove. So far she is doing fine with Japanese people.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No matter what ... she showed a lot of guts by entering that radiated place. I'm pretty sure none of the readers posting here nor any other of you would do what she did. I'd rather get my thrills elsewhere ...

Let's now see how many other ambassadors try this sort of thing ...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

It’s good for Kennedy to see the devastating distractions at crippled Fukushima nuclear and pledge American help Japan to clean up the mess sooner.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Gobshite. What other way could an undercover NSA/CIA/FBI agent get into that place.. Ooops, didn't y'all know?

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Well. you made us realize that any place she goes, US officials has to go. They can not decline to accompany because dangerous to be in Fukushima plant area. This is excellent opportunity to her Junior who might succeed Kennedy Dynasty in USA politics some day.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Tepco should not invest so much Time for VIPs in Fukushima Daiichi but need to increase the Quality of their Workers and their working Condition!

All this People like her (Caroline-Chan Chan) could show up once every 3 or 4 Months and make a Group Tour!

@edojin, the Level of Radioactivity in Daiichi, outside of the Reactor Buildings, is very low. (according to Tepcos official Homepage) There are much higher Levels in the surroundings of Fukushima Prefecture!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Be interesting to see the good that will come from her and her son's visit. It is after all paid for with our taxes.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

To find the US connection, just google GE Mark 1 reactor Fukushima 1, and you will easily find the information. All of the guts were built by GE and its US contractors. Only the external building was built by a Japanese company. All according to US plans that GE refused to change considering local conditions (tsunami). It is better to google in Japanese, then you get lots of details. The other Fukushima plants 2, 3, and 4 were built by Hitachi and Toshiba, and have had many less problems.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

bad2dbone: @ambrosia , I do understand his intentions , its great! , but with all the bad luck all male Kennedy have....just saying

Kennedy, accompanied by her 21-year-old son John Schlossberg,

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

So, Gokai...because GE built the "guts" as you call it, it was forced on Japan? Now, before you think I am be ijiwari on your stupid oshiri, let's get something straight; Japan hired GE to build a nuclear plant they had designed, in a place the Japanese government choose t build it. They then dis-assembled 90% of the reactor and reverse engineered it to build more reactors very much like it. By-passing GE and stealing millions of dollars of research efforts while doing that. They, because they had no experience re-assembling the dang thing, they cobbled it back together, leaving out redundancy systems and failing to completely repair the damages they did in dis-assembly. Not all the parts of the reactor are designed to taken apart and reassembled; many items are once assembled, never taken apart kind of things. Close loop systems. Japan's technology thievery came back and bit them, and you have the ignorance to blame America, blame GE for it? Have you never asked, "Why has no American nuclear plant made by GE had a similar failure?" Never asked "why did my government spend more time covering up than cleaning up?" You hope from broken leg to broken legged argument to appoint guilt on America, when the rest of your fingers point at your government, and the Japanese penchant of stealing other people's technology. Well, you stole nuclear. America didn't force you to do that.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Because Kennedy knows Japanese language, I am very sure she read posters and warning signs over there.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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