gaijinTechie comments

Posted in: IAEA sees significant nuclear safety progress since Fukushima See in context

The IAEA says nothing. "Significant progress", "increased attention", "focus on vitally important areas"? These are mere marketing buzzwords, they don't mean anything!

What else one can expect from IAEA director Amano. By the way, he already got his amakudari position.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Posted in: Study shows low levels of radioactivity in people living near Fukushima plant See in context

It is just ridiculous and completely unscientific to assume that the situation is now over and we should be able to see the effects (or lack, thereof) already. Saying that anything definite has already come up is purely political nonsense with a purpose to obfuscate reality.

There are no scientists who can say what is a safe level of exposure, because science does not know such a thing. Politicians decide "acceptable casualty levels" based on perceived impact on their ideology.

Since Japanese academia is more schooled than it is educated, it is completely acceptable to question their methodologies, such as criteria of who gets to be a sample. Should they be up to international standards, great, their results will be just one paper for the huge pile of research that has already been made over the decades. Nothing will be based on just one research paper. Ever.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Kan slams TEPCO over nuclear crisis video footage See in context

If Tepco has nothing to hide and did everything correctly as they claim, there should be no problem in releasing all the footage in full. Obviously there is something to hide.

Afraid to take responsibility of what was done and left undone? So childish. Apparently Tepco executives never grew up beyond junior high school level. Too bad, since now they're criminally responsible, no matter how they try to disregard that.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: Customer service in Japan vs Europe See in context

where staff and customers will yell at each other in loud voices — a scene that would leave any Japanese person stunned.

Then there are lot of stunned persons in every mall and shopping center. Ever visited Akiba Yodobashi? I didn't think so either. All the yelling and mindless screaming inside Japanese malls and shops is just so mind-boggling to a westerner accustomed to lower noise pollution levels.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Posted in: TEPCO video shows tensions as Fukushima crisis unfolds See in context

...of selected video clips from the total footage.

Selected by who? Why not all? There were 150 hours of footage, where is the rest? Why were even the released parts edited?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Fukushima nuclear plant workers face stigma, threats See in context

Discrimination against disaster workers/victims has a long tradition in Japan. Only increasing education standards in schools can people be brought to understand what these people are going through. To foreigners, this behaviour is akin to "kicking a man when he's down". A sign of true cowardice.

Tepco's attitude is getting more and more revolting. Instead of supporting workers who have real-life problems, they comb their barcode hairstyles in front of shining mirror, oblivious to the world around them:

"Hopefully as that improves, it will boost the workers’ spirits"

Seriously?!? This is truly narcissist arrogance beyond comprehension! Tepco's pathetic arm polishing will help nobody! First thing they need to do is get their own regulations to European levels: Nobody without a valid radiation safety training and a dosimeter visibly attached to chest outside clothes won't be allowed anywhere near their disaster area.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Posted in: Fukushima residents say 'no' to nuclear energy See in context

Interesting to see how strong the Japanese "black or white" thinking is still strong. Why on earth would non-nuclear power generation would have to mean coal?

Even the chief executive of General Electric has said that nuclear power is hard to justify in the world of cheap gas (http://tinyurl.com/c93uenm), at least in countries where economics decide. And we are talking about geothermally active Japan here, there are numerous options available that have no negative side effects of nuclear, coal or oil.

There is absolutely no need for centralized maximization of electric power. It is just plain stupid to increase elecric production and consumption 1000% so that one could be 10% more efficient. Japan is so old-fashioned, even locals are losing faith in it.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Fukushima residents say 'no' to nuclear energy See in context

They welcomed it because they were blatantly lied at. People now say "no" because now they know better. Now they know the people who run it.

6 ( +15 / -9 )

Posted in: IAEA group inspects nuclear plant at Onagawa See in context

Well, if one needs (and Japan does not) to restart, Onagawa is as safe as it gets. Good place, high ground, although incompetent, out-of-date and toothless supervisory body (non-existent at the moment, actually).

Nuclear energy with all the safeties on is much, much more expensive than shale gas, and impossible to justify with economics. But Japan's response is to remove the expensive safeties. Riiight! Seems legit, Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Completion of Hamaoka plant tsunami seawall delayed See in context

I suppose they're decent enough to delay it's recommissioning also? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Posted in: Former Fukushima plant chief rushed to hospital with cerebral hemorrhage See in context

Rick Kisa, there is a 26 year old and still ongoing research on just that. Japan is not a special case nor first and definitely not unique, they need to accept that and foreign research on Chernobyl if they want to learn fast enough to help their own. A wise man learns from his own mistakes, but it takes a genius to learn from the mistakes of others.

Yoshida is an employee of a company infamous of it's decades long radiation safety failures. He may have not been exposed much after 2010, but he's been in the company longer than that. It's the total that counts in the end. I sure hope he pulls through.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Mother, daughter fatally stabbed in Aichi apartment See in context

Japan needs an environment where women feeling threatened could receive help from police. Obviously this was not the case here, nor in the recent identical Chiba stalker case.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Former Fukushima plant chief rushed to hospital with cerebral hemorrhage See in context

Exactly the same reasoning that denies radiation's effect on anything can be used to claim that the hemorrhage and this cancer IS radiation's fault. Word by word.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Anti-nuclear protesters surround Diet building See in context

Star-viking:

You can start with this: http://tinyurl.com/bmeb7zu. Tepco was the only entity who decided that the tsunami couldn't be higher than five meters. Years up to 2011 are full with congressional hearings and meetings where nuclear scientists and tsunami experts alike were ignored "because it was convenient for Tepco".

We have been through this, even on this forum. Tepco ignored all the warnings, it ignored even the geological data from the area showing marks of tsunami several kilometers inland. One can pretend over and over again that Tepco wasn't warned as a method of propaganda, but since Tepco went too far, there will always be people who will remind everybody of the fact. Tepco's obfuscation techniques might have worked better before the time of the unforgetting internet.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Posted in: Anti-nuclear protesters surround Diet building See in context

The giant utility largely cleared itself of blame, saying the size of last year’s earthquake and tsunami was beyond all expectations and could not have reasonably been foreseen.

That's a laugh! They were warned that this would happen. By Japanese scientists. And Onagawa nuclear plant defenses didn't have problems deflecting the same tsunami. I guess it wasn't souteigai for them to put big enough tsunami barrier and position the backup generators on higher ground, like all the other NPP operators around the world.

Tepco is criminally behind modern times. Even their excuses reek.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Posted in: 4-year-old boy crushed to death by parking garage car elevator See in context

Japanese design concentrated mostly on fashion, trends and the appearance of "comfort". There is little in the way of functional design. I live in my fourth Japanese apartment, none of which are as functional as my dad's log house I helped to build when I was 14.

There are lot of good suggestions in comments on design that would have saved this boy. Their implementation, however, would cost more and might even (gasp!!) reduce comfortability!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Record high 5,467 people taken to hospital for heatstroke July 16-22 See in context

Heatstroke increase that could be statistically tied to electricity savings would make very good investigative journalism.

In 2010, 53 843 people were taken to hospitals for heatstrokes (http://tinyurl.com/ch2lm8f). That was a four-fold increase from 2009. Extrapolating the present rate, peak of 2010 might not be reached this year.

There seems to be lots of info on how to prevent heat strokes that is not going through. Those taking preventive action being ridiculed and put back in their place, perhaps?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: New hirees quitting in droves See in context

Japanese tolerance towards monster parents is unfathomable. Any such interference from parents would destroy the kid's career in the said company. Obviously a "mommy's boy", can't handle real life.

The rest might seem spoiled, but they are indeed saving their careers by not accepting just any job. If you won't respect your own education, why should anybody else?

Gogogo, you're dead on. Work should never be a priority. If you have to work for a living, make yourself and your customers happy by doing what you like (such as hobby turned living, etc).

5 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: TEPCO ignored nuclear accident risks, gov't report says See in context

TEPCO’s own findings, which put the blame solely on the tsunami.

Funny how the very same tsunami hit Onagawa nuclear plant site as well, without as disasterous effects. Even now Tepco cannot admit the obvious.

Anyway, report is somewhat honest, but sounds like a lot of people are scrambling to abandon their sinking drinking buddy Tepco to save their own face.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Posted in: Firm told workers at Fukushima plant to lie about radiation dose See in context

This news has come out in several European newspapers.

The Asahi urged plant operator Tokyo Electric Power to strictly manage the safety of work crews.

Now why would they do that, when they refused to do so for the Japanese people? Their nuclear energy is "cheap" only as long as they don't have to care about human lives nor security, and they can make taxpayers pay for all their damage.

Yasukuni, your government is not going to do anything. You're going to have to do it yourselves. It may not be pretty nor "Japanese", but it will be for your children.

Yes, where is Basroil?

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Posted in: TEPCO head baffled by criticism of utility's role in nuclear disaster See in context

This guy is living in a pretty pink bubble. Clearly incompetent for his position. And very dangerous.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Posted in: Gov't under fire for handling of public hearings on nuclear energy policy See in context

Not one single person died as a result of radiation from the (Fukushima) accident.

It's really sad how some people think the danger is somehow over. But I guess they will distort semantics, claiming that they will die of cancer or leukemia, not radiation. Pffft! No concept of causality whatsoever...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: The new residence card system -- everything you need to know See in context

Neversubmit, you are exaggerating the IC chip reader's range and sensitivity. It will not read anything beyond immediate vicinity. And absolutely not if you have other IC chip cards (bank cards, commuting passes, etc) or IC Card Protector in your wallet (presuming that's where you keep your gaijin card) messing up it's signal.

You have a IC commute pass such as Suica etc? The ticket gates do not reduce your saldo if you just walk by the station, right? You have to put it very close to the reader in order for it to register.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: N Korea says it needs nuclear weapons to deter U.S. See in context

really has nothing we want.

And yet it seems that NK is difficult to leave alone. They live rent-free in a lot of people's heads.

Although I think having rockets and nukes but no food has equal value as prosperity as Japan's habit of concreting up it's nature, history clearly shows that if you want U.S to listen, speak softly and have a nuclear weapon.

Tension with NK has nothing to do with land, living space nor resources, and everything to do with "they have different political system than us, we hates them, hates!".

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Posted in: Coca-Cola develops cooling power-free vending machine See in context

Insulation, the holy grail of "modern" Japan. DuH!

Got a cold. Felt dizzy so I bought an Acerola from a vending machine. The bottle was lukewarm. I was surprised and so happy that I didn't have to force down freezing drink down my already painful throat!

Goes to show that hardships (or "uncomfort", as tenderfoot Tokyoites would say) lead to innovation and lasting improvements. Throwing more and more energy (away) to solve a simple problem is just plain stupid.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: New registration system for foreigners starts in Japan See in context

Netninja, the IC card can be read remotely just like Suica/Pasmo (you can buy/make your own scanner after visit to Akihabara) but the range is limited. Also, its signal is scrambled somewhat if you have other IC cards (such as bank card, Suica/Pasmo) in relative vicinity. Pile up a bunch with your Suica and try to go through the train station gates, you'll see.

I use an IC Card Protector (bought from Loft, but Tokyu Hands etc. also sell them) to separate signals from my Suica from my other IC cards. Buy a couple and sandwich it between, and if you get carded, you know you were just scanned.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Fukushima was 'man-made' disaster: Diet report See in context

Basroil, lot of assumptions there. I see you're still at it. One of the main reasons for the accident as stated in the final report linked above. Hint: facts are found, not invented.

There was no disaster plan, so Kan couldn't have ignored one. Anybody in his position would have wanted answers, and since Tepco nor Nisa weren't available as they were supposed to, it's just natural to call those who wouldn't try to obfuscate things (ring a bell?). Kan understood that top Tepco/Nisa would have lied to him to protect their own asse(t)s had they been men enough to be present.

I'm simply saying that they were capable of and prepared to do much more than they were authorized to by Kan and his subordinates.

You're denouncing "secret consipracies" of others while concocting your own. Transparent much? Anyway, it's hardly a "secret conspiracy" when the corporate corruption, back room deals and croynism (illegal in many advanced countries because they are really bad ways of dealing with things) is so evident.

Quadruple disaster, right? Earthquake, tsunami, Tepco and Nisa.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan looks to sake as new economic growth tonic See in context

Basroil, take a really good look at the quality and resolution of European and Mext radiation maps. You'll see high resolution, detailed European maps, and then you see a single Mext number representing the whole prefecture of Japan. See where I'm getting at? Seriously, is that all you got? Not impressed.

You can assume all you want, that's what you're good at. We have no need for assumptions.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan looks to sake as new economic growth tonic See in context

2) Because Europeans have already learned this lesson, and because Japanese have no idea how seriously Europeans take food safety.

Government compensations for tests and contaminated food guarantee that food producers don't cheat or force contaminated or untested food down people's throat. In Europe, you switch labels and you will never again sell any food products. We don't have kizuna fanaticism to cloud what is important.

I'd drink a cup of warm sake... after they all have been tested, and not a second before. Decision to monitor Japanese exports extra carefully is correct and justified.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan begins power saving despite nuclear restart See in context

Toshiba lost "billions" the same way copyright industry loses "billions" per single download. It's based on lunatic earnings projections that nobody gets to verify, and which seem to take effect only when something comes up to prevent such earnings. Scam like any other scam.

Anyway, people who see "inconvenience" as the end of the world and are even willing to put thousands of their own through cancer (easily curable? What is wrong with you?!) for money that was never there do not make anywhere near that kind of money in the first place.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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