Rick Kisa comments

The big chorus for nuclear power is hampering the efforts to move to a new, more open economy.

It is not even a big chorus by the way. It only appears big because the advocates have power and the money to influence and make noise or punish and/or buy off the those with noise of reason. Otherwise those for nuke are few. Once sold as the best cheap global energy solution, nuke energy is obviously highly risky, mind-bogglingly expensive, ecologically suicidal, anti-people, dirty and unsustainable. If you are squeezed on a small Island prone to killer, unpredictable earthquakes such as Japan, why stick to an energy source whose effects you will live with for thousands of years in case of accidents. And why stick to nuke energy when you are not sure of what to do in case of accidents? No excuses. We have examples of countries that have moved away from nuke plants; they are both protecting the environment and doing exceptionally well economically. It can therefore be done. What is missing is the right determination and leadership....

“We will keep the technology and personnel related to nuclear power and they must contribute to the world, but we would like to consider ways to lower our dependence on nuclear power,” said Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Kudos! This is the excellent type of thinking that has been missing in the current Japan leadership. And for what to do with the nuclear personnel, no worries! Theres lots of work to be done to clean up and decommission the 54 nuke facilities, which will take hundreds of years.

Problem is that by denying, one does not seek help because of the feeling of shame and guilt But this is not leadership because meantime, the citizens you lead suffer. Wish that the authorities of the day realize that nuke accidents are no ordinary calamities whose effects are only limited to the boundaries of the nations where the accident takes place, and the swifter they unreservedly seek help wherever it is, the quicker they will save more lives and the better for the whole world.

Because of lack of trust, people have learnt to multiply any figure from TEPCO by factor of 3. Therefore, if TEPCO reports 97000 besquelles of Tritium in ground water, people think it must be more than 291000.....And when TEPCO reports an accidental temporary leak, the people just interprete that irradiated water has been intentionally been allowed to continously pour out. And when Abe announces that the damaged plants are under control, the people interprete that they are actually not only out of control, but even the operators do not know what to do to stop the mess. Mabe the people are right.....Biut there is nothing as bad as losing trust of the people....

I think Abe’s strategy is to ganner cheap popularity and short-term gains to win the next election and please the nuke village. By denying the health effects which are obvious and known globally, he comes out as some unreliable, shameless liar, bent on exporting eco-terrorism and impunity, while prioritizing profits before safety and security of not only his citizens, but the entire world. He paints a bad image for Japan and needless to say, he may be considered a poor leader par excellence...

Tokyo and Fukushima are almost 250 kilometers apart. We are quite remote from Fukushima

The 2010 Icelandic volcanic ash affected the whole of Europe, including countries such as Spain and Italy that are thousands of miles away. We have a chain of badly damaged, poorly managed, very unstable, old nuke plants only 200km from Tokyo centre (about 120km from outskirts), continously spewing poisonous nuclear radiation into the sea and atmosphere since 3/11. In typical Japan style of arrogance and lack of accountability, the whole world is being reassured not to worry! If anything goes wrong with the sort of knee-jack gambling, quick fixes taking place, the whole of Tokyo would be evacuated. Imagine the world's best lungs on track with millions of spectators from the whole world: the boooooooooooooom! Shall we say still in Japan style that "nobody knew this would happen"? And who will forgive us?

Record radiation readings seen near Fukushima water tanks

That is the 100th radiation record reading we have had this year. Poor irradiated workers and neighbouring communities must be having it rough..The myth that nuke energy is cheap, sustainable, pro-people, clean and ecologically sound is busted for good!

“Our fundamental belief is that unless you can absolutely say that there is no risk, no potential risk of an active fault being beneath of the building the reactor should not be operated,” NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka told reporters.

Well, it is better to assume Japan is in the ring of fire, with killer earthquakes and tsunamis and therefore, risky and not suitable for any nuke plants. Australia is a highly developed country but its only nuke plant is used for medical purposes!!!!

“Fukushima is a problem that must be separately resolved. So rather than leaving this solely to TEPCO’s responsibility, the government will take the initiative and get involved in dealing with the contaminated water and decommissioning to a significant extent,” he told Reuters in an interview.

All of us know that japan gvt and TEPCO have been too close in same bed since the 1970s, otherwise either TEPCO would not by now be in business, or some TEPCO officiacls would have been dismissed from their jobs, or both...

“Fukushima is a problem that must be separately resolved. So rather than leaving this solely to TEPCO’s responsibility, the government will take the initiative and get involved in dealing with the contaminated water and decommissioning to a significant extent,” he told Reuters in an interview.

All of us know that japan gvt and TEPCO have been too close in same bed since the 1970s, otherwise either TEPCO would not by now be in business, or some TEPCO officiacls would have been dismissed from their jobs, or both...

Abe pledges comprehensive, prompt steps for Fukushima

This is what Abe was supposed to do immediately he stepped into power instead of globe-trotting selling his failed nuke technologies. He puts profits before people's security; he is a poor leader...

The best apology will be that followed by decommissioning of all old reactors. While japan is planning to restart its old, poorly managed reactors, USA has decommissioned 3 reactors within the lest 6 months! http://www.worldnuclearreport.org/Another-US-Reactor-Scheduled-for.html

However, he also accused the international press of not fully grasping the INES designations.

Who cares about scales? What is important as of now is that huge volumes of poisonous irradiated water have been allowed into the ground and global commons (the sea) with untold human and ecological consequences. Japan should be sued for this; otherwise the usual lack of accountability will continue as shown by the PM currently going around selling japan nuke technology even when he knows because to his country's carelessness, the world is going to live with this nuclear pollution nightmare for hundreds of years.

Abe’s tour of the Gulf is seen as his latest push to promote nuclear technology exports. And the Japanese government says Qatar and Kuwait have shown an interest in nuclear safety, out of concerns that neighboring countries plan to build nuclear plants.

Madness! I guess some of these arab countries are ignorant about the nuclear mess in japan. Why should one buy japan nuke technology now even if for free? Is there something the world does not yet know about such monkey business?

And all this is happening when nuclear plant closures are at their highest in history..http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/08/28/nuclear-plant-closures-at-all-time-high/

Gov't may need budget reserves to deal with Fukushima toxic water

With the nuclear village and their political stooges itching to restart the many old nuke plants (against the wishes of the japanese people); and with the country being prone to dangerous earhtquakes; and with careless nuke plant operators and arrogant leaders, Japan will obviously need to break the bank to address the many nuclear 'accidents' yet to come. And I have not mentioned the damage to people's lives and the global ecosystems.

Then you hear Abe going around peddling japan nuke technology to arabs, most likely, to export the mess to other nations. What a selfish and arrogant fella this guy is!!!!!

It is obvious IAEA urgently needs restructuring and new leadership...

Japan has 2 major competencies to export as of now: global eco-terrorism and arrogance/impunity...it is a shame that we do not have a global nuclear policing authority to keep such arrogant n errant guys like abe into check. Forget IAEA which only says its work is to provide advise, not policing...they compared themselves to gun-sellers.

Abe shamelessly doing his monkey business thing. One would be mad to buy Japan nuke technology even if for free. We shall have no place to live on earth if countries buy japan nuke technology.

I think all of us know that it is common for fukushima plant workers to be exposed to the radiation.....

For Japan,

Japanese prosecutors are unlikely to indict former prime minister Naoto Kan, utility executives or regulators over their handling of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, rejecting complaints filed over the world’s worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl, the Asahi newspaper reported on Friday.

And for South Korea

In South Korea, six reactors are currently closed - three for maintenance or expiry of operational approval, and the other three to replace cables supplied with forged documents. Prosecutors are conducting a massive investigation into flawed nuclear reactors, arresting dozens of officials and parts makers on bribery and forgery charges in relation to falsified safety certificates. Those arrested include the former the CEO of the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power that runs all the country’s nuclear plants, who faces bribery charges.

What a contrast between South Korea and Japan!!!!! While South Korea is putting holding responsible people in the whole nuke energy production value chain to account, Japan is contented with the status quo, allowing nuke plant culprits goscot-free, and eagerly waiting for restart of the old faulty nuke plants!!! The culture of lack of accountability for nuke mess in Japan is costing dearly not only Japan, but the whole world...

“The IAEA continues to be ready to provide assistance on request.”

Seems IAEA does not know the type of business it is into! Nuclear energy is an unforgiving business and should not be left solely to careless governments such as that in japan. You are here talking of a business that can poison global ecosystems...and then you just talk of advise!? My foot. It is past time IAEA is overhauled...new management needed

Shame that there is no global authority to sue Japan for ecocide: carelessly and continously polluting sea and global ecosystems and bragging about it. And for those in doubt that the problem is only restricted to Japan, the other day, fukushima sandals were found in Alaska and Canada! Should the world look on as Japan exports its incompetence and usual lack of leadership and accountability to the global commons? Can IAEA save the world by not only thinking of promoting nuclear energy alone, regardless?..at least they have not shown that when the world urgently needed it....the fukushima example doesn't show IAEA thinks beyond profits!

TEPCO says radioactive water overflowing at Fukushima plant

Experts predict July 2014 restart for some reactors

Defeats logic. Best would be to first prove to the world that japan can competently handle a nuclear plant crisis.

Abe pledges to seek to eliminate nuclear weapons

Hope he knows nuclear reactors can also be weapons of mass destruction

Between 20 trillion to 40 trillion becquerels of the substance is estimated to have leaked into the sea since May 2011, said Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO).

Given TEPCO's history and future of lies, feel free to double or tripple the estimate figure given ......

Of course they want to make a case for continuation of the unpopular nuclear energy. These prices can be lower than even those in Germany if the government of the day wishes. This cannot be with the current regime....

everybody knows the increased hikes in electricity are superficial to create an impression of power shortages in order to switch on nuclear reactors.....

Toxic radiation in groundwater at Fukushima plant: TEPCO

They seem to be handling problems as and when they come. I really doubt that TEPCO had put in place any sufficient safety measures in case of a nuclear catastrophe...

She says her TEPCO team is putting together the world’s toughest safety regulations, and they will be ready “within months.”

It is not TEPCO to put together regulations. And even if they do, who will trust them? What is required of TEPCO is to implement both NRA regulations and international best practice on safety and security protocols of nuclear plants.

Japan says building nuclear safety culture will take a long time

Watch out. All remaining iddled reactors could be restarted on the pretext that even if they don't have sufficient safety standards, they can as well continue working as it takes long time to fix the safety puzzle. If people and environment are put into consideration before profit, then safety should always be first....