Zetsu comments

MADCOWSJan. 17, 2015 - 08:20AM JST lets not forget that this is a nation (Swiss) which has made a living by (while making trillions) by dealing in currency and being a hub for illigal first and third world money laundering. NOW it is time to pay for pay for some of that sins!

I'm not supporting the kind of "business" you're relating to, but name me one nation who does not...

Bought a new Mazda3 a few months ago. The Kodo design is really cool and the technology, materials, functionality and equipment is quiet good for the money. Will have to see running costs and longevity. Drive could be more direct and stiffer to my taste, but that's just me. The Demio looks cooler than ever in Kodo design!

@randomenigma I have no interest in facebook. If someone takes a picture of me and tags my name, I have no control of it and my privacy. That is why I complain!

UNIQLO sizes might not fit common european body size? But it fits me and I'm quite happy to be able go to a UNIQLO shop to buy clothes to my size and not oversized or too long as is usually the case. At 175 cm I don't think I'm exceptionaly small... If they adapt up the sizes, please don't discard the actual sizes! Last time I went at London's UNIQLO there were plenty of buyers... But they probably won't sell as much in Europe if they don't add some bigger sizes...

@sfjp330

Your calculations may be economicaly defendable, I don't know. Cheaper is not necessarilly better. As for solar or wind power not being viable, sure not for now or without adapting our lifestyle. Isn't it worth a try? How viable was nuclear at it's beginning?

@Heda_Madness

Sure, these unanswered problems too and they are big ones. I'm not denying CO2 problems or saying it's the solution. But nuclear contaminated ground/sea cannot be the trade in for land retaken by the sea.

Death count is not all that counts when assessing danger. But sure, coal and gas do their part.

@sfjp330

If Jpaan decides to build new units, the operational costs are nominal and over a 40-year time period, and have proven to be cost effective.

Seriously? You mean what's happening in Fukushima is "cost effective"? And what about that cost effectiveness after this 40 year period? Because that is when in becomes interesting regarding costs...

nuclear power would look even more attractive

Nuclear power will NEVER look attractive. For money hungry politicians maybe, but not for common people who have to cope with the consequences of the problem.

Agreed, coal and gas is not clean or sustainable, neither is nuclear... There's no miracle solution we can apply now, but that's no reason to justify cheapest solution. People are only ready to trade for same or better value, but face it, it can't be done. Maybe we have to put on hold that growth myth... why always more? Is enough not enough? Idealistic, I know... As for nuclear being far better for the environment... well I'm not really convinced. The next decades will reveal a lot of unanswered problems with decomissioning and waste disposal. And by the way, bury or store waste is not really a fantastic solution. The waste will just pile up and then? Just go for it and hope for a future solution is never good problem managing. Depressing.

that is so horrible, the poor girl... I hope she'll be ok...

Abe sends special envoy to Seoul to work to improve ties with South Korea and at the same time he is back-tracking from a 1995 apology for suffering caused in Asia during WWII... does he really understand what he's doing? If he wants to make a "forward-looking statement appropriate for the 21st century" it's fine, but no need to try erase history...

Abe wants to build new reactors trying to convince people it's a new technology therefore safe reactors... but when you read that basic fireproofing is not yet garanteed in some NPP you really wonder how safe "new technology" will be build...

the use of combustible electrical cables and equipment and machines sited too close together, potentially allowing a fire to spread even though the equipment is indispensable for maintaining safety

Seriously, how scary is that? How can you overview such apparently basic security standards? At least the NRA seems to do its job, but how will Abe and the LDP react to these findings? I really hope japanese people wake up and think about who they voted in...

Even if I didn't support all of Noda's thinking, there was some hope left, somehow. Not anymore. At least a lot of things are clearer now. Japan is on the wrong path for good. It's people will suffer even more and for nothing but the well being of the politicians and their amakudari friends. Sad day for Japan. I really wonder how the LDP voters will react in the next months... desperate and disillusioned.

@Yogi

otherwise they would just loose the only selling argument they have in favor of this kind of energy producing

@MADCOWS I wasn't talking about brand name of the car, just about the engine unit. Actual Lotus has (tweaked) Toyota motors since they droped the K-serie Rover motor in 2004. I don't want Lotus cars to be branded Honda. I just thought it would make access possible to use Honda engines which are good IMO. It could also revive some old F1 collaboration memories...

Would love to see Honda powered Lotus cars!

Can someone explain me how this radiation check works? I'm surprised it takes only 10 seconds for a bag of rice... Is it really possible to measure the Cs level in such a short time? Is there a sample taken? If it's so easy, quick and gives real results what's the problem with testing all the food (apart from the time it'd take)?

I'm with you zichi. Restrictions could have been eventually eased after proof of safety based on real facts/studies. I feel this would have been a better way to keep some trust in dealing with this mess. But this would have hurt feelings too much so let's pretend everything is ok and everybody is nice. If not, then appologize and all is fine... How can you build trust with those kind of happenings? Too much people avoiding to face facts and taking responsibilities. Deceiving. Again and again.

Not happy at all with the DPJ, but if Abe becomes the new PM... I don't dare imagine what will happen

I've seen those kind of robot-lawn-mower since a few years around my place. They have a small station they go back and dock for electric power wich is solar. It makes absolutely no noise and the grass is cut clean through the season! Looks like a gadget but actually quite efficient. You delimit the surface with a kind of wire (don't see it, ground level) it won't cross. It's quite cool, don't have to worry about lawn-mower noise right under the office/meeting windows!

this is such a joke, seriously, no fine???... way to go to recover people's trust, yeah, sure... anybody to comment impact of this on international stage regarding one's nation's (Japan) image? Is this common business dealing?

This is just insane... how desperate are these guys to sign their own death like this? Just how many crazy reports do we have to face until this whole mess will be under control? This is so rotten to the core

Go squirrels ! Go !

Instead of trying to convince with talks that Japan is completely safe, try to show the world how it really is and people will make their own conlusion and go to Japan or not. People can think and choose by themself given they have some trustfull infos. But seeing the communications tactics and handling since 3/11 and then thinking some cool Japan action will make people forget about everything, wrong or right, safe or not, is just not being very aware of how things work out of the island... But then so many people don't care, forget, don't want to see or whatever, so it might actually bring some tourist in and they will go back home and that's it.

This little girl sure looks happy ! Hope your lucky star will shine forever ! You made my day !

Yokohama has been more often a place for these kind of news... Has someone tried to explain why (government or anyone)? Or do other cities do less checks? Or don't make them public? How do these news impact people in Yokohama? Do people even get to the hear the news? There's a lot of unanswerd heavy stuff in these happenings. It's good stopping to use the water, but this isn't solving the problem isn't it? Like kurisupisu said, what's the plan to handle all the waste piling up everywhere? Seems like an impossible task... Would be kind of ok if we could wait to find a solution, but all the while the radioactive stuff is active...

A massive cleanup has begun

...as has a massive spreading in those same towns? Looking at that picture, I don't see how this could possibly work... it's just moving the stuff next to where it was or down the drain. As much as I wish all these efforts would pay off, I think it's just a wish.

@JapanGal

Can't agree more! Lost hidden treasures of super-cool squirrels! Like them a lot, sadly haven't seen so many in Japan.

@SushiSake3

the 30'000 year old seeds seemed to be as bad as your "modern" seeds. They grew the plant from the fruits' tissues...

@Ben_Jackinoff

It starts with this. Next, they are going to be growing dinosaurs.

Part of developped plant cells are still totipotent, much more difficult to get those totipotent cells from dead dinosaurs... so I guess that won't happen very soon. Don't worry about dinosaurs escaping wild animal park or having to change your barbecue for a XXL one, you won't be able to finish to eat your maxi-size-dinosaur-steak anyway ;)

@zichi

Thanks for all the infos. The last link report, if true, is very worrisome... I wonder how this whole mess will resolve

@magical_us

Why cant there be any competition on the japanese electricity market?

I guess you already gave the answer to your question...

I would quit TEPCO right away and change to a competitor, if I just could.

TEPCO President Toshio Nishizawa said it was a tough decision but the company has no choice, NHK reported. “We ask for the public’s understanding,” he said.

Well, not so much choices now maybe... but what about a bit of thinking BEFORE all this happened??? It seems all too easy to ask for public's understanding and then everything is just fine? So what exactly was a tough decision???