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 ‘No Need to Worry’ About Nuclear Reactors, Says JapanPosted on May 8, 2011
Japan says it will not abandon nuclear power in the wake of the quake and tsunami that resulted in the evacuation of more than 200,000 people, thousands of human deaths, an ongoing containment crisis and intensive efforts to fortify vulnerable reactors. Japan’s 54 nuclear reactors account for one-third of its energy supply. Power outages are expected to continue this summer as containment and fortification efforts require the shuttering of multiple reactors. Correction: Earlier this report erroneously said more than 200,000 deaths had occurred. We thank the readers who pointed out the mistake. —ARK
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By Samson, May 9, 2011 at 10:25 am Link to this comment
The same group would have issued the same ‘don’t
worry’ report about Fukushima last February.
We know Fukushima was dangerously vulnerable. That’s
obvious with hindsight. So, was this government
agency working frantically to close Fukushima?
Probably not. Instead, they were probably issuing
exactly the same sort of ‘don’t worry’ statements.
The people to trust with an answer to the question of
whether nuclear power is safe are the people who were
correctly saying before the earthquake that Fukushima
should be closed. That’s the benchmark by which to
judge such reports .... were they right on Fukushima
before it happened?
Some people were right. I don’t know their names. But
I know Japan has people who oppose nuclear power and
who would have been saying that Fukushima shouldn’t
have been built and campaigning for its closure.
Listen to the people who were right about Fukushima.
Report thisIgnore the ‘experts’ who were wrong about Fukushima.
By Jim Yell, May 9, 2011 at 4:56 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
All this proves is it is easier to take a Tiger by the tail than it is to release the tail once you get it. Of course the government doesn’t want to walk away from Nuclear and that is simple. They have already invested heavily in it and closing down the plants is not so simple as flicking the off switch.
Some techo idiots think “oh science will find a solution to the problem with nuclear waste, the problem of cleaning up the messes after they happen”, but should we bet the whole ball of wax on something that is clearly not sustainable with our current technology?
Japan has few energy sources and the Nuclear Devil is very attractive as long as you avoid figuring in the cost of trying to keep nuclear waste out of the environment; how to clean up the messes in a real way, not just cosmetic; how to deal with the displaced residents when accidents happen and lastly what about the medical care for those people who will suffer the results of exposure? All of this should be part of the figures, including the cost of large areas lost to living or farming because of contamination. When the figures are not fudged, then the only conclusion is Nuclear is not Green, Nuclear is not safe, Nuclear is not the way to go.
Report thisBy doublestandards/glasshouses, May 9, 2011 at 12:14 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
200,000 sounds like the number of Japanese instantaneously incinerated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, beside which 9/11 pales. Does anyone know if Japan ever sent a military swat team in to try and get Truman for that crime against humanity?
Report thisBy rico, suave, May 8, 2011 at 6:18 pm Link to this comment
Kanamachi:
The 200,000 figure comes from the same people who claim that the US military has wanotnly killed millions of Iraqi and Afghan civilians. Consider the source. Truthdig lives in a surreal world of conspiracy and fantasy.
Report thisBy rico, suave, May 8, 2011 at 6:15 pm Link to this comment
Another fascinating psycho-linguistic conflation that would make Amy Goodman proud- “Japan won’t abandon nuclear power” after “200,000 people died”. The deaths caused by the quake and tsunami are brilliantly, if sadly, cynically, merged with the nuclear accident. Most truthidggers will eat this up without a second thought.
God, you TD editors are good.
Report thisBy Kanamachi, May 8, 2011 at 4:29 pm Link to this comment
To Truthdig editors, I think that you had better check your casualty number in this story again.
As of 23 March, the confirmed death toll from the East Japan Earthquake and tsunami was 9,079, with 12,645 missing and climbing, but 200,000 is, thankfully, a bit of a stretch.
Report thisBy TDoff, May 8, 2011 at 4:17 pm Link to this comment
Well, you gotta admit, the Japanese faced a tough choice, and made their decision.
Report thisThey decided they’d rather have a place to plug-in their Toyotas, and die a slow death-by-irradiation, than learn to ride bicycles.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, we have to live with their choice, too.