This is very disturbing. The situation in Japan at the moment means that all but 2 of the nuclear reactors have been closed down but the government want to start some of them up again and much of it is to do with the money that flows from the nuclear industry. Also, summer time in Japan sees the greatest use of electricity and last summer we managed to get by, just! But that was with 19 reactors still in operation and having a heavier reliance on fossil fuel energy which of course has driven the electricity bills up, how the country will manage through this summer with only 2 reactors working, I don't know.
I don't want the reactors re-started, I think the government should be taking a more serious move towards alternative methods but whatever happens in the summer, the problem with Fukushima reactor 4 is happening now and after that big shake last night it makes it even more scary. This is piece taken from TV, if you want subtitles click through to YouTube and on the cc button, the reporter is actually quite worked up about it all but the subtitles are pretty basic, you will get the gist though.
I couldn't help but notice in your last post that the children wear masks when they are running around. Is this due to the Radiation. I am not sure how far exactly you are from Fukushima but I know that Japan is not a large country (especially when you compare it to Australia where I live). I watched a documentary the other night about the children living in the aftermath of the disaster and found it heart breaking. I could not imagine putting a radiation metre on my baby every day before sending her off to school or checking the radiation in the park before letting her on the slippery dip. It must be so heart breaking & challenging for families who feel they have no choice but to be that close to Fukushima. Then to have the authorities talking about re starting reactors when you are still on a major fault line and will almost certainly continue to have earthquakes and tsunami... my heart weeps for the people of Japan as they struggle through this difficult situation. I hope you are safe where you are and that the disaster does not get worse for your people.
ReplyDeleteJodi, the kids in our area are wearing masks because either they suffer from kafunsho - hay fever, it is the season for it just now and it's horrible, even I have given in and started wearing a mask. OR they are sick with a cold and don't want to pass it on. Mask wearing it totally normal here and at the moment half the nation is wearing one!
DeleteWe are about 200km from Fukushima, far but not far enough as far as I am concerned!
This is terrifying. I've got a knot in my stomach just thinking about how you must be feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt's terrifying. I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about how you must be feeling.
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