September 11, 2014
An urgent warning from Japan
The unstoppable consequences of Fukushima menacing the West Coast of the United States.
Mitsuhei Murata
Former Japanese Ambassador to Switzerland
Executive Director, Japan Society for Global System and Ethics
The worsening situation at Fukushima Daiichi has some experts fearing
the worst; collapse of the 4 reactor buildings due to the softening of
the soil caused by excessive underground water. It could be the
beginning of a catastrophe for Japan and the world. Experts say within
weeks a radioactive plume could reach the West Coast of the United
States.
The total volume of cesium 137 of the Fukushima Daiichi is equivalent
to 5000 Hiroshima Atomic Bombs. The release of their total radiation
could bring about the nuclear winter that would fatally affect the
United States for hundreds of years. The dangers are real and
incomparably terrifying than many are led to realize by Tokyo Electric
Company (Tepco) and the Japanese Government.
No solution in sight
The problem of contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi has no
solution in sight. The situation is seriously worsening.
Decommissioning the plant will be impossible until Tepco surmounts the
contaminated water crisis.
Reliable experts estimate that the daily inflow of contaminated
water into the sea amounts to 1000 tons, of which 600 is groundwater.
In addition to this, frequent torrential rain falls wash away into the
sea radiogenic materials heavily accumulated at the site. In this
connection, the documents of Tepco reveal that, between August of last
year and May of this year, the amount of strontium 90 and cesium 137
possibly attained about two trillion becquerels! This is ten times the
release management level admitted before the accident. It is equivalent
to ten thousand days’ release of radiation into the atmosphere from the
site..
A year ago, when Tepco removed the debris and rubble of the unit 3, the
wind scattered radiogenic materials all around. According to Tepco, the
amount of radiation amounted to 400 million becquerels. Some experts
suspect the real figure is 10 times higher. The rage of those residents
who have been radiated naturally remains difficult to calm down.
To make the matter worse, global warming seems to have brought
about climate change in Japan. Local downpours of rain causing
landslides or mudslides are now so frequent. The latest typhoon has
given rise to nearly 80 victims in Hiroshima. The heavy rainfall washes
away radioactive materials of numerous hot spots at the site into the
sea. Their volume is presumed enormous, but so far incalculable. The
contamination of the sea
thus aggravated is not taken up by the press. It cannot but eventually
end up affecting the health of the residents of the West Coast of the
United States.
Protection of the health of the residents of the West Coast
Some experts now estimate that the wave of radiation from
Fukushima will be 10-times bigger than all of the radiation from the
entire world’s nuclear tests throughout history combined. There are
reports stating that dangerous radiation levels have been detected in
snows found in Texas, Colorado and Missouri, warning that the US,
indeed, is going to face the severest consequences of the ongoing
historic, and seemingly unstoppable, nuclear disaster.
Some reports also point out that large amounts of fish, seaweeds, and
everything in the ocean has already been polluted, and that these
products are the main danger for mankind as they can end up being eaten
by people on a massive scale.
What is stated above certainly needs serious verification.
The protection of the health of the residents of the US West Coast will
become a central political issue. It cannot but awaken the whole world
to the uncontrollable and spreading consequences of the Fukushima
Accident.
The impending task of the Obama Administration
Japan is laboring under the consequences of the Accident never
experienced by humanity. Three and half years after the 3.11 disaster,
it has been shown that a severe nuclear accident cannot be brought
under control by a single state. Japan is not in possession of the
governability and the capacity needed to cope with the impending crisis.
The Japanese government is bent on restarting nuclear reactors and
exporting nuclear technology without clarifying the causes of the
accident.
The majority of the Japanese severely criticize this move as immoral and irresponsible.
The lapse of three and half years has shown that Japan alone cannot
control the situation. The necessity of mobilizing human wisdom on the
widest possible scope is self-evident, but no substantial step has been
taken so far.
The hosting of the Tokyo Olympic Games leads us to think that Japan is
averting the crucial duty of making maximum efforts to cope with the
Accident. With this criticism spreading widely, Japan’s withdrawal from
it is now considered inevitable. It will put an end to the ongoing
attempt to conceal the realities of Fukushima. Its impact would be
global.
The Obama Administration has now the impending task to protect the
lives of the American people and to cope with the global security issue
emanating from Fukushima crisis.
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