Text Fwd: Steven Leeper: "We need to be working together, trying to help each other

Ten Thousand Things
Steven Leeper: "We need to be working together, trying to help each other, trying to find the truth & sharing it honestly & openly with each other."
March 25, 2011

Leeper, the director of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, which manages the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, told Democracy Now! on March 17, “In Hiroshima, we are pretty sensitive to radiation issues, and we’re very sensitive to disaster issues. We are known as a place that knows about radiation. We have a team of doctors. They left yesterday to go up into that area with their equipment to try to figure out what kind of radiation is up there."

The doctors have returned to Hiroshima, but haven't yet released their report. Today, he shared this follow-up:

In your Democracy Now! interview, you said that we need to know exactly what kind of radiation is out there, which kinds of isotopes are being emitted. What have your doctors found?

This information is not available. If the doctors know, they are not saying anything right now. We do know that iodine and cesium are out there at high levels. The TV is saying all you have to do is wash your vegetables. But the government is making a lot of farmers throw away a lot of product.

Do the risks lessen the further away one is from the Fukushima plant? What are the risks for people in Fukushima; the adjacent prefectures, and beyond?

The risk lessens rapidly with distance from Fukushima. The people within 20km have been evacuated, within 30km people are being asked to stay indoors as much as possible and to wear masks etc when they go out.

How should we read the measurements published by the Japanese government? The top priority for the government and even the scientists right now is to prevent panic. You should read the measurements as extremely conservative.

People are concerned about the use of MOX fuel. ?Would you speak to this?

Reactor 3 runs on MOX, which means it has a lot of plutonium in it. Plutonium is one of the most toxic substances on Earth. A tiny bit inside you will cause cancer. That is why it is very important to know if this plutonium is in the air. At this moment, most people do not think it is.

Should we be concerned about the smoke arising from the plant?

Yes, for two reasons. One is, it is surely radioactive to some extent. The second is that it indicates some sort of fundamental instability that they have yet to control.

Will Fukushima prefecture be able to "come back" eventually like Hiroshima did? Is a a nuclear plant disaster different from an atomic bombing disaster?

There is still an area 30km in radius around Chernobyl where no one can live.

At this moment, my understanding is that the radiation in Fukushima is fairly superficial and will be washed clean by a few big storms (except for right around the plant).

However, it is still possible that we will have a Chernobyl type meltdown, or even four such meltdowns. If we do, we will lose a big chunk of Fukushima Prefecture for a very long time.

A nuclear power plant is tens of thousands of times dirtier (more radiation) than any bomb. The main thing to know is, this is not over, not at all. We are still in terrible danger of a major nuclear disaster.

Do the HPF physicians recommend iodide supplementation for people throughout and outside Japan?

The people I have talked to do not recommend potassium iodide at this point. They don’t think it’s good for you and they don’t think it is necessary. Also, from what I have heard, no one can buy it anyway because the government has bought it all up and is planning to distribute it in the event of a real emergency. This has not been confirmed, but I heard it from a reliable source.

Conflicting information in the media is creating cognitive dissonance. At the Kyoto Journal Facebook page, there was a long discussion about which sources to trust. How do you advise lay people on how to obtain and evaluate information?

In general, the government is trying to prevent panic. The power company and the nuclear industry is trying to minimize the danger and maximize the appearance of control.

The anti-nuclear folks are maximizing the danger and lack of control.

In Kyoto, you have a guy name Koide-sensei. I trust him. Here we have Kamata-sensei. I trust him. However, neither of them have access to the real raw data from the site.

The doctors I was hoping would tell us the truth around here seem to be taking the position that they do not want to cause panic, which causes me to panic.

Hoshi-sensei, who has been on TV, says that right now we are not in great danger, but that the situation is extremely serious and could turn very very bad. He is deeply worried, but not about what’s happened so far, only about what might happen.

I think we all need to listen very carefully to all the information coming to us, then do what our own intuition tells us to do. No one really knows what is happening. No one knows what will happen.

Besides which, the situation is so extremely complex that no one, even with the best of neutral intentions, can possibly know what is happening. What is in the air? Where is it going? Where is it falling? What will it do to you if you breathe it or eat it? All of this is complex beyond any scientific ability to say anything.

We all need to listen and use every reference point we can, be we all need to understand that our guesses are as good as anyone else’s.

What do you advise us on how to deal with the collective psychological trauma we are experiencing?

I think I answered that in the previous question, but in addition, I would say that the key is in the word "collective." We are all in this together.

We need to be working together, trying to help each other, trying to find the truth and sharing it honestly and openly with each other.

We have to avoid taking our stress out on each other and turning this into a blame game filled with anger and hatred and fear. That will only make the situation worse and keep people from being able to make their best contributions. We need to keep calm, at least until the situation with the reactors is resolved.

Then we can start investigating the causes and who to blame and all that accountability stuff, but right now, we need TEPCO people going in there risking their lives to save us, and we need to be grateful that they are doing so.

Love will help us more than anger. Courage will help more than panic.

- Posted by Jean Downey

Text Fwd: Japan is urgent: No.3 reactor of Fukushima No.1 plant has been in operation with 'MOX' fuel

______________________________
See also
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Text Fwd: THOUGHTS OF HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI
______________________________

Update at 12: 31am on March 14, 2011 (from Makiko Sato )

I'm very worried about the nuclear power plants, some or all of the reactors are in danger now.

But to look at other aspects, I feel so devastated. So many were killed, and so many more are missing.This is more than the one in Kobe. Double or triple disasters.

In hard-hit areas, all the lifelines have been broken, --oil, gas, water, electricity,
roads, every kind of communication systems including mobile phones--

And Tokyo Electric Power Co. is surely going to lose all the several reactors
of Fukushima No.1 & No.2 plant, so the limit supply of electricity, beginning tomorrow,will go on for several months or more in the wider areas. Japan's economy will be long affected, which means more people lose jobs.

This is the fate of this earthquake-ridden country, as Japan is on the unstable plates
on the seabeds.Quakes are still on and off in the hard-hit areas: each on 11 and on 12,there were about several tens of quakes with seismic sacle of 3~6. Incredible.
One more big one, scaled 7, is expected in a few days with the possibility of 70%.

The volcano is very far south in Kyushu, so I'm fine. Thanks.
But maybe someday in the near future in the area where I live as well, there will be a big earthquake.

It is so devastating to look at this below URL, which [J. D.] let me know,
but still, to look at this makes us humble before nature. Peel each images and ' after' beneath ' before ' appears.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm
___________________________________


Update at 5:09pm on March 13, 2011 (from Makiko Sato )

For your convenience in getting information regarding Japan's nuclear power plant crisis,this below website is run by Irene Smith, the wife of the late Yugene Smith, a noted Minamata photographer.
http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/wordpress1/index.php?p=2

Breaking news:


Our Chief Cabinet Secretary has just made a briefing regarding No.3 reactor of Fukushima No.1 plant.



This reactor has been in operation since last Oct. with so-called 'MOX fuel', a mixed fuel of uranium and plutonium, in a reactor designed only for uranium, the third of such operation which began first in Saga last April, Ahime last August, then, Fukushima last Oct..


This has been a big concern as well after the explosion of No.1 reactor's facility of Fukushima No.1 plant, as the situation is just the same, while this reactor is in much dangerous operation.

According to the Chief Cabinet Secretary, at 15:30 on 13th
.......................................................
・Fuel rods were exposed after the cooling function had been lost due to electricity shortage driving from earthquakes.
・The water level in the containment vessel got lower, so first they pumped in water ( and a lot of boric acid, according to an online news media website)then as the pump became unworkable, so they let a lot of seawater in, inviting an unstable situation of maintaining the water level.
・Due to that process, fuel rods got dramatically exposed, and melted, during which process hydrogen ocurred, producing a lot of vapor. Much portion of hydrogen went up, through the vent, on to the roof, and accumulated there.
As a result, there have been various levels of radioactivity leakages detected so far, but currently, the one-time high level is not seen anymore, and now it is rather low. Currently the water level is gradually increasing.
・ So there is possibility of that hydrogen mixing with oxygen, in which case a similar explosion to that of yesterday may happen. Therefore, we would like to inform you about the possiblity.
・But don't panic. The containment vessel was not broken in yesterday's explosion,
so we won't anticipate an explosion which would break down the containment vessel. Also, an anticipated explosion of the same kind with yesterday's has not happened yet, so we would like to continue to watch for the situation carefully.
...................................................

This is plutonium-mixed fuel operation, but our government's official briefing never mentions that. Citizens are circulating information of their own. One piece says that evacuation area should be expanded into 100 km radius considering plutonium's toxity, if and when, a more dreadful explosion should happen.

Nearly 80 personnels of United States Agency for International Development have arrived at Misawa, Aomori, with 12 rescue dogs. This large number of rescue doges is, thankfully, a big help, which is rare in a disaster crisis in any other country, TV news says. Also, TV news says that the ultimate death tolls will surely be over 10,000.

Makiko Sato
________________________

Update at 8:22 am on March 13, 2011 (from Makiko Sato )

It is a small relief to read that the damages were not so big in Hawai'i,
but still, to people on small islands in the Pacific, the fear of Tusnami must be so large. Please take care. Right now, warinig of 10m high tusnami at one area has been issued on TV.

(I'm quoting this just as I hear NHK TV news.).....................
The evacuation area around Fukushima nuclear power plant was enlarged from 3 to 10 km early this morning.

Inside the operating room of No.1 ( I heard No.2) reactor of the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant 1,000 times higher radioactivity has been detected.

One expert now appearing on TV is saying that there is a 'minor possibility' that
the contaiment vessel will be broken down. The announcer and the expert are saying a slight radioactivity was detected at the frontgate of the plant but that this may not be from the reactor itself but from some broken tubes or something around it.
.....................................
I've just got a Gov. paper from an anti-nuke activist in Tokyo via email who also is a core member of GreenPeace Japan. This was released by the central government at 22:35 last night, which regards Gov. emergency counter-measures to contain damages in every aspect. The paper says at 21:41 last night our prime minister orderd that in case of evacuation, residents be over 10 km radius away from the No.1 plant.
.........................................................
(Atcual evecuation 'recommendation' for expanded area of 10 km-radius
was issued around 5:00 this morning. )

One expert fear the repeated quakes in the northern part ( still going on) might trigger ones in the southeastern, and then in the southern area, as has been afraid, but so far, it seems OK.

One of the hard hit area in a Miyagi town at the rivermouth, the ground of the whole area has sunk, meaning another Tusnami might endanger people left even on the roof terrace of 3 or 4 story-concrete buildings, so the local authory is right now asking for their help. The fear of Tusnami is still warned as to every part in Japan.
Several towns in Miyagi, Iwate, Fukushima have been totally distroyed.
Fatlities around Japan may be thousands or more.

Many workers in Tokyo had to stay in nearby public buildings like universities, community centers, and so on, as Japan Rail trains didn't run because of blackout. Part of transportation including some lines of JR recovered late at night. I'm totally in a safe place, feeling devastated, praying nuclear power plant(s) in Japan might not cause further disaster.

Makiko Sato

[Petition Fwd] From Japan : STOP Pluthermal Nuclear Power Generation in Saga, Japan!

- Petition closing email by Junko Okura(preabsanol@gmail.com) on Nov. 27, 2009-

"Thank you for your warm message to support the opposition groups against the plutonium nuclear power generation in Genkai, Saga, Japan. [..] Please check the site.

http://carnivals.blog93.fc2.com/blog-entry-71.html#more

As for the petition, We were able to collect 166 signatures from individuals and 11 endorsements from organizations all over the world. […]

http://greenvoice.com/campaigns/360-urgent-stop-plutonium-mox-nuclear-power-in-japan

We'll submit the list of signatures to the Japanese government, Saga
local government and KYUDEN with some other 800 endorsements by Japanese organizations.

Thanks again for your warm support.

We'll continue to put the latest news about plutonium (MOX) nuclear power generation in Japan on this site.

Please follow this very important issue and continue to keep supporting any activities!

With best regards,

Junko Okura"
__________________________________________________________________________

"Both groups/ individuals can sign"
Direct Petition Site (Click here)
Please add your country after your name!





*Video source: Carnivals blog, Oct. 18, 2009



* Video source: Labornet Japan

* Image source: Green Peace

*Image source: 'Labornet Japan', Meiji Park in central Tokyo, Oct. 3, 2009

*Image source: 'Labornet Japan', Meiji Park in central Tokyo, Oct. 3, 2009

* Image source: Carnivals blog, Nov. 5, 2009

* E mail sent from Junko Okura(preabsanol@gmail.com) on Nov. 6, 2009
and Makiko Sato(seamesky@sand.ocn.ne.jp) on Nov. 7, 2009

'Dear everyone,
This campaign in English has been very recently set up by one of my Japanese friends,
who has been committed to the issues of the debts imposed on African countries by the advanced world.
Japanese government and electric companies have not figured out what to do with the nuclear waste
from the pluthermal cycle, which in fact cannot be described as a cycle.
Some hawkish politicians here sometimes reveal their wish to have nuclear weapons against North Korea.
We never know what is behind this pluthermal plan, as we learned from the lecture by Bruce Gagnon
in Fukuoka, which is near to the pluthermal operating nuclear power plant, this Aug.
that as long as nuclear power plants exist we cannot abolish nuclear weapons.
Additionally, this strong nuclear power generation is so dangerous in Japan
where big eartuquakes are technically expected in some near future
that even some in South Korea are opposed. I'd like to ask you to support and spread this.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Makiko Sato' (Nov. 7, 2009)

______________________________________________________________________________

'Local opposition groups are now collecting endorsements for
their petition demanding that the Pluthermal Project be called off.

Would you please forward/ put into your site the message below?
Thank you for your cooperation!

The petition site
http://greenvoice.com/campaigns/360-urgent-stop-pluthermal-nuclear-power-generation-in-japan/petitions/17

They are collecting endorsement from groups/ organizations but ANY
group, no matter what, no matter small or big, will be welcome!

In Japan, various groups including groups of young parents,
food-safety groups, consumer unions, organic food shops/ restaurants,
kindergartens, as well as rocken-roll bands have endorsed.

I have just put the petition on the site so at this moment you can see
only a few names of endorsement, so I'd really appreciate it if you
could put your group name as soon as possible to encourage other
groups to sighn up!

I'll send e-mail to the contacts you gave me in your last letter.
Thanks again and all the best!

Junko Okura' (Nov., 6, 2009)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please endorse the petition to stop Pluthermal Project in Japan.
(“Pluthermal” is a Japanese word, which combines two English words,
the “plu” of “plutonium” and "thermal")

On November 5th, Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC. (also known as KYUDEN)
started up the reactor with the MOX (mixed uranium and plutonium
oxide) fuel of Genkai nuclear power plant .

Local opposition groups have set up tents and begun a 24 hours-a-day
sit-in protest continuing until further notice in front of the head
office of KYUDEN in the centre of Fukuoka City (pop. 1,300,000).

This has been done in tandem with negotiations with KYUDEN and Saga
prefectural government.

Reports of the protest in front of the head office of KYUDEN has been
put on the website of the Steering Committee for MIRAI (Japanese word
meaning “Future”) .
(Unfortunatelly it’ll be only in Japananese but you can see some pictures.)
http://carnivals.blog93.fc2.com/

The Steering Committee for “MIRAI” and other local opposition groups
are now collecting endorsements for their petition to stop Pluthermal
Project before December 2, when KYUDEN is planning to start operation
in full blast.

This petition will be submitted to the Japanese National Government,
Saga Prefecture local governments and Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC.
(KYUDEN).

http://greenvoice.com/campaigns/360-urgent-stop-pluthermal-nuclear-power-generation-in-japan/petitions/17

Please send an endorsement of the petition by your group.

You don’t have to be an environmental or anti-nuclear group.

Already in Japan more than 670 signatures were collected for only 2 days.

From small local grass-rooted groups to big national organizations,
including NGOs, social movements, trade unions, groups of young
parents, food-safety groups, consumer unions, organic food shops/
restaurants, kindergartens, as well as rocken-roll bands and artists
groups have already expressed their supports.

Endorsements from other countries are very effective. Japanese
government hates to be criticized by people in another country.

ANY group, no matter what, no matter small or big, will be welcome!

http://greenvoice.com/campaigns/360-urgent-stop-pluthermal-nuclear-power-generation-in-japan/petitions/17

The reason why the Japanese government is promoting such a dangerous
and expensive project is simply because they want to lead in the world
as a country with advanced nuclear-technology and then to export this
technology to other countries, especially Asian countries.

The Japanese Government and nuclear industry are trying to
add nuclear business in a list of applicable industries of CDM (clean
development mechanism) under the Kyoto Mechanism.

This will have terrible effects on the anti-nuclear movements in other
countries as well as cause an even greater debt burden to developing
countries.

Please lend your hand to stop “Pluthermal” in Japan!

Junko Okura

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Pluthermal Project in Japan, see also

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200911060135.htm

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/10/text-fwd-urgent-action-call-from-japan.html

http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/english0/index.php?id=5

http://www.greenpeace.or.jp/press/releases_en/pr20090518_ce_html

Abolish nuclear power plant now! 7000 join the “NO NUKES FESTA 2009”
in Tokyo on October 3th.

http://labornetjp.blogspot.com/2009/11/abolish-nuclear-power-plant-now-7000.html

STOP Pluthermal! “Nuclear Fuel Cycle” has been wrecked!
Nuclear power is not acceptable as the solution to climate change!
End the saga of the nuclear dispute in Saga!!

_________________________________________________________________

Update 1

E mail sent from Makiko Sato(seamesky@sand.ocn.ne.jp) on Nov. 10, 2009

'I've recently looked at some archives in Green Action website, and found out
Kyuden (Kyusyu electric power co.) has MHI as one of its Mox fuel fabrication contractors.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2009-11-5 http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/wordpress0/index.php?p=75
Subsequently, Kyushu Electric refused to disclose pertinent information concerning its
self-inspection criteria, stating that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, their principle
contractor for MOX fuel fabrication would not allow the disclosure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, to sum up, MHI has the business of manufacturing and selling : PAC 3missiles,
newly advanced destroyers equipped with Aegis system for launchig SM3 ( joint development with the USA),
space rockets equipments, and Mox fuel !
[...] Only this company, in Japan, has gained a big profit last year, I read in Asahi at the biginning of this.'
_______________________________________________________________________

Update 2

http://tenthousandthingsfromkyoto.blogspot.com/

_________________________________________________________________
Update 3

Sent to Koreans on Nov. 22, 2009

일본으로부터: 겐카이원자력발전소 플루서멀 중단 요망서 찬동 단체 긴급 모집 및 개인 서명 (11월 25일까지)

안녕하세요. 많은 분들께 보냅니다.

일본 사가 관구 플루터말 (Pluthermal) 핵 발전소 중단을 위한 국제 연대 노력의 일환입니다. 11월 5일 규슈 전기 회사는 겐카이 공장에서 우라늄과 플루토늄 산화물을 섞은 플루터말 연료 (일명 MOX) 기동을 시작했다고 합니다. 12월 2일 본격 가동 예정이라 합니다. 한 소식에 따르면 규슈 전기 회사는 미사일 방어망의 온갖 무기들을 만드는 일본 최고 무기업자 미쭈비시가 주요 계약 업자로 있는 곳이라 합니다.

플루터말 (Pluthermal) 핵 발전소는 사가 관구 주민들의 건강과 생명을 위협할 뿐만 아니라 동식물등 환경에 심각한 침해를 가져올 것이기에 이미 46만 명 이상의 일본 국민들이 이에 서명한 바 있읍니다. 또한 규슈 근해 한반도에도 영향을 미칠 것이 틀림없읍니다. 후쿠오카 시에서는 일본 활동가들이 24 시간 천막을 치고 이에 반대하는 일을 한다고 합니다. 한 일본 활동가는 이것이 일본이 핵 기술을 다른 나라 특히 아시아 국가로 수출하려는 의도에서 나온 것이라 생각 합니다. 일본 활동가들은 국제 연대의 목소리만큼 강력하게 일본 정부와 사가 지역 정부를 압박하는 것이 없다고 합니다..

1. 더 자세한 내용은 일본의 마끼코 사토를 통해 보내진 긴급 한글번역 (첨부)[밑에]를 보시길. 겐카이원자력발전소 플루서멀 중단 요망서 찬성단체들의 서명을 11월 25일 전까지 긴급 요청하고 있읍니다. 영어 단체명을 함께 써주시면 도움이 된다 하네요. 영어 메시지도 모집중이랍니다.

*연락처: oga1@dream.ocn.ne.jp 오가타(緖方)


2. 한편 개인 서명은 (단체 서명도 가능)

http://greenvoice.com/campaigns/360-urgent-stop-plutonium-mox-nuclear-power-in-japan/petitions/17

에서 할 수 있읍니다. 마우스를 내려가 맨 밑의 sign the petition 에서 하시길. 이름(그리고 국가 Korea)를 영문으로 써주시면 되는 아주 간단한 서명입니다. 그리고 sign the petition버튼을 누르시기만 하면 됩니다. 한국분들이 현재 너무 없으므로 많은 참여 부탁드립니다.


이미지, 비디오 등을 선별해 여기 모았읍니다.

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/petition-fwd-stop-pluthermal-nuclear.html

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/10/text-fwd-urgent-action-call-from-japan.html


일본 활동가들에게 한국인들의 힘차고 따뜻한 연대의 서명을 보냅시다. 감사합니다.


* Below is the attachment thru Makiko Sato on Nov. 22, 2009

세계의 여러분들에게 긴급하게 부탁드리며


겐카이원자력발전소 플루서멀 중단 요망서 찬동단체 모집

마감일: 2009년 11월 25일(전송 대환영!)

일본의 사가현에 있는 겐카이원자력발전소 3호기에서 사용이 끝난 핵연료에서 빼낸 플로트늄과 우라늄을 섞어 태우는 플루서멀 발전이 진행되고 있습니다. 2009년 10월 15일에 연료를 장착해 11월 5일에 기동(起動). 12월 2일의 본격가동을 위해 조정운전을 하고 있습니다.

이에 앞서 해당 현인 사가현, 이웃 현인 나가사키, 후쿠오카에서는 견실한 중단요청 활동을 계속했지만, 전국에서 사가현 의회에 도착한 44만명의 서명도 헛되이 부결되는 등, 모든 것이 일축되었습니다.(서명은 그후에도 계속 늘어, 46만명을 넘었습니다.)

이미 발전이 재개되어 폐가 되는 핵쓰레기를 내보내기 시작했습니다만, 본격가동이 되면 대량의 ‘해결할 수 없는 부의 유산’을 후세에 남겨버립니다. 만일, 대사고가 일어나면 방사능에 의한 심각한 피해가 광범위하게 미칩니다.

그러므로 어떻게 해서든지 멈추게 하고 싶다!

우리들의 절실한 바램입니다.

여기에서 내각총리대신이나 경제산업대신 등에게 플루서멀 중단을 촉구하는 요망서를 다시 제출하기로 했습니다. 임박한 부탁으로 죄송스럽습니다만, 긴급히 해외쪽 찬동단체를 모집합니다.


*마감일: 11월 25일

*연락처: oga1@dream.ocn.ne.jp 오가타(緖方)


(영어 단체명을 함께 써주시면 도움이 됩니다. 영어 메시지도 모집중입니다.)

상황이 긴박해 마감일 전에 제출할 가능성이 있으므로, 찬동하실 경우는 가능한 한 빨리 부탁드립니다. 세계의 많은 단체 찬동과 큐슈의 움직임에 주목해주시기 바랍니다.

활동 모습은 [미래실행위원회]의 블로그인 http://carnivals.blog93.fc2.com/를 참고해주시기 바랍니다.

요망서는 다음과 같습니다.

(제출처, 제안단체, 요망내용과 함께 약간의 변경 가능성이 있습니다만, 양해 부탁드립니다.)

内閣総理大臣 鳩山由紀夫 様

民主党幹事長 小沢一郎 様

国家戦略担当・内閣府特命担当大臣（経済財政政策、科学技術政策） 菅直人 様

内閣府特命担当大臣（消費者及び食品安全） 福島瑞穂 様

内閣府特命担当大臣（行政刷新） 仙谷由人 様

経済産業大臣 直嶋正行 様

文部科学大臣 川端達夫 様

厚生労働大臣 長妻昭 様

環境大臣 小沢鋭仁 様

佐賀県知事 古川康 様

玄海町長 岸本英雄 様

九州電力株式会社 代表取締役社長 眞部利應 様


-요망서-

46만명 사람들이 플루서멀 중단을 요구하고 있습니다.

사람들의 목소리를 무시하지마세요!

겐카이원자력발전소 플루서멀을 중단하도록 강하게 촉구합니다

겐카이원자력발전소 플루서멀계획은 안전성에 관해서, 또한 사용이 끝난 MOX연료의 처리방법 등에 관해 다양한 문제가 지적되고 있습니다. 2009년 9월 14일, 사가현 지사와 사가현의회 의장 앞으로 제출한 플루서멀 중단을 요구하는 전국서명은 44만명에 이르렀습니다.(제출단체: 「플루서멀 사가의 모임」) 그후도 서명은 계속 늘어나 현재 46만명을 넘고 있습니다. 이것은 플루서멀계획이 강행되고 있는 현상에 대해 플루서멀이 멈추기를 바라는 시민의 강한 바램이 더욱더 커지고 있는 증거입니다. (MOX연료는 우라늄과 플로트늄을 섞어만든 연료입니다.)

우리들은 이하의 문제가 미해결인 것을 다시 확인합니다.

1. 우라늄연료용에 설계된 원자로에서 세계 유례가 없는 고농도의 플로트늄을 사용합니다. 플로트늄은 우라늄보다도 핵분열하기 쉽고, 제어봉의 기능이 나빠집니다. 맹독의 플로트늄은 사소한 고장이나 실수에도 심대한 피해로 연결됩니다.

2. MOX연료의 검사자료는 공표되지 않습니다. 프랑스의 같은 공장에서 만들어진 칸사이(関西)전력의 연료는 자주검사의 결과 대량의 불합격품이 나왔습니다. 원자력안전·보안원은 칸사이전력이 불합격시킨 수준의 연료가 겐카이원자력발전소에서 사용될 가능성을 부정하지 않습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고 큐슈(九州)전력은 안심·안전을 요구하는 시민의 바램을 들으려하지 않고 검사 데이터의 공표를 계속 거부하고 있습니다.

3. MOX연료의 검사기준에 관해서 국가는 법적 근거가 있는 구체적인 판단기준을 가지고

있지 않습니다. 국가가 실시하는 수입연료체 검사에 합격해도 법적 뒷받침이 있는 구체적인 검사기준에 준거한 것은 아니고, 안전성이 확보되어 있다고 할 수는 없습니다.

4. 사용이 끝난 MOX연료의 처리방법이 아직 결정되지 않았습니다. 고온으로 방사능이 강하기 때문에 장기에 걸쳐 냉각저장하지 않으면 안됩니다. 이 상태로는 현지인 겐카이는 방사성폐기물의 ‘쓰레기장’이 되어버립니다. 어린이들에게 부(負)의 유산을 남기는 것이 됩니다.

5. 플루서멀은 국책인 핵연료 사이클의 일환으로서 진행되었지만, 사이클의 중핵시설인 아오모리현(青森県）록카쇼무라(六ケ所村)의 재처리공장은 잇달은 트러블로 인해 운전이 원활하지 않습니다. 핵연료 사이클 자체가 파탄나고 있습니다.

우리들은 미래 세대의 생명에 관계하는 이들 문제가 해결될 때까지 켄카이원자력발전소 3호기에서 플루서멀 실시를 중단하도록 강력히 촉구합니다.

요망사항

겐카이원자력발전소 플루서멀을 중단해주십시오!

[제안단체]

미래실행위원회(후쿠오카현)

일본 쿠마모리(熊森)협회 후쿠오카현지부(후쿠오카현)

NO! 플루서멀 사가(佐賀)의 모임(사가현)

플루서멀과 사가현의 100년을 생각하는 모임(사가현)

카라츠 환경네트워크(사가현)

[찬동단체]

별지 참조

[연락처]
미래실행위원회 단체명 메시지
한글 영어


_________________________________________________________________

Update 4

Email from Junko Okura(preabsanol@gmail.com) on Nov. 27, 2009

Thank you for your warm message to support the opposition groups against the plutonium
nuclear power generation in Genkai, Saga, Japan.

We've put your messages and photogoraphs on our website.
Please check (the text is in Japanese, though... ) the site and if
you have any request or comment about it please feel free and let me know.

http://carnivals.blog93.fc2.com/blog-entry-71.html#more

As for the petition, We were able to collect 166 signatures from individuals and 11 endorsements from organizations all over the world.

[…]

http://greenvoice.com/campaigns/360-urgent-stop-plutonium-mox-nuclear-power-in-japan

We'll submit the list of signatures to the Japanese government, Saga
local government and KYUDEN with some other 800 endorsements by Japanese organizations.

Thanks again for your warm support.

We'll continue to put the latest news about plutonium (MOX) nuclear power generation in Japan on this site.

Please follow this very important issue and continue to keep supporting any activities!

With best regards,

Junko Okura

Junko Okura 大倉純子
Email: preabsanol@gmail.com

_________________________________________________________________

* Related blog

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/10/text-fwd-urgent-action-call-from-japan.html
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Text Fwd: Urgent Action Call From Japan_ NO MOX Fuel!

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/text-fwd-samyang-mitsubishi-to-invest.html
Text Fwd: Samyang, Mitsubishi to invest 200 bln won in J/V chemical company
Yonhap News, Nov. 16, 2009

Text Fwd: Urgent Action Call From Japan_ NO MOX Fuel!

Image Source: International Nuclear Safety Center

'Map of Nuclear Power Reactors Japan'


Image Source: Citizen's Nuclear Information Center(CNIC), Japan

Image Source: Saga Sinbun

Image Source: Same as above

Image Source: Same as above

* Text informed by Makiko Sato(seamesky@sand.ocn.ne.jp) on Oct. 29, 2009

Dear friends,

The Japanese government (at both national and local level) and big
companies in the nuclear power industry are forcing through the
building of new nuclear powerplants and a dangerous plutonium-thermal
project completely igonoring the concerns and objections of local
communities.

Please support the local community’s struggle in Japan!

Even after October 15th, your action will be a great help to put
pressure on the electric company and the local/national authorities.

Please forward this alert freely.
-------------------------------------------------------------
URGENT ACTION ALERT

Kyushu Electric Power CO,. INC should call off its MOX fuel loading
into Genkai Nuclear Power Station!
Nuclear power is not acceptable as the solution to climate change!
End the saga of the nuclear dispute in Saga!!

On October 14th, Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC published that on Oct
15, it would start loading MOX (mixed uranium and plutonium oxide)
fuel in Genkai Unit 3 in Saga Prefecture.
(See a map http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/map/japan.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genkai,_Saga)

It’d be the actual start of pluthermal power generation in Japan
(“Pluthermal” is a Japanese word which combines two English words,
the “plu” of “plutonium” and "thermal". Pluthermal refers to the
utilization of 'plutonium' fuel in commercial ('thermal') nuclear
power plants. The fuel is commonly referred to as plutonium uranium
mixed oxide fuel, or MOX fuel.).

Following Genkai, six other nuclear stations are planning to introduce
pluthermal in Japan.

(See http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/english0/index.php?id=5)

The use of MOX fuel increases the risk and severity of a nuclear accident.

When using MOX fuel, the control rods' capacity to function is reduced
and power output is less stable and harder to control. The scale of
MOX fuel usage in the Pluthermal Program in Japan will be
unprecedented. There will be a higher concentration of plutonium in
the fuel, a higher burn-up rate ---experimentation has shown that
there are serious safety concerns with high burn-ups, and there will
be no reactor adaptations such as increasing the number of control
rods.

The local communities in Saga and other areas, which have nuclear
power plants located there , have strongly opposed the Pluthermal
Program.
(see photos : http://www.cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit128/nit128articles/group128.html
http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga.0.1261734.article.html)

On October 7th, NISA (Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency), a
subordinate agency of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
admitted that there was a possiblity that defective MOX fuel, which
Kansai Electric Power CO. INC had decided to reject as fuel for
loading in their Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4, would be
used as MOX fuel for Genkai.
(see http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/wordpress0/index.php?p=74)

While Saga Prefectural Assembly is in the process of examining data
concerning the MOX fuel submitted by Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC,
this company hastily published the time of its loading of the MOX fuel
as within less than 24 hours from the announcement and the governor of
Saga Prefecture Yasushi Furukawa has done nothing about it.

---------------------------------------------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR CRIES OF RESISTANCE TO Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC

Please send FAX as their web page is only designed for the Japanese alfabet.

Even if you don’t have a fax machine, you can still send your message using
http://www.myfax.com/free/
from your computer for nothing.
(each person is limited to 2 faxes a day so please be careful not to
send them to the wrong number.)

1, Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC
(if you use http://www.myfax.com/free/, please do as follows)

TO
Name: Mr. President Toshio Manabe
Company: Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC
Country: (select Japan)
Fax Number: (+81 0)９２−７６１−６９４４

FROM
(please write your name and e-mail address)

Enter text message:(please copy and paste)

Please call off the MOX fuel loading in Genkai Nuclear Power Station!
Don’t start pluthermal, which will put local people’s lives in
jeopardy and create tons of highly radioactive nuclear waste.
(If you want to send a longer message, please make a file, write what
you want to say and attach it.)

It’s not necessary to enter your friends’ e-mail adresses, just click
“SEND FAX”, then they’ll send back a confirmation letter to your email
address.
Please click on the link, which you’ll find in the confirmation letter
and your fax will be sent.)

------------------------------
You can also send your opinion in English to the following agencies
from their web pages or directly to their e-mail address.
Please put pressure on them to stop their promotion of nuclear power policies.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
https://wwws.meti.go.jp/honsho/comment_form/comments_send.htm#form

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/index.htm

Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
enechohp＠meti.go.jp

-------------------------------------------------------------------
3 reasons for supporting Japanese anti-pluthermal movements.

1, As mentioned above, the use of MOX fuel increases the risk and
severity of a nuclear accident.

It’s estimated that 1g of Plutonium in the air causes about 500,000
people to get lung cancer.

Genkai nuclear plant is planning to burn 220 times the amount of
plutonium which was used for the atomic bomb used in Nagasaki.

Radiation knows no borders. Korea is the bordering country with Japan
and its environmental movements and a Member of the National
Parliament as one of their members, recently submitted a petition to
the Japanese government requesting cancelation of the pluthermal
program.

2, The MOX fuel which will be used in nuclear powerplants in Japan had
been produced by Areva in France and shipped from France to Japan,
traveling through two thirds of globe whilst ignoring the concern of
the countries en route.

Electric facilities in Japan seem determined to pursue this very
troubled MOX fuel utilization program. Once begun, many more shipments
will follow as Japan has about 38 tons of plutonium in Europe, and it
will continue to put en route countries at risk.
http://www.greenaction-japan.org/internal/090305_appeal.pdf

3, The Japanese government is trying to promote nuclear power plants
as their central policy against climate change.

At the same time they have decided to back the nuclear power industry
in exporting their technology to other countries, especially
developing countries, as their main policy for the economic recovery.

This in turn causing another kind of nuclear prolification.

By demanding counter guarantees from the importing countries, any
subsidies which the Japanese government will give Japanese companies
in the nuclear power industry through ECA (Export Credit Agency), will
become debt for the importing countries. This will cause an even
greater debt burden to developing countries.

For more information
Citizen`s Nuclear Information Center (CNIC)
http://www.cnic.jp/english/

Green Action
http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/entop2/

Greenpeace Japan
http://www.greenpeace.or.jp/press/releases_en/pr20090518_ce_html

Thank you for your cooperation!

--
Junko Okura 大倉純子
Email: preabsanol@gmail.com



* Update from Junko Okura on Nov. 3, 2009
(cc. Makiko Sato)

Hi, I’m Junko Okura, who made the action alert which Makiko had
forwarded to you. Makiko gave me your address.

Thank you for putting the alert on your site. I was really encouraged
by your cooperation.

I’d like to add some update from “Comment” column but I couldn’t. so
I’ll write the content briefly here.

Kyushu Electric Power CO. INC. (also known as KYUDEN) has finished
loading the MOX fuel to the reactor and is now about to start up,
meaning that they will start Pluthermal electric generation possibly
as early as this week.

A local opposition group, The Committee for MIRAI (“Future” in
Japanese language), is now collecting endorcement for their pettion,
demanding that the Pluthermal Project be called off, which will be
submit to the Japanese government, Saga local government and Kyuden.
I’ll send you the English translation of the petiotion as soon as I
finished. I’d really appreciate it if you’d support the action by the
local people again.

Thanks again and all the best,

Junko Okura


* Related blog

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/petition-fwd-stop-pluthermal-nuclear.html
Friday, November 6, 2009
Petition: Fwd from Japan : STOP Pluthermal Nuclear Power Generation in Saga, Japan!