Post-disaster nuclear safety efforts continue
in Japan. More than 100 days after the initial
quake and tsunami devastated northeastern
Japan and caused a nuclear emergency, the
nation’s Cabinet approved a second extra
reconstruction budget of US$25 billion for
disaster relief on Tuesday, July 5. Part of
the funding will go to help families rebuild
who lost their homes to the disaster. The
government has meanwhile readied 30,000 pre-fabricated
houses, each equipped with a television, refrigerator,
and other electrical appliances, as temporary
shelter for the displaced. However, many survivors,
especially the elderly, are hesitant to leave
the evacuation centers, saying that being
in the company of others has assisted their
healing process.
Meanwhile, the drawn-out nuclear crisis continues
at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO)
disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
power plant. Radioactive substances are still
being detected far away from the accident
site, indicating continued leaks. On Tuesday,
the Fukushima Network for Saving Children
from Radiation and five other non-governmental
organizations revealed that soil 60 kilometers
from the nuclear plant contained radiation
levels higher than those which prompted a
resettlement order following the 1986 Chernobyl
disaster. A survey of four locations revealed
radioactive cesium at levels up to 4.5 times
Japan’s legal limit. Over the past weekend,
traces of the highly toxic substance was also
detected in the capital Tokyo’s tap water
for the first time in over two months, although
Japanese officials say the level was below
the government safety limit. This comes after
10 children from Fukushima city tested positive
for trace amounts of radioactive cesium. Parents
of schoolchildren at Tokyo’s most populous
Setagaya ward submitted a petition with 6,000
signatures on Wednesday asking for increased
measures to ensure young students' safety
from radiation.
In response to continued concerns over nuclear
safety, the government announced on Wednesday
that it would be conducting stress tests on
all of Japan’s nuclear power plants. The
tests will be modeled after those being conducted
in Europe to determine each facility’s ability
to withstand severe events such as the March
11 quake and tsunami.
Our appreciation, all officials, experts,
and groups working to secure the long-term
safety of humans, animals, and the environment
alike. May such hazardous conditions be alleviated
through our striving for greater harmony with
all fellow inhabitants on Earth�
