http://news.linktv.org Link TV News Videos (Filtered by topics: Nuclear safety) en-us Sat, 13 Oct 2012 12:24:00 -0700 Copyright 2011 Link Media, Inc. http://news.linktv.org/videos/fukushima-nuclear-disaster-tepco-admits-it-played-down-tsunami-risk?start=0 The company that operated Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant has admitted that it played down safety concerns before the March 2011 Tsunami. The announcement on Friday is the first time the company has acknowledged that the meltdown of three reactors at the plant could have been avoided. Sat, 13 Oct 2012 12:24:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/fukushima-nuclear-disaster-tepco-admits-it-played-down-tsunami-risk Fukushima Dai-ichi, 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Japan, Nuclear power plant, Fukushima Prefecture, Nuclear safety, Japanese nuclear safety, Al Jazeera English The company that operated Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant has admitted that it played down safety concerns before the March 2011 Tsunami. The announcement on Friday is the first time the company has acknowledged that the meltdown of three reactors at the plant could have been avoided. http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-after-the-tsunami?start=0 On 11 March 2011, Japan's worst ever natural disaster killed almost 20,000 people. This report reveals the controversy surrounding it and the pain of rebuilding under the fear of radioactivity.<br /> Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:08:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-after-the-tsunami 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Sendai Earthquake of 2011, Japan, Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Japanese nuclear safety, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Radioactive contamination, Nuclear meltdown, Natural disaster, Nuclear and radiation accidents On the 11th of March 2011, Japan's worst ever natural disaster killed almost 20,000 people. This report reveals the controversy surrounding it and the pain of rebuilding under the fear of radioactivity. ---- Around the world the Japanese were praised for dealing with the March 11 earthquake with stoicism and patience. But one year on and there is still an arduous struggle for reconstruction that prevents people from returning their lives to normality. While the government promises that the country's situation is under control, the poor handling of the crisis and widespread misinformation has lead to a lack of trust and fears about radioactive contamination. "Contaminated food is entering the markets throughout Japan. For me this is quite frankly, very worrying", says a Japanese radiation expert. An increasing number of people don't trust official data and in cities like Tokyo there is a palpable, but often unspoken sense of fear. "The scientists say there is no reason for concern. I would like to believe this but I still worry that the situation could become even worse." As a proud nation, Japan watched several cherished myths crumble on that fateful day in March, not least the safely of its nuclear power plants. Japan now faces a crucial choice: suppress the events of 2011 or learn from them. http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-july-1-2012?start=756 A Japanese parliamentary inquiry has concluded last year's nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was "a profoundly man-made disaster — that could and should have been foreseen and prevented." Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:18:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-july-1-2012 United States, Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Sendai Earthquake of 2011, Japan, Syrian Civil War, Newmont Mining Corporation, Extraordinary rendition, Syria, Bombing of Guernica A Japanese parliamentary inquiry has concluded last year's nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was "a profoundly man-made disaster — that could and should have been foreseen and prevented." We speak to former nuclear industry executive Arnie Gundersen about the report and what it means for U.S. nuclear facilities, in particular the 23 with a similar design to the Fukushima plant. "There's actually some curious information on Fukushima Unit 1. That was the first one to fail," Gundersen says. "That was built by an American company, General Electric, and an American architect/engineer. So it's hard for the Japanese to blame themselves, when this was an all-American design. ... I am concerned that the industry, the nuclear industry in the United States, will say it's a Japanese problem. And it's not." We begin today's show in Japan, where a new parliamentary inquiry has concluded last year's nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant could have been prevented. The investigating commission appointed by the Japanese Diet concluded, quote, "It was a profoundly man-made disaster—that could and should have been foreseen and prevented." The commission held the government, regulators and a nuclear operator responsible for the triple meltdown that occurred in March 2011 after a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck the country's northeast coast. Shuya Nomura is a member of the commission investigating the nuclear accident. SHUYA NOMURA: [translated] Man-made disaster, we are able to say, that based on all the facts gathered, that the cause of the accident was, in fact, we believe, to be man-made. The more than 600-page report urged greater safety around nuclear plants and called on parliament to closely monitor a new nuclear watchdog due to be launched in a few months. It also urged the government to be more transparent about its relationship with the nuclear industry. Meanwhile, last weekend, thousands marched across Japan to protest the resumption of nuclear power generation. The country halted its nuclear production earlier this year for the first time since the 1970s but resumed on Saturday by bringing one shuttered plant back online. This is protester Akiko Kondo. AKIKO KONDO: [translated] While saying they're going to restart, there continue to be various problems, even with Oi nuclear power plant. When I hear this, and under these circumstances, to have the plant running, all I can really say is that the government and all those involved really shock me. Well, for more, we're joined by Arnie Gundersen, a former nuclear power industry executive. He's the chief engineer at Fairewinds Associates and co-author of the Greenpeace report, "Lessons from Fukushima." He often provides independent testimony on nuclear and radiation issues to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other government agencies. Arnie Gundersen, welcome to Democracy Now! Hi. Thanks for having me. Well, your initial reaction to the report released by the Japanese parliament? Well, you know, we can no longer call it the Fukushima Daiichi accident. An accident is when a bolt of lightning comes out of the blue, and you have no idea why—what caused it. This report hit the nail on the head. This was man-made. The Japanese have known for at least 20 years, and perhaps a lot longer, that tsunamis of the size that could hit Fukushima Daiichi were in fact likely and never did anything about it. There's a coziness between the regulator and the people that run the nuclear power plants, not just in Japan, but worldwide. This report focused on that relationship between the regulator and the power plant owners in Japan. And one of the fascinating parts of the report is that it says that at least one of the reactors may not actually have been damaged by the tsunami but actually by the earthquake itself, that preceded the tsunami, which would at least suggest major structural flaws in the design of these reactors to withstand earthquakes. Yeah, there's actually some curious information on Fukushima Unit 1. That was the first one to fail. Interesting, too, that was built by an American company, General Electric, and an American architect/engineer. So it's hard to—for the Japanese to blame themselves, when this was an all-American design. Strange things happened before the tsunami hit on Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1. Also, though, there's some bulges in Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4. And those bulges are called something: a first mode Euler strut bulge. And they're definitely seismically induced. So, I don't think the nuclear industry wants to acknowledge that their seismic codes may be faulty, but I think it's certainly likely, and I agree with the report. And what implications might this have for other nuclear plants here in the United States, for instance, who maybe have had the similar design to the—to Unit 1 in Japan? There's 23 plants in the United States that are essentially identical to all three of the Daiichi plants that blew up. And, you know, I'm of the opinion that they should all be shut down. We had a bad design back in the '70s. This design was known to be bad. There were a series of Band-Aid fixes, but it never really got to the root cause that this is just too small a containment. It's interesting. Two days after the accident, Nuclear Regulatory Commission key people were discussing it, and one of them blurted out, "These are the worst containments in the world." So if we know they're the worst containments in the world, why are those 23 plants still running in the United States? And where are some of those 23 plants in the U.S.? There's a few in the East: Pilgrim, Vermont Yankee, Oyster Creek. There's a bunch in Illinois: the Dresden plants right near Chicago and the Quad City plants. And there's also several in the Southeast. So they're all essentially east of the Mississippi but in—near areas where there's high population densities. And the parliament report was also deeply critical of the response to the disaster by the government and by TEPCO, the operator of the Daiichi reactors. Could you talk about that, as well? Yeah. I was on CNN three days after the accident saying that this is as bad as Chernobyl. And the Japanese never made that acknowledgment for eight weeks. And that affects emergency planning. They didn't move women and children out of the high radiation areas fast enough. They really didn't want to admit what independent observers knew was already occurring. And it's a separate catastrophe from the fact that they had ample warning that it could happen. And when you say you initially warned that it was as bad as Chernobyl, what is your assessment now, with all the additional information that's come out, as to the potential long-term impacts of what happened in Japan? If there's any luck here, it's that the wind was blowing offshore, and about 80 percent of the radiation wound up in the Pacific. The amount of radiation released was clearly as much as Chernobyl, but most of it headed out to sea. That, by the way, wouldn't be the case in Illinois, for instance, where these reactors are surrounded, no matter which way. My estimate is that over the next 30 years we're going to see about a million cancers as a result of this. And, of course, it could have been worse had the wind not been blowing out to sea. The report also was—criticized the decision of the Japanese prime minister to rush to the site within a day of the disaster, saying that he actually impeded and delayed the efforts of the workers on the scene to control the disaster. Could you elaborate on that? You know, when you bring in the prime minister, attention is diverted from what's really important, which is the nuclear accident. You know, Jimmy Carter did that right after Three Mile Island. He came about three days after the accident in an attempt to quell the public fears. But this was different. There was a grave disconnect between Tokyo Electric and the prime minister's office. They didn't trust each other. And, of course, the prime minister, well, is taking credit, claiming that he forced Tokyo Electric not to abandon the site. And on the opposite side of the argument is that he arrived on site and diverted attention. I think it's a secondary issue to the broader issue of the fact that, you know, the regulator and the utilities were essentially in bed together. Also, it was quite unusual that the report leveled some criticism at the culture of Japan and the tendency of the public to not question the authorities, to not tolerate dissent, and really suggested that the attitude and the culture of the Japanese public needs to change. Do you consider that unusual in a report of this type? It's tough for the Japanese to admit that culturally they really respect authority. And I would agree that the report was right spot-on that they need a more healthy dialogue back and forth. But, you know, it's not just Japan. When—you know, I was a senior vice president, and when I was fired, I was talking to a highly placed nuclear attorney in Washington. And he said, "Arnie, in this business, you're either for us or against us, and you just crossed the line." So, the industry, no matter if it's in the States or in Japan, is essentially a closed fortress, and independent experts have a very difficult time having their opinions aired. And also, what do you think will be the impact of this report here in the United States? Obviously, the Obama administration is on record as supporting an expansion of more nuclear plants here in the United States. And how do you think this will affect that direction that the Obama administration and many Republicans in Congress support? Well, I am concerned that the industry, the nuclear industry in the United States, will say it's a Japanese problem. And it's not. The influence of corporate money has an insidious effect on Congress. And it's really not a Democrat or Republican issue. There are no Democrats and Republicans when it comes to nuclear: they are all pro-nuclear. You know, we just saw that. There were some hearings about Chairman Jaczko, who was the NRC—the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The industry didn't like the fact that he was trying to regulate, so they actually had congressional hearings trying to put him on the carpet. And as a result, he resigned. So, this kind of corporate pressure on Congress works its way down to the commissioners. There's five of them. And the commissioners affect the staff. So it's just as insidious here as it is in Japan—and, in fact, I think, worldwide. Well, Arnie Gundersen, we want to thank you, former nuclear executive and engineer. Thanks for joining us. We'll have to break, but we'll return in a minute. Stay with us. http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-restarts-first-nuclear-reactor-since-fukushima-disaster?start=0 Japan restarted its first nuclear reactor at the Kansai Electric Power Ohi nuclear plant on Sunday. It's the first reactor to go back online since Japan shut down all 50 of its reactors for safety checks following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster. Sun, 01 Jul 2012 19:12:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-restarts-first-nuclear-reactor-since-fukushima-disaster Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Japan, Japanese nuclear safety, Kansai Electric Power Company, Anti-nuclear movement, Nuclear power, Nuclear reactor technology, Protest, Economy of Japan, Nuclear safety Japan restarted its first nuclear reactor at the Ohi power plant on Sunday. It's the first reactor to go back online since Japan shut down all 50 of its reactors for safety checks following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster. http://news.linktv.org/videos/situation-inside-fukushima-reactor-worse-than-previously-thought?start=0 Recent investigation found one damaged reactor at Japan's crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant has extremely high levels of radiation and very little water to help cool it down. Authorities haven't been able to probe two others that had meltdowns. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:01:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/situation-inside-fukushima-reactor-worse-than-previously-thought Fukushima Dai-ichi, Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Japan, Nuclear meltdown, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), Nuclear power plant, Containment building, Sendai Earthquake of 2011, Nuclear safety, Tsunami Recent investigation found one damaged reactor at Japan's crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant has extremely high levels of radiation and very little water to help cool it down. Authorities haven't been able to probe two others that had meltdowns. http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-tsunami-anniversary-tomiokas-last-inhabitant?start=0 The town of Tomioka lies inside the Fukushima exclusion zone. Once home to 16,000 people, now only Naoto Matsumura remains, braving loneliness and radiation to feed a menagerie of animals left behind after the disaster. Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:00:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-tsunami-anniversary-tomiokas-last-inhabitant Sendai Earthquake of 2011, Fukushima Prefecture, Tomioka, Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Tsunami, Nuclear and radiation accidents, Japanese nuclear safety, Nuclear meltdown, Nuclear power plant Tomioka was once home to 16,000 people, but now only Naoto Matsumura remains. The town lies inside the exclusion zone set up around the stricken Fukushima nuclear reactor after last year's devastating tsunami. Without electricity and running water, Matsumura braves loneliness and the constant threat of exposure to elevated levels of radiation to feed a menagerie of animals left behind. http://news.linktv.org/videos/stories-from-tohoku-japans-youth-rise?start=0 To mark the one-year anniversary of the devastating triple disaster in Japan, LinkAsia presents an excerpt from the upcoming film "Stories from Tohoku: With Heart and Hope," directed by LinkAsia Consulting Producer Dianne Fukami. The film looks at how the younger generation is using social innovation to rebuild the region. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:26:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/stories-from-tohoku-japans-youth-rise Japan, Tōhoku region, Sendai Earthquake of 2011, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Fukushima Prefecture, Nuclear safety, Earthquake, Tsunami, Japanese nuclear safety, Nuclear and radiation accidents To mark the one-year anniversary of the devastating triple disaster in Japan, LinkAsia presents an excerpt from the upcoming film "Stories from Tohoku: With Heart and Hope," directed by LinkAsia Consulting Producer Dianne Fukami. The film looks at how the younger generation is using social innovation to rebuild the region. http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-government-concealed-fukushima-disaster-dangers?start=0 The manager at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant said it was still vulnerable, nearly a year after a tsunami crippled the facility. A report made public Tuesday found the government had withheld the potential dangers of the disaster. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:09:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/japan-government-concealed-fukushima-disaster-dangers Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, Japanese nuclear safety, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), Japan, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Sendai Earthquake of 2011, US-Japan relations, Nuclear safety, Tsunami, Nuclear power plant The manager at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant said it was still vulnerable, nearly a year after a tsunami crippled the facility. A report made public Tuesday found the government had withheld the potential dangers of the disaster. http://news.linktv.org/videos/debate-rages-in-us-over-nuclear-power?start=0 While the US government continues its push to keep Iran from operating a nuclear power plant, a debate is raging within America home about its own reactors and how safe they may or may not be. Iran's Press TV reports from New York. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:42:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/debate-rages-in-us-over-nuclear-power Nuclear power plant, Indian Point Energy Center, Nuclear safety, Anti-nuclear movement, New York, Nuclear reactor technology, Environment, US Government, United States, Press TV While the US government continues its push to keep Iran from operating a nuclear power plant, a debate is raging within America home about its own reactors and how safe they may or may not be. Iran's Press TV reports from New York. http://news.linktv.org/videos/french-police-battle-anti-nuclear-activists?start=0 French police have battled anti-nuclear protesters as the last train carrying German nuclear waste treated in France set off on its journey home. A mobile police canteen was set on fire by demonstrators on Wednesday and at least three people were hurt. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:38:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/french-police-battle-anti-nuclear-activists France, Anti-nuclear movement, Law enforcement in France, Protest, Radioactive waste, President of France, Nuclear safety, Germany, Nuclear power, Fukushima Dai-ichi French police have battled anti-nuclear protesters as the last train carrying German nuclear waste treated in France set off on its journey home. A mobile police canteen was set on fire by demonstrators on Wednesday and at least three people were hurt, two protesters and a riot officer. Al Jazeera's Tim Friend reports. http://news.linktv.org/videos/dr-helen-caldicott-on-fukushima-and-the-perils-of-nuclear-power?start=0 Australian physician, author, and anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott discusses what the Fukushima disaster really means for the health of the people of Japan, and explains the links between nuclear power and public health in the United States and Europe. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:17:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/dr-helen-caldicott-on-fukushima-and-the-perils-of-nuclear-power Nuclear power, Radioactive contamination, Helen Caldicott, Nuclear safety, Nuclear and radiation accidents, Japan, Anti-nuclear movement, Caesium, Climate change, Fukushima Dai-ichi Australian physician, author, and anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott discusses with Earth Focus correspondent Miles Benson what the Fukushima disaster really means for the health and future of the people of Japan. Dr. Caldicott also explains the links between nuclear power and public health in the United States and Europe. http://news.linktv.org/videos/after-fukushima-what-next-for-the-us-nuclear-industry?start=0 How will the disaster at Fukushima effect the future of the US nuclear industry? Jim Riccio, Nuclear Policy Analyst at Greenpeace, shares his thoughts with Earth Focus correspondent Miles Benson. Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:25:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/after-fukushima-what-next-for-the-us-nuclear-industry Nuclear power, Nuclear safety, Anti-nuclear movement, Radioactive waste, Nuclear and radiation accidents, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Chernobyl, Nuclear reactor technology, Greenpeace, Jim Riccio How will the disaster at Fukushima affect the future of the US nuclear industry? Jim Riccio, Nuclear Policy Analyst at Greenpeace, shares his thoughts with Earth Focus correspondent Miles Benson. http://news.linktv.org/videos/possible-breakthrough-in-nuclear-clear-up?start=0 Scientists in Japan think they may have found a way to remove caesium radiation from contaminated ground around the Fukushima nuclear plant using microbes. Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:53:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/possible-breakthrough-in-nuclear-clear-up Japan, Caesium, Nuclear power, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Japanese nuclear safety, Radioactive contamination, Soil, Nuclear safety, Environment, Euronews Scientists in Japan think they may have found a way to remove caesium radiation from contaminated ground around the Fukushima nuclear plant damaged in the earthquake in March. It involves using microbes to attracts particles from the metal caesium in soil and water. So far results have been very encouraging and the scientists are keen to test the procedure on the ground as soon as possible. http://news.linktv.org/videos/concerns-grow-in-japan-over-reactor-safety-tests?start=0 Japan's government has confirmed that the country's out-of-action nuclear reactors could be turned on again, if they pass post-Fukushima safety tests. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:53:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/concerns-grow-in-japan-over-reactor-safety-tests Japan, Nuclear power, Japanese nuclear safety, Protest, Tokyo, Nuclear safety, Yukio Edano, Nuclear and radiation accidents, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Nuclear reactor technology Japan's government has confirmed that the country's out-of-action nuclear reactors could be turned on again, if they pass post-Fukushima safety tests. But no timetable for the tests has been given. Ministers had announced last month that the plants were safe to open. Yukio Edano, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary said "This new set of standards is aimed at guaranteeing the safety of nuclear power generations and at gaining the trust of the general population in the safety of nuclear facilities." http://news.linktv.org/videos/work-resumes-to-stabilize-japan-nuclear-plant?start=0 Work to stabilize Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has resumed after work was suspended due to a plume of black smoke seen coming from a reactor. Japan's nuclear safety authority said two employees were taken to hospital after being exposed to radiation. Earlier, more white smoke was seen coming from at least two of the site's damaged reactors.<br /> Tue, 10 May 2011 14:42:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/work-resumes-to-stabilize-japan-nuclear-plant Fukushima Dai-ichi, Japan, Nuclear safety, Nuclear power, Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese nuclear safety, Sendai Earthquake of 2011, Euronews Work to stabilize Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has resumed after work was suspended due to a plume of black smoke seen coming from a reactor. Japan's nuclear safety authority said two employees were taken to hospital after being exposed to radiation. Earlier, more white smoke was seen coming from at least two of the site's damaged reactors. http://news.linktv.org/videos/nuclear-plant-plans-spark-violent-clashes-in-india?start=0 Protests against a proposed nuclear power plant in western India have turned violent a day after the death of a protester from police gunfire. An angry mob opposing the government plans hurled stones at forces who charged at them with batons. Activists have also blocked the road to the site by dumping burning tires, bringing traffic to a standstill. Opposition to the plant has grown since Japan's nuclear crisis, as it's in an area of high seismic activity. <br /> Tue, 10 May 2011 13:18:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/nuclear-plant-plans-spark-violent-clashes-in-india Nuclear power, India, Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project, Protest, Jaitapur, Nuclear safety, Japan, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Russia Today Protests against a proposed nuclear power plant in western India have turned violent a day after the death of a protester from police gunfire. An angry mob opposing the government plans hurled stones at forces who charged at them with batons. Activists have also blocked the road to the site by dumping burning tires, bringing traffic to a standstill. Opposition to the plant has grown since Japan's nuclear crisis, as it's in an area of high seismic activity.