Japan warns of nuclear safety 'myth'

[bananas]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

THE Japanese Prime Minister warned a nuclear security summit yesterday that the world must not be lulled into a ''myth of safety'', following lessons learnt from the tsunami and nuclear meltdown at Fukushima.

Addressing more than 40 world leaders gathered in South Korea to tighten the global nuclear security regime, Yoshihiko Noda said a ''man-caused act of sabotage will test our imaginations far more than any natural disaster''.

The Japanese tsunami last year killed close to 20,000 people and swamped Fukushima's nuclear power plant, causing national economic dislocation and severe nuclear contamination north-east of Tokyo.

US President Barack Obama, who convened the first Nuclear Security Summit two years ago, yesterday underscored the risks of nuclear material falling into the hands of ''bad actors''.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/japan-warns-of-nuclear-safety-myth-20120327-1vwgt.html

[freshwest]

1. The Emperor won't like this, pointing out he's got no clothes. Wonders never cease.

[bananas]

4. Speaking of Emperors - thanks for reminding me....

I know you meant a different Emperor,
but I wanted to post an article to Good Reads and forgot about it until I read your post:
"Japan in Uproar Over Censorship of Emperor's Anti-Nuclear Speech"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101621331

[freshwest]

5. Thanks for bringing that up, I hadn't seen that. I'm impressed by this part:

It is rare for Emperor Akihito, an accomplished biologist and the world's leading authority on certain species of Gobi Fish, to publicly take sides on any subject other than biology.

I'm sure it does hurt his heart to see parts of his country harmed by... whatever. The nation existed for many centuries before electricity; that's not the most important part of being a human or being alive.

But we've become slaves to a grid, that is not owned by us and whenever we say No, we're accused of being against civilization altogether. Technology does not dictate social graces, compassion or dignity. Those things are independent of the grid we are being herded into.

Our ancestors had different challenges, and technology can be said to be neutral in its effects, just as knowledge is. But it is not an end of and to itself. It's been good and it's been bad.

Power generation is not a sacred thing. Life is and it should take precedence, always. Good thread there.

[thesquanderer]

2. I can't say that Fukushima lulled me into feeling safer about nuclear power...

...quite the contrary.

Does anyone feel that their "success" in containing it is making people feel safer??

In fact, in the news today:

One of Japan's crippled nuclear reactors still has fatally high radiation levels and hardly any water to cool it

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2012/03/27/new_probe_finds_worse_damage_at_fukushima_reactor/

[gratuitous]

3. Quick! Build more nuclear power plants

Before public opinion sours.

Anh, what am I saying? The Prime Minister's remarks will get no play in this country, or if they do, it will be in the context of those wimpy Japanese and their aversion to the nukes.

[freshwest]

6. Yes, only lethal things represent strength! Some have forgotten the transformative power of water.

[Devil_Fish]

7. "bad Actors" What like Ronald Raygun, and Arnold Schwarzenegger?

[tabasco]

8. Hey Japan. Might not be a good idea to build nuke plants on the "ring of fire."

But hundreds of nuclear power plants in tectonically stable areas continue to operate just fine.