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Post-disaster nuclear safety efforts continue in Japan. Following the massive March 11 earthquake
and tsunami that triggered the worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl accident,
signs of recovery are beginning to appear. On Tuesday, May 31, data from the Industry
Ministry showed that Japan’s factory output rose 1% in April. The next day, auto giant
Toyota Motor Corporation forecast its domestic production to return to about 90% of its pre-disaster
level as recovery of part supplies were occurring faster than anticipated. On Thursday, Prime
Minister Naoto Kan survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament as he apologized for any
mishandling of affairs following the March disasters and said that he would step down
as soon as reconstruction efforts were further underway.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) continues with efforts to bring its disaster-hit
Fukushima Daiichi power plant under control. In a preliminary report published on Wednesday,
an 18-member team from the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Japan
had underestimated the tsunami risk at several nuclear sites. The report urged Japan to create
an independent nuclear regulatory board so that it is not attached to the ministry that
promotes nuclear power. The inspectors also called for regulators worldwide to learn from
the Fukushima Daiichi accident and to reassess the risks of natural disasters. Japan has
meanwhile dropped plans to build new nuclear reactors, and it is still uncertain when or
if the existing plants will meet sufficient safety standards to be restarted. If their
ability to withstand conditions similar to those that triggered the Fukushima Daiichi
meltdown cannot be confirmed, more will be halted for maintenance or perhaps even shut
down, with longer-term power rationing likely.
On Tuesday, TEPCO workers discovered an oil slick approximately 300 meters long seeping
into the sea from reactors No. 5 and 6, which may have started at the time of the disaster.
A barrier fence was installed to contain the leak as officials worked to assess the magnitude
of the spill and its potential radioactivity.
According to Japan’s Education Ministry, the nuclear catastrophe has prompted some
10,000 children to evacuate Fukushima Prefecture, while another 5,500 have changed schools within
the prefecture. A study by researchers from Fukushima University and a local environmental
group found that snow in the mountains around Fukushima city is contaminated with radioactive
materials above the safety limit for drinking water.
With the Fukushima Daiichi disaster sparking more nuclear safety concerns around the world,
Italy’s top court ruled on Wednesday that the Italian citizens may vote in a referendum
scheduled for June 12 and 13 to decide whether or not the country should accept nuclear power.
The referendum is expected to influence nuclear energy policies of other European nations.
Our appreciation, Japanese and international officials and personnel, for your efforts
to halt the nuclear disaster and ensure the welfare of the public. May all inhabitants
on Earth be protected from such dangerous situations through our adoption of more harmonious,
eco-caring ways�