NHK looks at Fukushima

July 27, 2011 6:50 AM

On July 9, the Japanese public broadcaster NHK aired a documentary on the earliest days of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis. There appears to be precisely one place on the internet where it can currently be viewed: here.
posted by flapjax at midnite (44 comments total)

Some of the rather candid comments confirm that [neither] TEPCO, nor the Japanese government where adequately prepared for a disaster of this magnitude. The Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister, Banri Kaieda even made a rather damning remark (around the 4m30s mark in clip 1-A) that he could not deny there was a myth of safety regarding the nuclear power plants

Holy crap. This should make for some good viewing.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:06 AM on July 27, 2011

Great find.

And, just as an update into how the crisis has progressed, there are now serious food safety concerns in Japan, especially for the 30 million residents of the Kanto region 200km south of the plant.

Entrepreneur and long-time Japan resident Terrie Llloyd suggests radically (at least for a Japanese resident) altering one's diet.
posted by KokuRyu at 7:07 AM on July 27, 2011

They did also show this documentary on NHK World as well. Gripping, fascinating stuff.
posted by ShawnStruck at 7:29 AM on July 27, 2011

Ugh. From my location in the U.S. I'm getting commercial breaks every five minutes. It is interesting footage, though.
posted by XMLicious at 8:07 AM on July 27, 2011

"We have never said such a thing" could serve as a good title for this documentary (go see it!). It's a quote from a TEPCO managing director denying what the PM's special assistant said. Namely, that on day 4 TEPCO lost it and wanted to pull out of Fukushima Daiichi.
Un-fucking-believable.
posted by hat_eater at 8:12 AM on July 27, 2011

Entrepreneur and long-time Japan resident Terrie Llloyd suggests radically (at least for a Japanese resident) altering one's diet.

Yes, because random news reports interpreted by a businessmen are an exact substitute for actual science.
posted by eriko at 8:17 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Yes, because random news reports interpreted by a businessmen are an exact substitute for actual science.

Yeah, well, you maybe didn't notice, but there is a serious dearth of *actual science* being made available to people in Japan. People who, you know, have to live here and eat the food. The government is not only not telling anyone anything, they are consistently proving that they are utterly incompetent and/or untrustworthy. In such a scenario, people turn to whatever sources of information there are. And personally, I thought the article was informative and almost certainly very good and timely advice.

Also, the "random news reports" are not lies, or stories just concocted out of thin air. They are things that are happening, right now, and they are bad, and people need information and advice on what they can do about the bad things that are going on. What they can do to protect themselves. Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of "science" helping us with that around these parts.

Time for you to start thinking in real world terms, my friend, instead of spouting some nonsense about "actual science". And you know what? I'm inclined to think that you might just do that, if you lived here in Japan. This is not some theoretical exercise. This is not some sort of debate. This is people's health and lives. That *actual* enough for you?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:07 AM on July 27, 2011 [9 favorites]

From flapjax' link: The Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister, Banri Kaieda even made a rather damning remark (around the 4m30s mark in clip 1-A) that he could not deny there was a myth of safety regarding the nuclear power plants and that probably somewhere in their minds, they always felt that measures against emergency situations were unnecessary because such situations would never occur. [...]

The website owner comments:

At least to me, this wreaks of extreme overconfidence and arrogance and puts into context the sort of thought processes which were occurring early on until those involved finally realized the gravity of the crisis being beyond anything they could realistically imagine (and just how much officials underestimated the problems from the beginning).

Well said.

---
"Where to Find Safe Food, e-biz news from Japan"

That is both outrageous and heartbreaking that this is necessary.

[...] Purposeful manipulation of the tests? Hard to
say, but our advice about rice is clear. We would stock
pile with last year's crop, before the new Fukushima
product makes its way into the food system.

Probably the biggest concern is about milk. As mentioned,
it has come out that the milk authorities have been mixing
Fukushima-sourced product with clean milk from other areas,
presumably so as to dilute it.

OMG! That is so outrageous.

Fukushima Children Arrive in Okinawa to Spend Summer

“Because of radioactive contamination by the nuclear accident, children wearing masks and long-sleeves had been studying in classrooms with all windows closed.” She said with teary eyes
---
Someone asked the Japanese government official: "Don't we have a Right to live healthy lives"? The official answered "I don't know if you have that right"!
posted by nickyskye at 9:23 AM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Yes, because random news reports interpreted by a businessmen are an exact substitute for actual science.

You have no idea who Terrie Lloyd is, do you? He does a lot of things, one of them being providing market research and analysis.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:34 AM on July 27, 2011

Fukushima to provide life-time cancer checks

curious if they also will provide treatment of that cancer, if it occurs and impacts a person for their life?
posted by nickyskye at 9:49 AM on July 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

Japan has a public/private health care system with legislated full insurance enrolment.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:49 AM on July 27, 2011

I, personally, do not trust Terrie Lloyd's opinion wrt food safety. He's not an expert in this area. There is some good information (common sense) in the linked piece but let's face the facts, Lloyd is not an expert in food safety.
posted by gen at 3:13 PM on July 27, 2011

So unless you're an expert in an area, you can't possibly have a solid grasp of the basics. That's a fact. Scientifically demonstrated, even.
posted by Twang at 4:53 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Reuters: SPECIAL REPORT-Fukushima long ranked Japan's most hazardous nuclear plant
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:11 PM on July 27, 2011

I, personally, do not trust Terrie Lloyd's opinion wrt food safety. He's not an expert in this area. There is some good information (common sense) in the linked piece but let's face the facts, Lloyd is not an expert in food safety.

It's common sense, and the guy, by virtue of his success in Japan (IT consulting, publishing, market research, angel investing, and everything else) I think he's trustworthy.

Most people don't really think about where their food comes from. If you've read Llloyd over the years (and I have), his columns have a lot of background information with detailed information about localities in Japan. His firm do not just specialize in Tokyo issues.

So, his recommendations on katsuo? Spot on. Seaweed? Spot on. Milk? Spot on. Strawberries and other fruit? Spot on.
posted by KokuRyu at 5:15 PM on July 27, 2011

Just wanted to mention that the "I don't know if you have that right" link in nickyskye's comment above portrays some of the most outrageously cold and callous response from government representatives to legitimate concerns of the citizenry that I've ever seen in a democracy. Truly shameful.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:18 PM on July 27, 2011

Here we go again...
posted by nightchrome at 6:11 PM on July 27, 2011

Here we go again...

Pointlessly antagonistic and cynical comment. If you have nothing of any substance or meaning to add to the conversation, why bother?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:15 PM on July 27, 2011

Oh, I think the comment is absolutely full of meaning.
posted by nightchrome at 6:18 PM on July 27, 2011

Oh, I think the comment is absolutely full of meaning.

And what would that be? care to share?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:24 PM on July 27, 2011

That I'm getting tired of seeing chicken-little disaster-porn on the blue.
posted by nightchrome at 6:25 PM on July 27, 2011

That I'm getting tired of seeing chicken-little disaster-porn on the blue.

I see. Interesting that you should characterize the NHK documentary in such a way. Rather sad, actually. But at least now you've said something. Now we don't have to guess at your meaning.

It's my understanding, however, that if you think a post is inappropriate for the blue, MetaTalk is the venue of choice for airing your grievances.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:38 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm getting tired of seeing chicken-little disaster-porn on the blue

Wtf?!

Considering the mega-suffering and losses the residents of Japan, who have been impacted by the Fukushima disaster, are already facing, your depicting their expressed concern as "chicken-little disaster-porn" (which presumably means not only pathetically delusional but also getting off on the hysteria) seems sadistic and ill-considered.

In addition, your opinion is illogical and misinformed as well as offensive. That you choose to depict the reality-based concerns the Japanese have about their lives and basic human right to want to live healthy lives as "chicken-little disaster-porn " denigrates citizens complaining to a government that has repeatedly lied to them about a corrupt company, that has put millions of lives in danger with a globally impacting radiation disaster (on top of the mega-damage Japan suffered with the 9 point earthquake and massive tsunami that devastated a big percent of the country.

What part of the reality of the disaster do you not comprehend? T
he disaster is real and based on that reality the citizens have a right to complain to their government about their repeated, well documented mishandling of this reality.
posted by nickyskye at 11:04 AM on July 28, 2011

The Problem?

At MeFi, a site which no doubt contains a higher proportion of the engaged and educated, a post on "the worst call in baseball" garners seven times as many comments (and one presumes, readers) as a post whose subject addresses the health and safety of all humans.

Most people have simply tuned out on this story whose far reaching impact easily eclipses any event of the last ten years (yes, even the much-vaunted 9/11 pales in comparison to this).

The Fukushimas and Chernobyls are terrorist attacks that will keep on killing indiscriminately for tens of thousands of years.

Baseball!
posted by Lon Mem at 11:31 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Well said Lon Mem. It is the nature of human beings to feel overwhelmed by natural or especially horrible disasters. Such contemplation may cause panic attacks of intense anxiety because it's out of human control. Putting the focus on something like "the worst call in baseball", which is more on the level of personally controllable may offer some immediate release of stress, anxiety, fear. And be more fun than thinking about something with an enormous, lasting, global impact, like the Fukushima catastrophe.
posted by nickyskye at 11:52 AM on July 28, 2011

Thanks nickyskye, but I live in Japan and hear about this topic every single day, almost all day. On top of that, I hear your sort of hyperbolic accusations from well-meaning people abroad all over the net.
But what do I know about a situation going on around me, apparently I just want to talk about sports.
posted by nightchrome at 4:35 PM on July 28, 2011

apparently I just want to talk about sports.

Well, given the nature of your comments, yeah... apparently. I mean, WTF? If you come here with nothing but a mean little dismissal of this post (characterizing it as "chicken little disaster porn") and this thread (effectively saying it doesn't belong here because you're personally tired of seeing Fukushima-related matters on the blue), then yeah, sports, I reckon, or Tom Bombadil or whatever. Which is fine. Whatever posts of personal interest to you that there may be, those are the ones in which you should engage in conversation. Threads in which you have some meaningful thoughts to contribute. This one, however, you decided to just come drop a nasty little turd in. Bravo!

I don't give a flying fart about baseball (for example) but I wouldn't dream of adding dismissive comments to a baseball thread along the lines of the comments that you made here.

So listen, what it boils down to is this: nobody cares that you're not interested in this. Nobody gives a proverbial rat's ass. So next time, why don't you be a big boy, and leave off the weird egocentrism that causes you to somehow believe that your personal non-interest is a matter of interest to anyone else, and just move along to the next post? We'll be much happier.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:30 PM on July 28, 2011 [2 favorites]

But apparently not much more civil.
posted by nightchrome at 6:09 PM on July 28, 2011

Re civility. If you come into a thread to denigrate, fling insults and troll, it seems like civility is the least of your concerns.

but I live in Japan and hear about this topic every single day, almost all day.

I know. I've seen your Flickr pics of Tokyo, taken right after the Fukushima nightmare occurred. It's like the disaster at Fukushima never happened for you. You breezed right through it, so others should too. Wtf? That sounds like being empathy handicapped.

I'm getting tired of seeing chicken-little disaster-porn on the blue

Tough luck. I don't think Metafilter will ever be a disaster ignorer. It would be delusional not to be concerned about what's going on in the world.
posted by nickyskye at 6:17 PM on July 28, 2011

Look, it's clear we disagree on this topic, but is that any reason to make personal attacks?
Or is the goal to just keep slamming me until I "be a big boy" and take my emotionally handicapped self off to therapy or something?
posted by nightchrome at 6:21 PM on July 28, 2011

emotionally handicapped

Never said that. Re "tired of seeing chicken-little disaster-porn on the blue" when referring to concern about those impacted by Fukushima: empathy handicapped.
posted by nickyskye at 6:40 PM on July 28, 2011

What started out as a throwaway snark comment about a topic I dislike has ballooned up into this ridiculous one-upping poke-and-jab-fest that quite frankly is not very flattering to anyone involved.

I am sorry that I did not simply ignore this thread, instead choosing to post what I thought of it.

It's clear I need a timeout from metafilter and this sort of situation, which is arising with alarming frequency lately.

So I'm closing my account.
posted by nightchrome at 6:55 PM on July 28, 2011

this sort of situation, which is arising with alarming frequency lately

Sorry you're experiencing pattern of stress. Imagine the stress of those dealing with the impact of Fukushima.

one-upping poke-and-jab-fest

No, it was a conversation about Fukushima.

It might be useful to look at your initiating the conflict and, when receiving negative responses, then your participation in fanning the flames with further insults.
posted by nickyskye at 7:33 PM on July 28, 2011

Peak radiation spots found at Fukushima plant
posted by homunculus at 12:25 PM on August 2, 2011

The utility known as Tepco said yesterday it detected 5 sieverts of radiation per hour in the No. 1 reactor building. On Aug. 1 in another area it recorded radiation of 10 sieverts per hour, enough to kill a person “within a few weeks”.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:23 AM on August 3, 2011

Vimeo: Arnie Gundersen talks about latest developments.

Bad, bad, very fucking bad.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:57 AM on August 6, 2011

What sulfur particles in California can tell us about Fukushima
posted by homunculus at 9:34 AM on August 16, 2011

Japan: Rare public apology by Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant manager
posted by homunculus at 9:20 AM on August 20, 2011

Police say Japanese have returned $78 million in missing cash after quake
posted by homunculus at 9:21 AM on August 20, 2011

Inside Fukushima – interactive guide: Earlier this month, Kazuma Obara became the first photojournalist to gain unauthorised access to the power plant and produced an exclusive glimpse of life inside the facility
posted by homunculus at 9:27 AM on August 20, 2011

Does Japan's new Fukushima exclusion zone add up?
posted by homunculus at 1:10 PM on August 22, 2011

Fukushima Robot Operator Writes Tell-All Blog
posted by homunculus at 12:52 AM on August 24, 2011

thanks for these links, homunculus.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:20 AM on August 24, 2011

No problem. That last one merits a new post, actually.
posted by homunculus at 11:10 AM on August 24, 2011