Environment

Japan restarts first nuclear reactor - 4 years after Fukushima

Amid substantial public opposition, Japan on Tuesday restarted one of more than 40 atomic reactors that were taken out of service in wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Kyushu Electric Power Co. said it had restarted the No. 1 reactor at its Sendai plant in Kagoshima prefecture about 600 miles southwest of Tokyo. The facility was expected to start actually generating electricity by the end of the week and return to full output by early September, operators said.

Nuclear power provided about 30% of Japan's energy before the Fukushima accident, the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. After the meltdown, Japan took its reactors off-line, and the government led by Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced a plan to phase out nuclear power by 2030.

Since then, Japan has had to make up for that lost generating capacity largely by burning coal and natural gas. Japan, which has little fossil fuel of its own, must import that material, and power costs have risen substantially for businesses and households.

Environment

‘Mutant Daisies’ Growing At Fukushima Nuclear Plant

A discovery of ‘mutant daisies’ has been made near the site of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

The pictures of the flowers appear to show stems and flowers connected to each other. Others appear slightly deformed, and have prompted fears that radiation is affecting the area.

Environment

Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant says it is moving tons of highly radioactive water from a temporary storage tank to another because of a possible leak.

TEPCO said on Saturday about 108 tonnes the water are believed to have breached the tank's inner linings, although little is thought to have leaked into the soil. TEPCO is moving the water to a nearby tank. It is part of the water that was used to cool melted fuel at the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors damaged in the March 2011 disaster. So much water was used that TEPCO is struggling to find storage space.

The plant is being decommissioned but continues to experience glitches. A fuel storage pool temporarily its lost cooling system on Friday, a month after a similar 30-hour outage.

Earthquakes

7.3 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan. A tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake struck off Japan's eastern coast about 7:18pm (AEDT). Buildings were reported to have swayed violently in Tokyo. At 8:19pm workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant were told to retreat to a fortified building at the plant as a precaution. A one-metre high tsunami hit Japan's north-east coast at 8:10pm. Evacuations have been ordered in some places.

6.2 and 5.5 Aftershocks hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Two 5.0 Aftershocks hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan. Three 4.8 and three 4.7 Aftershocks also rattled the region.

5.1 and 4.9 Earthquakes hit the Bouvet Island region near the southern mid-atlantic ridge.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of the Sandwich Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea.

4.9 Earthquake hits southern Greece.

Earthquakes

5.5 Earthquake hits the Fiji region.

5.4 Earthquake hits northern Italy.

5.3 Earthquake hits southern Italy.

5,2 Earthquake hits northern Peru.

5.0 and 4.8 Earthquakes hit Irien Jaya, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Philippine Islands region.

Levels of radioactive contamination in fish caught off the east coast of Japan near the earthquake and tsunami hit Fukushima nuclear plant remain raised. It is a sign that the Dai-ichi power plant continues to be a source of pollution more than a year after the nuclear accident. About 40% of fish caught close to Fukushima itself are regarded as unfit for humans under Japanese regulations.

Radiation

Health officials in Japan report that contamination from last year’s Fukushima nuclear disaster appears to be waning, but some foods produced or collected in the disaster zone remain unsafe to eat.

Nuclear Radiation

Genetic mutations have been found in three generations of butterflies from areas near Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

Scientists found 34 per cent of 3rd generation butterflies had abnormalities, including smaller wings and damaged eyes.

The findings will raise fears over the long-term effects of the leaks on other species and people who were exposed in the days and weeks after the accident, as radiation spread over a large area and forced thousands to evacuate.

 

Nuclear Radiation

Northeast Japan around the Earthquake and Tsunami hit Fukushima Nuclear Power Station is expected to remain dangerously radioactive at least until 2022 and possibly 2032. No re-development of the area will be permitted by the authorities.

Radiation from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station continues to have adverse effects on the environment around it. Radiation is causing the death of female birds unable to withstand the stress of pregnancy. This leaves a sad surplus of lonely male birds singing for mates who are no longer there.