Fukushima disaster and Japan’s Prime Minister

This video is about the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

From the Asahi Shimbun daily in Japan:

Editorial: Abe should confront the reality of Fukushima radiation leaks

September 22, 2013

“In the wee hours of Sept. 20, a strong earthquake measuring a 5-plus on the Japanese seismic scale struck Fukushima Prefecture. Its epicenter was in the Hamadori area in the eastern part of the prefecture, where the wrecked Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is located.

Even though it caused no damage to the some 1,000 storage tanks within the plant that are filled with radioactive water, the quake must have given many people a chill.

On the previous day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the crippled plant and reiterated his view about the effects of contaminated water, saying they had been “completely blocked” within a certain range.

But he is overoptimistic if he really believes what he said about the problem.

He needs to appreciate the seriousness of the situation and make an all-out effort to prevent unforeseen disasters like massive leaks of contaminated water.

Symbolical of Abe’s unwarranted optimism about what is going on at the plant is his claim that the situation is “under control.”

He made the remark earlier this month in his presentation at a session of the International Olympics Committee, which helped Tokyo to be chosen as the host city for the 2020 Summer Games. After his statement was reported around the world, however, a senior executive of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, rebutted his argument, saying the situation was not under control.

During the International Atomic Energy Agency’s annual general conference meeting held on Sept. 16-20 in Vienna, representatives of many countries raised questions about Abe’s statement. China, for instance, voiced strong concerns about how things stand at the Fukushima complex. … “

Read complete article here.