Gov't : TEPCO always "one step behind the problems"

Jul. 23, 2013

Suga: TEPCO must stop leak quickly

      http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130723_27.html

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the government will instruct the operator of Fukushima Daiichi to do a quick and secure job in preventing further leaks of radiation-tainted groundwater into the sea.

Tokyo Electric Power Company admitted for the first time on Monday that tainted water is seeping into the sea from the plant site, based on its analysis of water levels underground and in the adjacent sea.

High levels of groundwater contamination have been identified since May at the plant's monitoring wells.

Suga told reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the government views this as a grave matter.
He said the government will urge TEPCO to take necessary measures immediately and appropriately.

Suga said TEPCO had submitted some data to the Nuclear Regulation Authority last Thursday, but they were still not sufficient proof of leakage at that point.

He said the government believes that data should be made open to the public immediately, and that it will have the economy and industry ministry instruct the utility on transparency.

Economy and industry minister Toshimitsu Motegi criticized TEPCO, saying its release of data was too slow.

Jul. 23, 2013 - Updated 05:16 UTC

Industry ministry official slams TEPCO

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130723_05.html

A senior Japanese government official has criticized the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant for failing to stop radioactive water leaking into the ocean.

Tokyo Electric Power Company officials announced on Monday that new findings suggest tainted water has been leaking into the ocean since April.

Officials from the Industry Ministry inspected the plant later on Monday. Senior vice minister Kazuyoshi Akaba says the situation is deplorable.

He says TEPCO always seems to be one step behind the problems.

TEPCO says the contamination has not spread beyond an area near the plant.
Workers are using chemicals to solidify the ground around the wells and the coastal area to stop further leakage.