information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
23 Décembre 2013
December 23, 2013
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131222p2g00m0dm109000c.html
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government will have to extend its decontamination work following the 2011 crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant by a maximum of three years, government officials said Sunday.
The Environment Ministry will shortly release a new schedule for radiation cleanup work, which was scheduled to be completed by the March 31 end of fiscal 2013 under the initial plan, according to the officials.
The government will try to complete the work before reorganizing in fiscal 2017 areas around the crippled plant, currently divided into three zones based on radiation levels.
The cleanup work has been completed as scheduled only in the city of Tamura, out of 11 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture subject to the work, with work in three other areas heading for completion by the end of the current fiscal year.
The ministry believes that a three-year extension would be enough to complete the work for most of the municipalities, but as for Futaba, it remains uncertain when the work will be concluded as most parts of the town are classified as areas difficult to return to for a long time, the officials said.
On Dec. 14, the government announced plans to acquire around 19 square kilometers of land chiefly around the Fukushima Daiichi plant to build facilities for the long-term storage of radioactive and other waste piling up in the decontamination process.
The government aims to start using the planned facilities in January 2015.
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Kyodo
Decontamination work stemming from the 2011 crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant will take up to three years longer than originally planned, government officials say.
The Environment Ministry will shortly release a new schedule for radiation cleanup work at the plant, which was scheduled to be completed by March 31 under the initial plan, the officials said Sunday.
Instead, the government will try to complete the work by fiscal 2017, when areas around the crippled plant, currently divided into three zones based on radiation levels, are reorganized.
Of the 11 municipalities undergoing cleanup in Fukushima Prefecture, work has only been completed in the city of Tamura. Three other areas are heading for completion by March 31, which marks the end of the current fiscal year.
The ministry believes that a three-year extension would be enough to complete the decontamination work in most of the municipalities.
An exception is Futaba, one of the towns hosting the crippled plant, where many of the areas are classified as “difficult to return to for a long time,” the officials said.
On Dec. 14, the government announced plans to acquire 19 sq. km of land, chiefly around the Fukushima No. 1 plant, to build facilities for the long-term storage of radioactive and other waste piling up in the decontamination process.
The government aims to start using the planned facilities in January 2015.
The ministry has earmarked a total of ¥1.5 trillion for radioactive decontamination through fiscal 2013, ending next March, and has asked plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. to pay back ¥40 billion of the funds it has so far used. But the utility has only returned ¥6.7 billion, citing delays in clerical work and tough business conditions.
December 21, 2013
New cleanup plan set for areas with high radiation
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20131222_04.html
Japanese government officials say the clean-up operation around the crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima is 3 years behind schedule. They say they are now aiming to complete the work by March 2017.
Environment Ministry officials said in January last year the decontamination would be finished by March 2014, except in areas with very high radiation levels.
But the clean-up has fallen behind in the restricted zones of 6 out of 11 municipalities.
Officials have had trouble getting communities to approve of temporary storage sites for contaminated soil.
They say they will prioritize work in residential areas so people can return home as soon as possible.
There is still no decontamination plan for the town of Futaba, where the nuclear plant is based.
Environment Ministry officials are still trying to negotiate a schedule with locals.
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