Reportage Fukushima Dai Ichi - 12 June 2013

We walk down the stairs equipped to enter Fukushima Dai Ichi  [JLK, up right]

Eng: Excerpts from my story today at the Fukushima nuclear plant: "Here around 10:45 we walk down the stairs with our group of journalists in the administrative building Fukushima Dai Ichi. I am walking with my four colleagues (I am up right on this pool picture) to enter the stricken plant under high radioactivity. Tepco confirms that Cs (caesium) and Sr (strontium) and others such as Am (Americium) are especially found in contaminated waters. Tepco has not rejected yet the waters in the Pacific ocean. Tepco also built a huge 52-meter high structure next to the reactor 4 to allow a transfer in 1533 fuel rods in a cooling pool located in an adjoining building. I also enclose the report of radioactivity of Tepco. I noted an error because my dosimeter recorded 1500 μSv (microsieverts per hour) facing the reactor 3 and not just 1240 μSv. It was an exhausting day." Added quotes: (pool of reporters) The upper part of the No. 4 reactor building was blown off in a hydrogen explosion. The canopy covering it will prevent further leakage of radioactive substances when workers remove spent nuclear fuel from the building.

 From what I see, there is just micro progress on Fukushima, Tepco cannot contain the contaminated water leakage, cannot store all water, considers leaking it to the ocean nearby, polluting the sea life. Regarding the melted core, most dangerous issue that will take decades, there is no appropriate technology, robot prototypes did not work, or were lost in buildings. Nuclear workers have still not been able to determine location of the nuclear fuel. Tepco tries not to answer to difficult questions as we noticed with the plant chief Takahashi. When we start asking too many, the guys say the conference is finished. Some foreign reporters complained about it. Really we hear that France is to help Japan to clean up Fukushima. If there is really something Areva and co can do to help at Fukushima it would be more than welcome trust me. This is priority. The other priority being the nuclear waste accumulated everywhere on Japan nuke plants... Fukushima is hell on earth for the time being with these "sorcerer's apprentices."

Fukushima Dai Ichi radioactivity map 12-6-2013

Fr: "Ici sur le site dévasté de Fukushima vers 10:45, ce mercredi 12 juin 2013, on descend l'escalier avec notre groupe de journalistes dans le bâtiment administratif Fukushima Dai Ichi (photo pool) Fukushima Tepco confirme que césium et strontium notamment figurent dans les eaux contaminées. Tepco n'a pas encore rejeté ces eaux en mer. Par ailleurs Tepco a construit une énorme structure haute de 52 mètres à côté du réacteur 4 pour permettre de transférer 1533 barres de combustible dans une piscine de refroidissement situé dans un bâtiment attenant. Je joins le rapport de radioactivité de Tepco. J'y note une erreur, car mon dosimètre a enregistré 1500 μSv (microsieverts par heure) devant le réacteur numéro 3 et non 1240 μSv. C'était une journée exténuante."

Exploded still 2 years and 3 months after...

うそだろ！Usodaro!  I will be damned!

"Invitations are often extended in Japan without meaning to invite anyone when (and because) the context of the invitation makes it obvious that an invitation is not really intended and the invited person is expected to politely decline… On the other hand, knowing my relationship to the hosts, something more than a bowl of rice with tea poured over it was definitely in order, although the meal might have been a trifle more elaborate than I had expected. I would have been indeed surprised had the hostess simply served a bowl of rice with tea over it. It would not have been far from the mark in interpreting the event to mean either that the friend’s luncheon invitation was actually pro forma… Now, did my hosts tell me a lie? Were they insincere? Or did they try to mislead me when they had agreed to treat me to ochazuke? If you assume that people always have to say what they mean literally, then the answer is yes. But an intriguing part of the cultural assumption operating in this context is that both hosts and guests are supposed to say what they do not mean, that they are supposed to know that they are supposed to say what they do not mean, and moreover that they each know what the others really meant to say but did not say without being told. Hosts and guests are thus in collusion, acting out their parts in the everyday drama of Japanese social life..."

I shall remember to be cautious before to accept an invitation from Japanese bureaucrats to follow some international events or fairy tale press conferences held in Japan. I'll look suspicious especially with invitations from those whose job is to act as host in need of popularity. There are rotten flowers in the corners.

Extracts from: "Ethnography of Dinner Entertainment in Japan"

Toru Hashimoto censured by his voters or absolved?

Toru Hashimoto at the press club Tokyo May 27th 2013

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, after his comments on "comfort women" May 13 and his press conference May 27 to criticise media he accused of misinterpreting his words, is expected now to face a censure motion filed by Osaka local politicians later today May 30th. Battle begins after what is perceived in Japan as shameful statements. Will the nationalists supporting Shinzo Abe let him in the lion cage alone?

Youtube: http://youtu.be/96Jce5xofHA

VDO © 2013 Joel Legendre Tokyo

Lessons from Chernobyl for Fukushima by Prof. Yablokov

Dr. Yablokov in Tokyo

Fukushima: Consequences for people and the environment? One expert who does not believe in the official figures of governments and international organizations, such as the IAEA and WHO, is Dr. Aleksei Vladimirovich Yablokov. Dr. Yablokov was a science advisor to Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, I met Dr Yablokov and asked him about the low dose risks, I also asked him what are the thyroid cancers risks for children of Fukushima after March 11th, 2011 and also if there is a political lesson to hear from Chernobyl?

VDO Tokyo May 21st, 2013.

http://youtu.be/G2hWESE5j58

Osaka Mayor Hashimoto's Outrage to Women

Japan Restoration Party (JRP) co-leader and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's remarks that the "comfort women" system of wartime sexual servitude was necessary are ''inappropriate'' in the eyes of 71 percent of respondents to a new Mainichi Shimbun poll, 21 percent thought his remarks were ''appropriate.'' Poll conducted on May 18 and 19. He confirmed. 

The comfort women system was made of above 200,000 women from Korea, China, and the Philippines among others who were forced to serve in military brothels catering to the Japanese soldiers. In other words: sexual slavery organised, controlled and monitored by militaries and pimps.

Toru Hashimoto who is the co-head of Nippon Ishin No Kai told Shintaro Ishihara, the other co-leader of the Japanese opposition party, on Sunday that he has no intention to withdraw his recent remarks that have triggered outrage both at home and abroad. The US department branded remarks by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto defending Japan’s wartime system of sexual servitude as "outrageous." 

Toru Hashimoto said the public's "lack of reading comprehension" has caused his remarks to be taken as trying to justify the wartime sex slaves have been "misunderstood." 

Then US Representative Mike Honda, [with whom I worked on war issues early 2000s) who spearheaded a 2007 House resolution that took Japan to task on the issue, called Hashimoto’s remarks "repulsive" and said the comfort women, using Japan’s euphemism for the wartime sex slaves, suffered "horrific" physical and psychological scars. Also US Representative Steve Israel said he was "disgusted" and that Japanese officials should offer apologies to ageing former comfort women instead of "abhorrent" explanations.

Quotes: Japan Times: "In 1995, Japan issued a broader apology expressing “deep remorse” for war suffering. The 1993 statement remains a sore point for nationalists who contend that authorities did not directly force comfort women into sex and that the system was set up to prevent random rape. The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, known for his conservative views on history, did not comment directly on Hashimoto’s remarks but said Japan shared the pain of survivors and stood by past statements."

Politically, this dreadful episode happens while current prime minister Shinzo Abe, helped by his neo conservative troops (Taro Aso, and Chief cabinet secretary Suga) is now willing to change the Constitution, article 96 to allow the modification of article 9 renouncing to war. A climate improper to sending clear peaceful signal to Japan's neighbours.

But the statement continues also about Okinawa and here we come to very crucial point regarding how Japan handled the system: 

"Hashimoto write on his social media account on Twitter. "Let me go straight to the point. When America occupied Japan, didn't they make use of Japanese women?" Hashimoto has a million Twitter followers. "I can't help but point out that it is unfair for America to criticise only Japan by putting aside acts by its own country." Hashimoto added that (The United States) should face what the US military did against local women, in particular Okinawa women when they occupied Japan." The Allied powers had been in control of Japan until 1952 after WWII. Then handed over Okinawa to Japan in 1972. 

Frequent crimes have been reported involving US military servicemen, accused of improper behaviours, but also of rapes and various offences, especially the 1995 case : Wikipedia: "The 1995 Okinawa rape incident refers to a rape that took place on September 4, 1995, when three U.S. servicemen, U.S. Navy Seaman Marcus Gill and U.S. Marines Rodrico Harp and Kendrick Ledet, all from Camp Hansen on Okinawa, rented a van and kidnapped a 12-year-old Japanese girl. They beat her, duct-taped her eyes and mouth shut, and bound her hands. Gill and Harp then raped her, while Ledet claimed he only pretended to do so out of fear of Gill. The incident led to further debate over the continued presence of U.S. forces in Japan." E o Q.

Adding to this accumulation of revulsive and abominable tragedies, there is one element that has been mentioned often by historians and journalists. France and Germany army had their "Bordel militaire de campagne" set during WW1 and WW2, made of obliged women, many kidnapped and enslaved and of prostitutes. We can remember here the amazing life of Marthe Richard, prostitute, pilot, spy and then politician who worked towards the closing of brothels in France in 1946. 

In Japan after WW2 [Pictures] there also is the case revealed in the book of Robert Whiting "Tokyo Underworld" (Random House, Vintage) who revealed in 1999 that after the war the Japanese government was involved into the creation of the RAA, the Recreation and Amusement Association, a group, the author writes, which was set to "sleep with Americans." Made "to sate the much anticipated and much dreaded Yankee libido while sparing the virginal flower of young Japanese female hood." End of Quotes.

As Japan Times Osaka based staff Eric Johnston wrote May 18th: " They say he’s been made a scapegoat for saying out loud what Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration and many of his supporters privately think. Then there’s the theory the remarks were a form of misplaced anger over the lack of Diet action on Nippon Ishin’s key goals. Hashimoto has vehemently denied he was advocating a modern-day comfort women system. But his anger at what he perceives to be American hypocrisy on human rights is clear."

Consequence, one for the time being and more ahead if Hashimoto can't stop the fire: Your Party’s Yoshimi Watanabe told reporters: "I don't understand the type of person who freely continues to say things that destroy public trust. We appear to be straying off course" TBS reported [May 20th].

Indeed.

It is a tragedy that in Japan and in our world, people involved in politics do not always succeed in harmonising sound and respectful policies which would fit the needs, belief, and respect of the population as if these politicians, obsessed by popularity, could only deliver slogans and statements ruffled by tormenting psyche and nightmares. 

There also is a possibility of a manipulation or a setup to destabilise the Mayor of Osaka. Yet, he is the one who was quoted with those nauseating words. Hashimoto said he will clarify his views at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo on May 27.

http://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Underworld-Times-American-Gangster/dp/0375724893

Fukushima, Tohoku, Sendai: Les failles sismiques sont elles prévisibles?

"Fukushima il faudra dépenser au moins 300 milliards de $ pour 50 ans de travaux. Etait-ce prévisible? Les grandes entreprises électriques et les compagnies d'assurances auraient pu développer des recherches, et un mécénat scientifique mieux spécialisé sur les failles sismiques et les glissements de plaques pour développer, inciter, comparer les recherches scientifiques afin que la communauté scientifique se mette d'accord sur le risque. (Gestion de crise)

On aurait fait des économies a court terme, or les entreprises électriques ont fait un mauvais calcul, et aujourd'hui  le coût depuis l'accident de Fukushima est plus élevé que ce qu'aurait coûté une construction tenant compte des risques sismiques existants. A Fukushima une centrale construite dans les années 70, on n'a pas tenu compte du gigantesque tremblement de terre survenu en 1960 au Chili, une vague de 6 ou 7 mètres avait alors touché la zone qui allait devenir la centrale dévastée de Fukushima. Bref C'était possible d'avoir des prévisions des séisme et tsunamis. On pouvait prévoir que ces très gros séismes [comme ceux de Tohoku Sendai du 11 mars 2011] allaient se produire."

Sur France Culture: "Comment fonctionnent les grandes failles ?"
Planète Terre http://lnk.nu/franceculture.fr/2f1b
Facebook http://lnk.nu/facebook.com/2f1c
Photo: parasismique

Is Japan back?

Japan's economy went faster than expected in the first quarter of 2013. Real GDP grew 0.9 percent, which brings an annualized basis of 3.5 percent!! Here we see a rise in consumer spending. "... gross domestic product numbers are the first major report card for Mr. Abe's economic policy, after he took power in December pledging to get Japan out of 15 years of deflation", the Nikkei writes. Wow, Abenomics... Some fear inflation though. Prices to rise. Impact on corporate world? Too soon to say Hurray. "Japan which was a little bit forgotten for years as the third-largest economy is back center stage so it's good," said Nissan's Chief Exec' Carlos Ghosn.

Top adviser of Japan Prime Minister Abe in Pyongyang

Iijima san and Kim Chol Ho, Pyongyang

This is the man, Isao Iijima (L) adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who arrived in North Korea today on May 14 in a rare surprise visit to Pyongyang, media say the purpose of the visit was not immediately known. North Korean state television showed the aide, Isao Iijima, arriving in Pyongyang. Kyodo news said he was met by Kim Chol Ho, vice director of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department. ijima was a top aide to former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who visited Pyongyang for talks with then North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, in September 2002 and May 2004.

Isao Iijima is rough enough and generous enough... to deal with North Korean on abductees and nuclear missiles. People rumour he is here to meet ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and the DPRK government in a bid to improve bilateral relations, nuclear missiles crisis, abductees. Japan and North Korea resumed intergovernmental negotiations in last August after a four-year hiatus. Money is an important item in such negotiation but also softer aid. Remains to be seen what the US will comment.

Ijima san is well versed in many aspects of the secret diplomacy of Japan's government. I can only understand that the abductees issue is a very crucial agenda for Shinzo Abe who always keeps the eyes on the July election at Japanese Parliament Upper House. It federates support from Japanese public opinion. I also heard from a former top LDP that the number of abductees from Japan "kidnapped" or voluntarily staying in North Korea is in the range of several dozens, at one point I heard over more than a hundred. Far from the 8 publicly announced.

The problem with North Korea is, obviously, that it is involved in narcotics and counterfeit operations to fund its missile and nuclear ambitions.  No government in Japan could possibly ignore that. Especially Ijima or Abe knowing  the fact that without China's help, North Korea would not be able to make even a toothbrush...
More later.

IJIMA Isao さん (L) JLK (R) chat in a party

Ozu revisited

 110 birth anniversary of the filmmaker

Fantastic! Film studio Shochiku Co. will celebrate the 110th anniversary of the birth of legendary director Yasujiro Ozu this year by making digitally restored versions of four of his color films and staging special events.


"An Autumn Afternoon" will be screened for the first time at the Cannes International Film Festival starting Wednesday, while the refurbished version of "Equinox Flower" will be shown at the Venice Film Festival later this year!

Ozu series will start June 22 at the Cine Nouveau theater in Osaka, while all of his works will be screened at the Jimbocho Theatre in Tokyo starting Nov. 23 (Kyodo, Japan Times)


URL: http://lnk.nu/japantimes.co.jp/2er6/

Coulisses: comment j'ai reçu la déclaration de François Fillon sur sa candidature en 2017

Ici dans cette vidéo que j'ai tournée lors de son passage de Tokyo, François Fillon parle bien de convictions. 

Youtube: http://youtu.be/9VxtuBfByr0

Dans les coulisses: Comment François Fillon m'a déclaré depuis Tokyo sa candidature pour 2017.
Récit du 9 Mai 2013 par Joel Legendre.

Audio: http://soundcloud.com/jo-l-legendre-koizumi/comment-fran-ois-fillon-a-d

"Lorsque nous rencontrons François Fillon, jeudi midi, nous sommes 5 journalistes de la presse française et une responsable de la Chambre de Commerce, il est 1230 et cela se passe à l'hotel Okura, dans l'Orchid bar pour environ 55 minutes de présentation de sa visite en l'honneur de sa décoration du Grand Cordon du Soleil Levant des mains de l'Empereur du Japon Akihito. On a parlé aussi de sa visite dans le Tohoku. Interviews, échanges, on fait des enregistrements. Puis, interrogé sur sa décoration on parvient à convaincre François Fillon de nous la montrer et de la porter. Nous ne sommes plus que 3 journalistes. Il monte la chercher dans sa chambre, je l'attends devant l'ascenseur, on parle ensemble de ses visites au Japon, on s'y est vu alors en 1995 et ensuite en 2008 sur le "Mistral, en 2011 après "Fukushima".

Puis, je mène François Fillon dans le grand salon d'entrée de l'Okura et c'est là qu'on le filme, nous sommes donc 3 journalistes, moi-même pour RTL France, Vincent pour BFMTV et Jacques pour l'Afp, scène devant un splendide décor de verdure de l'Okura. François Fillon répond à une question filmée, puis nous remercie, l'interview est finie, seuls sont tournés quelques plans de coupe pour le montage, les micros sont fermés. François Fillon doit rencontrer des membres du gouvernement japonais. On va se séparer mais pourtant c'est à ce moment que je lui pose la question "Vous êtes en reconquête?"

Je pose ma question à François Fillon: "Vous êtes en reconquête?

François Fillon: "Je serai candidat en 2017 quoi qu'il arrive"

- Mon impression à ce moment, comme je l'ai dit des jeudi sur l'antenne de RTL je vois un homme, ancien premier ministre, déterminé et offensif, il sait naturellement ce qu'il dit et il dit ce qu'il pense devant moi à ce moment pour cette course aux présidentielles de 2017. J'ai Fillon devant moi, sa déclaration était en pleine connaissance de cause du terrain politique hexagonal... Mais peut être n'avait il pas vu la caméra qui tournait encore, derrière nous, près des fenêtres Shoji du grand salon. Une question, une réponse brève, carrée. Le tout en 10 secondes. Après l'annonce, un travail à 3, entre 3 journalistes pour RTL, BFMTV et l'AFP, on n'a pas rêvé, Fillon est candidat. Vincent m'appelle, je sors juste de l'Okura pour monter mes sons et papiers pour RTL y compris l'annonce de sa candidature. Puis Vincent appelle Jacques qui rappelle Fillon qui twitte sa réponse, un peu vite ensuite sur 2016 et les primaires, bon on se dit, il se rattrape après sa déclaration qui venait chambouler tout le paysage politique français. Car j'ai vu en face de moi un homme politique en pleine connaissance de la machine de guerre politico-médiatique, il délimite son territoire et engage le combat. Le Japon souvent donne des ailes aux politiciens... Jacques lance l'alerte Fillon sur le fil AFP après accord de sa hiérarchie de Paris. La force de frappe de l'agence de presse. Le buzz démarre!  Je suis dans le journal de 13:00 de RTL et y explique comment j'ai interrogé François Fillon au dernier moment et ai reçu face à moi la déclaration de sa candidature en 2017!

- François Fillon, je le suivais aussi durant ces voyages au Japon, depuis 1995. C'est un homme très courtois, il connait les usages, un coup au but, comme chez les Samurais archers, terrasse l'adversaire ou déclenche une volée de discours réprobateurs. Fillon est un fin connaisseur de la culture et des arts japonais, de la nature, il a oeuvré intelligemment sur le dossier Fukushima  depuis le 11 mars 2011, malgré les silences alors du gouvernement de Tokyo et de Tepco, il s'est rendu sur Ishinomaki à l'automne 2011. Malgré aussi les difficultés de gestion de la crise de Fukushima à l'ambassade de France tenue par l'ambassadeur Faure qui lui aussi recevra l'une des médailles du Soleil Levant. De cela et d'autres choses, les japonais ont remercié François Fillon par cette haute décoration décernée très rarement, Malraux l'avait eu avant lui, sinon il faut remonter au 19e siècle. Et puis plus prosaïquement, je suis les politiques qui viennent au Japon. Fillon, on l'a vu, a cette méthode de travail que partagent une certaine race de politiciens, ils viennent voir et comprendre, il connait le rythme des longues courses. "Peut être que les japonais gagneront enfin les 24 heures du Mans avec cette voiture électrique que Nissan prépare" nous a-t-il dit durant la 1ere interview. Pour le reste, le buzz, le rattrapage sur les primaires de 2016, bon, c'est le travail des communicants de l'UMP et de la classe politique française, des commentateurs. Tout ce dossier de candidature sera naturellement une question du climat de l'époque. Les français ont-ils une mémoire politique si longue? Non, mais un candidat, qui ne part pas en pole position, peut-être?"

La vdo de Vincent, c'est ici, sur Dailymotion: http://lnk.nu/dailymotion.com/2eq7

- Une petit chose encore: François Fillon en regardant certains d'entre nous, Vincent et moi-même, a présenté ses félicitations aux journalistes français qui "sont restés à Tokyo pour couvrir l'accident nucléaire de Fukushima" en plein danger en mars 2011 alors que les rayonnements radioactifs devenaient menaçants. Il était, m'a t il dit, défavorable à l'évacuation des français hors du Japon! Les faits lui ont donné raison.