Report from Fukushima Dai-Ichi: "Weakening nuclear contamination is peak target now!"

Fukushima Dai Ichi invited foreign media correspondents question the plant manager Akira Ono

Reporting for my media partners from Fukushima Dai Ichi crippled nuclear plant November 12th 2014, I'm here with my green cap among my 12 colleagues, holding my ICR in direction of plant manager Akira Ono さん of Tepco during press briefing following 3 excruciating hours visit on Dai-Ichi under complete protective equipment. We walked around the reactors and water treatment systems, including strontium deposit units, among debris, pipes and tanks along with the nowadays 6000 nuclear workers on a daily task. It is my 5th report within Fukushima Dai Ichi crippled nuclear plant.

A few world journalists were invited to visit the Fukushima DaiIchi nuclear plant Wednesday. Here we stand after the visit on site with FD1 plant director Akira Ono who speaks from the main earthquake-proof building at the tsunami-crippled nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima: "The contaminated water is the most pressing problem we must tackle. There is no doubt about that, our effort to mitigate the problem is at its peak now. Though I cannot say exactly when, I hope things start getting better when the measures start taking effect.” 

Fukushima nuclear workers 

A little bit of hope after the accomplished removal of rods at Reactor 4 and the cleaning of contaminated water with the Alps system. But all around us we could see plenty of storage tanks made to handle huge amount of contaminated water. Around R1 the peak radiation was at 700 microsieverts! Lower on site.  Photo due to one of the kindest photographer I worked with at FD1, Shizuo Kambayashi さん from pool report.  

I asked about technologies used to address contamination and opening to foreign companies to Ono san and also asked about the 3 workers who were injured at Fukushima Dai Ichi plant friday, they suffer fractures after a steel railing fell from the top of one of the numerous tanks being constructed to store contaminated water, I was told their life is not threatened. 

Tepco is now building a new 8 storeys building for all workers to rest during work session. I saw lots of them resting in corridors of protected buildings. I also met a few workers and Tepco employees I had met 3 years ago on my first visit. They are fine. I was impressed with the story of one of them, W... さん who worked on the plant March 11 2011 with the late Yoshida san. Very impressive statement he gave me about the "Fukushima 50" heroes of March 2011.

The dose of nuclear radiation the foreign media received is around 0,02 mSv (Millisievert). Some peak radiation reached at Reactor 1 was 700 μSv (Microsieverts). 

 FD1 plant manager Akira Ono

 Alps contaminated water system

Reactor 4 pool, "mission accomplished"

Briefing from Tepco communication team prior to embark for Fukushima Dai Ichi

 In the Tepco bus, between J Village and Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear plant, dosimeter shows low μSv

Pool reports