70 percent of firms are prepared to cooperate on power saving to the same degree as last summer

Three-quarters of Japanese firms oppose nuclear power, Chicago Tribune, by Tetsushi Kajimoto, TOKYO (Reuters) 25 May 12- Nearly three-quarters of Japanese companies support abandoning nuclear power after last year’s Fukushima disaster, although a majority set the condition that alternative energy resources must be secured, a Reuters poll showed on Friday.

The poll offers fresh evidence of the deep public distrust of nuclear
power, the role of which the government is reconsidering after the
March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that wrecked the Fukushima nuclear
plant, triggering a radiation crisis that caused mass evacuations and
widespread contamination.

All of the country’s 50 nuclear reactors are now off-line, with those
halted for maintenance checks since Fukushima prevented from
restarting as a result of public safety fears, and shortfalls in power
supply are being met by the use of costly fossil fuels and
energy-saving steps.

The government is struggling to finalize a revamp of Japan’s energy
program, which previously called for an increase in the use of nuclear
power to meet 50 percent of the nation’s electricity needs. The figure
stood at about 30 percent before the crisis, and options in the
revised policy are seen ranging from zero to 35 percent by 2030.

“Companies are already coping with the situation where all nuclear
reactors have gone off-line so the survey’s result seems to reflect
such reality,” said Taro Saito, director of economic research at NLI
Research Institute in Tokyo…….
The latest poll, taken alongside the monthly Reuters Tankan survey,
suggests big companies are less wedded to nuclear power than Japan’s
biggest business lobby, Keidanren’s , position suggests.

Critics of Keidanren, including Hiroshi Mikitani, president of virtual
mall operator Rakuten Inc, accuse the business lobby of protecting the
utility firms….. Critics accuse utilities of exaggerating potential
power shortages in order to win public support to restart off-line
reactors, beginning with two at Kansai Electric’s Ohi plant in Fukui.

The poll also showed 70 percent of firms are prepared to cooperate on
power saving to the same degree as last summer, with 24 percent
willing to cooperate to a lesser extent.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-japan-nuclear-pollbre84o08j-20120524,0,2801937.story

China to spend $27bn on energy efficiency and renewables Country plans to promote solar and wind power and develop hybrid technologies to cut carbon emissions guardian.co.uk,   25 May 2012

The country’s finance ministry said it wants to promote energy-saving products, solar and wind power and accelerate the development of renewable energy and hybrid cars…..

In the long term, China is targeting to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45% by 2020, compared with 2003 levels and aims to boost its use of renewable energy to 15% of overall energy consumption.

Negotiators from over 180 nations are meeting in Bonn, Germany, until Friday to work towards getting a new global climate pact signed by 2015. The aim is to ensure ambitious emissions cuts are made after the Kyoto protocol expires at the end of this year. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/25/china-renewable-energy-carbon-emissions

Mr. Pandey said, “That there has been no violence so far is a unique feature of this movement and the credit goes to the fisherfolk of Tirunelveli. The government must withdraw all false cases and release two of the activists still in jail, Satish Kumar and Muhilan.”

Magsaysay awardee opposes KKNPP http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3433480.ece 19 May 12   Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay award winner and a convener of the National Alliance of People’s Movements, said on Friday that Indian nuclear scientists were dealing with an unknown technology in the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) and that it should not be commissioned hastily as it was against the people’s interest.

Talking to presspersons here, Mr Pandey said the agreement signed with
Russia to set the KKNPP predated the Indo-US nuclear deal and hence
was done outside the internationally accepted non-proliferation
regime. At the plant, scientists of Department of Atomic Energy were
dealing with an unknown technology and had to rely on Croatian
scientists to carry out inspections.

Even in the case of an accident, the Indian scientists would have to
wait for Russians or Croatians to come and tell them how to handle the
situation.

Keeping agitating villagers in the dark about the implications of
setting up a nuclear power plant in their neighbourhood was a human
rights violation, he argued. Instead of treating people with the
respect they deserved in a democracy, they had been charged with
sedition and waging war against the State.

Urging the State government to withdraw the cases slapped on the
people agitating against the commissioning of the plant at Kudankulam,

Mr. Pandey said, “That there has been no violence so far is a unique feature of this movement and the credit goes to the fisherfolk of Tirunelveli. The government must withdraw all false cases and release two of the activists still in jail, Satish Kumar and Muhilan.”

The fact is that the Indian nuclear programme itself is backed up heavily by the US and foreign corporates (like Atomsroyexport) and US companies are salivating over deals with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.”

Protest in Britain over Kudankulam nuclear plant http://ibnlive.in.com/news/protest-in-britain-over-kudankulam-nuclear-plant/259242-62-128.html IBN Tamil Nadu  19, 2012 London: Anti-nuclear and rights group on Friday held a noisy demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission here in protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant being built in a tsunami-prone area of Tamil Nadu.

Protesters held a large red banner proclaiming “No More Chernobyls! No
more Fukushimas! No Nuclear Power Plant in Kudankulam.”
The protesters, representing South Asian, anti-nuclear and human
rights group such as South Asia Solidarity Group, Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament (CND), South West Against Nuclear, demanded that the
Kudankulam nuclear power plant be halted for urgent safety reasons.
They claimed support from five British MPs and one British Member of
the European Parliament who have signed a letter addressed to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh which will be handed over to the High
Commission.
The protesters pointed out that at a time when Germany, France, Italy
and Japan are turning away from nuclear power because of its inherent
and terrible dangers, India is not only not decommissioning existing
nuclear plants but setting up new ones with no consideration for the
safety of its people.
They claimed the construction violated the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety guidelines as Kudankulam is in a tsunami and earthquake prone region which has also experienced small volcanic eruptions and is affected by water shortages.
They also claimed it was in violation of the mandatory requirement for construction of fresh water reservoirs which are essential in case of a nuclear accident.

The demonstrators demanded that IAEA safety guidelines on safety be met, mandatory reports, reviews and other information on safety be made available to the public and media.
They also demanded that sedition and “war against the state” cases and other charges filed against members of Kudankulam People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy be withdrawn and Section 144 be lifted from the region.
One of the organisers of the protest, Amrit Wilson from South Asia
Solidarity Group said: “The local people opposing the Kudankulam power
plant have been accused of being backed by foreign money. This is
absurd. People like ourselves, acting in solidarity, have no sources
of funds.
The fact is that the Indian nuclear programme itself is backed up heavily by the US and foreign corporates (like Atomsroyexport) and US companies are salivating over deals with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.”

In a message, Caroline Lucas, MP said, “I am deeply worried about the
situation in Kudankulam – both in terms of the nuclear plant and the
treatment of local opponents – and very much hope that the Indian
authorities will take notice of today’s important protest in London.”
Keith Taylor, MEP said: “People have a right to protest against the
construction of this nuclear power plant and I am concerned at the way
they’re being treated.”
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/protest-in-britain-over-kudankulam-nuclear-plant/259242-62-128.html

Many big companies in the region have said they can manage with power saving steps, and some experts said voluntary steps would probably suffice to shrink the supply-demand gap given growing awareness of energy saving measures.

Japan seeks 15 pct summer power savings in west,  May 18, 2012 
* Japan avoids mandatory power use limits for summer
* Critics doubt utilities’ shortage forecasts
By Yoko Kubota TOKYO, May 18 (Reuters) - Japan urged at least 15 percent power cuts in its urban-industrial west this summer from 2010 levels to cope with shortages after all nuclear reactors shut down, but stopped short of the mandatory cuts seen in the east last year. The government said on Friday that it aimed to avoid rolling blackouts in the region – home to many manufacturers including struggling electronics giants Panasonic Corp and Sharp Corp – although it needed to prepare just in case. Last summer, the government imposed mandatory usage cuts of 15 percent on customers of Fukushima plant operator Tokyo Electric Power and Tohoku Electric in the east of the country. Neither will face numerical targets this summer as they are expected to meet demand by firing up thermal plants.

The reduction targets are compared to usage levels in 2010, when Japan
suffered record high summer temperatures.

VOLUNTARY CUTS

This summer, customers of Kansai Electric Power, based in Osaka,
western Japan, will be asked to cut usage by at least 15 percent.

The utility has projected a 14.9 percent shortfall in August if
temperatures hit record highs seen in 2010. That would be the worst
among the nine utilities that have nuclear plants.

Critics, however, have questioned Kansai Electric’s forecasts,
suspecting it is exaggerating potential shortages to strengthen the
argument for restarting offline reactors……. Many big companies in the region have said they can manage with power saving steps, and some experts said voluntary steps would probably suffice to shrink the supply-demand gap given growing awareness of energy saving measures.

Panasonic, headquartered in Osaka, plans to set air conditioners at 28
degrees Celsius, while Sharp plans steps such as reducing lighting and
letting employees dress casually. Ironically, weak demand for their
LCDs and televisions has lowered output rates, which may help them
achieve savings.

Osaka-based Sumitomo Electric Industries has invested 1.5 billion yen
($18.8 million) to build a cogeneration system that captures secondary
heat energy from a thermal power plant. The wire-harness maker, which
sells its products to the auto and telecommunications industries,
expects to cut peak power consumption by 20 percent this summer
compared with 2010.

The government sought voluntary cuts of 5 percent or more by three
other utilities based in central and western Japan – Chubu Electric,
Hokuriku Electric and Chugoku Electric – and 7 percent or more by
Shikoku Electric , so they would have spare power to transfer to
strapped Kansai Electric and Kyushu Electric Power in the south.

Kyushu Electric Power’s customers were asked to cut power use by 10
percent or more, while Hokkaido Electric’s service area in the north
has been urged to make cuts of at least 7 percent.
The government is keen to restart two idled reactors at Kansai
Electric’s Ohi nuclear plant.

But it faces an uphill battle in the face of public safety fears,
especially in communities that are close enough to share the risk but
too far away to reap the benefits of jobs and subsidies that host
communities have obtained.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/18/japan-nuclear-cuts-idUSL4E8GI0MD20120518

Chinese nuclear manufacturers are now dealing with overcapacity as the world nuclear industry enters a trough,

China can manufacture 12 nuclear reactors sets annually whereas the industry needs only 40 sets before 2020

Japan leak sent nuclear industry reeling,  2012-05-19, By Liu Yiyu (China Daily) Japan’s nuclear emergency of last year has left a mark on Chinese nuclear manufacturers, which have since seen billions of yuan worth of orders postponed, a senior industry official said.

“Work stalled on 14 of the 27 reactors that were under construction before Japan’s nuclear emergency, causing orders worth 50 billion yuan ($7.9 billion) to be delayed,” said Sui Yongbin, chief engineer of the China Machinery Industry Federation, an industrial organization that represents machinery manufacturers.

The country suspended giving approvals to nuclear projects for 14
months starting on March 16, 2011, in response to the nuclear leak
that occurred at a Japanese nuclear plant following the earthquake and
tsunami that struck the island country in the same month. Work on
recently approved projects was also stalled to give the government
time to conduct safety inspections.
Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd, one of the three largest nuclear
equipment makers in China, said it received no orders in 2011…. The
engineer also warned that Chinese nuclear manufacturers are now
dealing with overcapacity as the world nuclear industry enters a
trough, adding that strong competition already exists among Chinese
manufacturers.
“Manufacturers can produce 20 pressure vessels every year and they are
competing with each other by offering lower prices,” Sui said. “In the
meantime, we are still importing certain key components from foreign
companies.”
China can manufacture 12 nuclear reactors sets annually whereas the industry needs only 40 sets before 2020, according to Sui.
He predicted the government will resume approving new nuclear projects
either at the end of this year or early next year and set a more
manageable goal of having 60 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by
2020…… http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-05/19/content_15336014.htm

How Close Is Japan to Pushing the “On” Button on Reactors? WSJ, By Mitsuru Obe and Phred Dvorak, May 18, 2012

So what’s the controversial decision going to be and where does it stand? JRT expects it’ll be a “yes,” but the pressures against restarting are so great that the order to bring
them back online could be delayed for months — possibly after peak electricity demand in the summer. Here’s our attempt to cut through the obscure, politically charged process…..

Before restarting, the government has said it will consult local
communities and then make a final Cabinet-level decision.

The problem is, the Japanese government failed to define what
communities it’s going to consult, and what level of support it’ll
need from them. At the very least, officials have said they’ll want
support from the town of Oi and the prefecture of Fukui, which host
the reactors.
This support appears to be largely in the bag. On Monday, the Oi town
assembly officially decided that the reactors needed to be restarted,
and the mayor has said he’ll make his decision by the end of the
month. The Fukui prefectural assembly convened its own expert panel,
which recently concluded that the Oi reactors were safe to restart.
Fukui’s governor is also backing the government’s evaluation, although
he’s raised concerns over Japan’s nuclear regulator, which has been in
a state of confusion since April. The regulator was supposed to have
been reformed into a new agency last month, but political infighting
has slowed the process.

But the governors of neighboring Kyoto and Shiga prefectures are
opposing the restart of Oi’s reactors, saying that the government
shouldn’t rush to bring them back online before it’s finished
investigating the cause of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, and
completed a long-term energy plan. The Japanese government said it’s
planning to set up a joint council comprising Fukui, Shiga and Kyoto
prefectures to monitor the Oi plant.

In Osaka, popular mayor Toru Hashimoto is demanding Kansai Electric
seek approval from all local authorities within 100 kilometers of its
nuclear plants before deciding to operate its reactors.

But none of those politicians are guaranteed a voice in the decision.
Pundits say Mr. Noda and the three other Cabinet members in charge of
the final decision are likely to press ahead with restarts anyway,
since Japan’s big utilities will lose a lot of money if they don’t.
“If nuclear plants are not restarted, they will turn become
liabilities, instead of assets,” Yoshito Sengoku, a senior member of
the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, said recently. “Even for
accounting reasons, it’s difficult to exit from nuclear power.”

Still, energy-watchers say the unexpected could still happen —
particularly since the political risks to a restart are so high. …
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/05/18/how-close-is-japan-to-pushing-the-on-button-on-reactors-2/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VAncqK6bl0&feature=share

 Low-Dose Radiation ☢ NEW A-Bomb Study

The most important finding regarding the late effects of A-bomb radiation exposure on mortality is an increased risk of cancer mortality throughout life

Significant radiation-associated increases in risk have been seen for most sites of solid cancer. The dose–response relationship for these sites has tended to show an approximately linear increase with radiation dose. The relative risks for many cancer sites were higher in those exposed as children. 

Studies of the Mortality of Atomic Bomb Survivors, Report 14, 1950–2003: http://www rrjournal.org/doi/pdf/10.1667/RR2629.1 An Overview of Cancer and Noncancer Diseases

Kotaro Ozasa, a,1 Yukiko Shimizu, a Akihiko Suyama, a Fumiyoshi Kasagi, a,b Midori Soda, a Eric J. Grant, a Ritsu Sakata, a Hiromi Sugiyama a and Kazunori Kodama c a Department of Epidemiology and c Chief Scientist, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama-koen, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 732-0815, Japan; and b Institute of Radiation Epidemiology, Radiation Effects Association 1-9-16, Kaji-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0044, Japan

–

Activists Brace for Long War Against Nuclear Power, By Suvendrini Kakuchi TOKYO, May 17, 2012 (IPS) – For the past two decades Masao Ishiji (59), has been fighting tooth and nail to ban the operation of four nuclear reactors that dot the western coastline of Oi in the Fukui prefecture facing the Japan Sea.

Earlier this week, that desperate battle reached a critical front. When the Oi municipal assembly passed a new resolution Monday to restart Unit 3 and 4 reactors that had been closed for a year for stress tests, anti-nuclear activists knew they had reached a crucial juncture in their fight to eradicate nuclear power from the country. 

“The new Oi decision is a blow to the anti-nuclear movement,” explained Yuki Sekimoto of Greenpeace, Japan. ” It is also a stark reminder of the excruciating position faced by the local residents. They have to chose between their jobs or stopping nuclear power, a very unfair situation.” ….
Local surveys conducted by Ishiji and his supporters from Wakasa, a town of 9000 people sandwiched between the Oi reactors, indicate residents are torn between loosing their jobs and facing a possible accident similar to the Fukushima Daiichi catastrophe caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami last March.

More than 90 percent of the 400 people polled said they were concerned about the lack of a safe evacuation plan in the face of another earthquake severe enough to damage reactors.

But the risk of ordinary people like local shopkeepers and innkeepers, who cater to the nuclear industry, loosing their jobs, also remains a grave threat.

“These are their biggest concerns. The Oi decision to restart the reactors has created a tense situation in the surrounding areas,” Ishiji reported at a large meeting of anti-nuclear NGOs in Tokyo on Tuesday. ….
The building of reactors was accompanied by generous subsidies from the central government for the construction of roads, schools and other infrastructure that brought jobs and revitalised the local economy….