In a report entitled, “Lights restored at Japan nuclear reactor," dated 22nd March, 2011, the BBC confirms the restoration of lighting in the control room of one of the most-damaged reactors at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima nuclear facility amid widespread concerns over radiation leakages. The government has already evacuated thousands of people within a 20-km radius of the plant and has cautioned others in a 10-km radius beyond that, to stay indoors. The New York Times, in a report dated 16th March, 2011, entitled “U.S Calls Radiation ‘Extremely High; Japan Nuclear Crisis Worsening,” highlights U.S concerns over the fall-out of the crisis.
The American embassy in Tokyo, on 16th March, 2011, had issued an advisory asking U.S citizens to move beyond a radius of 50-km from the Fukushima nuclear plant implying that their assessment of the threat was higher in severity when compared to that of the Japanese. Restoration of power in the control room of reactor 3 is, however, a light of hope in giving an impetus to clean-up efforts and damage control at the facility. Japan was struck by a massive earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale on 12th March, 2011, and was pounded by a devastating tsunami shortly thereafter. Authorities in Japan fear a death toll of over 21,000 people.
Japan’s Dependence on Nuclear Energy
Like most countries, Japan’s dependence on nuclear energy springs from its need for energy security. Owing to its dearth of natural resources, Japan imports nearly 80% of its energy provisions, with particular emphasis on oil which fuelled 66% of the country’s electricity in 1974. However, given the instability associated with oil as a viable and sustainable energy source, the shift in the country’s energy policy in favor of nuclear power was natural. Today, 30% of Japan’s total electricity production is derived from nuclear energy and the government has set ambitious targets for increasing this to 41% by 2017 and 50% by 2030. One wonders if the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant will impact Japan’s determined energy policy and slowdown its surge until safety concerns are addressed. The fact that Japan lies in a zone of hyper seismic activity further aggravates the situation and fuels deeper debate.
Nuclear Accidents in Japan
Japan is the only country in the world against which nuclear weapons were used. The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki represent a low-point in the history of warfare. Japan, in its endeavor to put nuclear technology to use for peaceful purposes has been at the receiving end of accidents too, though none on the scale of; or remotely close to the catastrophic atomic bombing. The accidents include the 1996 Sodium leak at the Monju FBR, a fire at the waste bituminization facility connected with its reprocessing plant at Tokai, and the 1999 accident at a small fuel fabrication plant at Tokai which claimed two lives. None of these accidents are reported to have occurred at mainstream facilities.
Even the peaceful employment of nuclear energy involves a hazardous risk. Radiation from nuclear facilities can cause severe damage to the human tissues and immune systems. If the world never did imagine a nuclear crisis after the Chernobyl disaster, it certainly has decided to introspect in light of the scare caused by the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Sources:
Nuclear Power in Japan (www.world-nuclear.org) – Accessed on 22nd March, 2011
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