#Fukushima at 15: The Fallout Continues
Officials claim Japan’s worst-ever #NuclearDisaster is dealt with. Try telling that to the people.

Thomas A. Bass, March 9, 2026

"Cesium-laden microparticles from Fukushima have been found in air filters across Japan. As one drives the highways in Fukushima, some of the large green road signs that would usually indicate towns and turnoffs have been replaced by panels displaying radiation levels, given in microsieverts per hour. (A microsievert measures the biological effect of ionizing radiation on human tissue.) These readings can spike to dangerous levels depending on which way the wind is blowing. The radioactive material blown out of the destroyed reactors made Fukushima’s forests, which cover three-quarters of the nuclear exclusion zone, unsafe to enter. The wild boars that used to be hunted here, as well as the plants and mushrooms that used to be foraged for food, are too radioactive to eat."

[...]

"A town in Fukushima, such as Iitate, might be considered decontaminated when as little as 15 percent of the radioactive soil is removed. This creates a kind of lily pad effect; people can safely hop from one clean spot to another or walk along narrow paths between radioactive hot spots. A law passed in November 2011 mandates that all of Fukushima’s radioactive soil, roughly 15 million cubic meters, will be removed from the prefecture by 2045. With no place having volunteered to take any of the soil, the government has decided to spread it across Japan.

"Most of Fukushima’s bagged soil has been re-deposited into a dump built on the cliff behind the destroyed reactors. This facility separates the most radioactive elements from the soil and sequesters them in concrete bunkers. Soil containing less than 8,000 becquerels per kilo of radioactivity, which the Ministry of the Environment calls “Happy Soil,” is readied for shipment across the country, to be used in landfills and construction. (A becquerel is a unit of radioactivity, corresponding to one nuclear disintegration per second.) A load of Happy Soil, described as “revitalized and strong,” was recently dumped into the flower beds in front of the Prime Minister’s office in Tokyo."

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/03/fukushima-japan-15th-anniversary-nuclear-accident-tsunami-disaster-radiation-ongoing/

#NoNukes #RethinkNotRestart #Fukushima #FukushimaIsntOver #NuclearWaste #SoilIsLife #WaterIsLife

‘#Fukushima: A #Nuclear Nightmare’ Review: An Emotional Choice

This documentary offers a rundown of the 2011 nuclear meltdown with special attention to the shift workers who risked their lives while trying to stabilize the plant.

March 10, 2026

" 'We were told Japan would cease to exist if we failed.' On #March11, 2011, a 8.9-magnitude #earthquake and a #tsunami struck the northeast coast of #Japan, precipitating a series of hydrogen explosions at the #FukushimaDaiichi nuclear plant.

"The new HBO documentary 'Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare,' directed by James Jones ('#Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes'), offers a tense rundown of the aftermath by pairing archival footage with testimonies from the people who witnessed the events firsthand.

"In the days following the earthquake and tsunami, workers at the plant hurried to contain what they knew could become a #NuclearCatastrophe. Using diagrams, the documentary strives to convey the dangers on an elementary-school level: Without electricity, the reactors’ cooling systems failed, causing the fuel rods to melt and spew radioactive material. The schematics are paired with a tense score and sinister-looking footage of fiery explosions.

"In an emotional interview, an engineer named #IkuoIzawa recalls remaining on-site while the majority of the plant’s crew was evacuated. Knowing that he might not survive, he sent an email to his family members, imploring them to look after one another. Izawa became part of the #Fukushima50: the everyday shift workers who risked their lives for the welfare of Japan. Although chiefly a straightforward — and at points repetitive — synopsis of the events, 'Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare' distinguishes itself in its devotion to elevating these men as heroes."

Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare
Directed by James Jones∙
Documentary∙
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Streaming on HBO Max.

Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/movies/fukushima-a-nuclear-nightmare-review.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/eTbOo

#NoNukes #RethinkNotRestart #FukushimaDocumentary #Remember311 #FukushimaIsntOver

SimplyInfo.org: 15th Anniversary Report #FukushimaDaiichi

March 2, 2026

Excerpt: "This TV Asahi investigative report from March 2025 [linked below] paints a sobering picture of the enormous challenges still facing the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi, fourteen years after the accident. While #TEPCO achieved a milestone the previous November by extracting roughly 0.7 grams of #NuclearFuel debris for the first time, experts interviewed for the piece emphasized that debris removal is just one piece of a far more complex puzzle. Around 1,000 fuel assemblies
still remain in the spent fuel pools of Units 1 and 2, untouched since the accident, and officials from the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation (#NDF) described clearing these pools as the single most urgent priority — in part because another
#earthquake or #tsunami could strike at any time.

"Before large-scale debris removal can even begin, the area around the reactor buildings must be cleared of heavily contaminated structures and exhaust stacks to make room for the massive equipment required. Because humans cannot safely approach the highly radioactive debris, all removal work must be done remotely. Radiation levels outside the buildings remain dangerously high — a dosimeter near #Unit2 showed particularly elevated readings — and contaminated water continues to be generated at a rate of roughly 80 tons per day as #rainwater and #groundwater contact radioactive materials on site, despite TEPCO having already released about 80,000 tons of treated [but still radioactive] water into the ocean.

"Perhaps the most troubling concern raised in the article is what happens to the debris and #RadioactiveWaste after it is removed. Hiroshi Miyano, chairman of the Decommissioning Review Committee of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, was blunt in his criticism, saying no serious thought has been given to managing this waste over the coming century or two.

"The Fukushima debris is uniquely complicated because it is a mixture of melted nuclear fuel and structural materials, and experts warned that removal may not even be possible until a concrete disposal plan is in place. General decommissioning superintendent Toyoshi Fukada warned that without proper storage facilities ready in advance, the entire decommissioning effort could eventually grind to a halt simply because there would be nowhere to put the waste."

Read more:
https://simplyinfo.org/2026/03/simplyinfo-org-15th-anniversary-report-fukushima-daiichi/

Asashi investigative report [pdf]:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ysaf6a7hj62286sv4hoql/alps_water_d250130_14-j_translated.pdf?rlkey=3u397ndoafdtiq6fgjczg4a74&st=845tdf30&dl=0

#FukushimaIsntOver #TEPCOLies #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #NuclearPlants #NuclearDisaster #Remember311

RE: https://mastodon.social/@thejapantimes/116186846390385036

#FukushimaIsntOver #Remember311 #RethinkNotRestart

World’s biggest #NuclearPlant fires up 1,356MW reactor after 13-year freeze

Story by Everett Sloane, February 11, 2026

Excerpt: "Coverage of the planned restart has noted that Japan’s #Kashiwazaki and Kariwa units faced a suspension just hours after an earlier attempt began, after a minor malfunction triggered alarms. Separate reporting on Jan developments stressed that the significance of bringing Reactor No. 6 online was rising as tight supply threatened winter reliability, a reminder that grid operators are juggling risk on two fronts at once: the risk of another accident and the risk of blackouts if demand outstrips capacity. This dual pressure is why I see unit 6 less as a side story and more as the template regulators will use to judge whether No. 7 can safely move from fuel loading to full power."

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/world-s-biggest-nuclear-plant-fires-up-1-356mw-reactor-after-13-year-freeze/

#KashiwazakiKariwa #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLIes #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #Geothermal #WaveEnergy #Japan #JapanPol #RenewablesNow #FukushimaIsntOver

It's not enough that #Fukushima #RadioactiveWaterDumping will continue for years (centuries?), now #Japan wants to mine the #DeepSea and kill even more #OceanLife? WTF!

Japan hauls rare earth-rich mud from deep sea in bold test mission

Story by BeckhamLangford
Feburary 3, 2026

"Japan’s own planners acknowledge the uncertainties. Jan briefings on the test mining plan stressed that, However, key aspects remain unknown, including the quality of the minerals and the economics of lifting and processing such vast volumes of mud. Mining the mud had previously been seen as too expensive compared with land-based deposits, and even with new technology, the cost of pumping, dewatering and refining the material at scale is still an open question. Analysts also point out that any move toward commercial production will face intense scrutiny from environmental regulators and coastal communities, who want clearer evidence on how sediment plumes, noise and habitat disruption will affect #DeepOcean #ecosystems around the site."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/japan-hauls-rare-earth-rich-mud-from-deep-sea-in-bold-test-mission/ar-AA1VBa5u

#OceansAreLife #JapanPol #NoDeepSeaMining #NoOceanDumping #FukushimaIsntOver #RecycleMetals #BuildTechnologyThatLasts #OceansAreLife #WaterIsLife #LeaveItInTheOcean #DeepSeaMining
#NoDeepSeaMining #RecycleCopper
#LifeOnEarth #Ecocide #DeepSeaLife #OceansAreLife #PlanetDestroyers #HumanGreed #NoisePollution #SedimentPlumes

Japan Is Restarting Its #NuclearPower Program 15 Years After the #Fukushima Disaster

One of the surviving reactors at the #KashiwazakiKariwa plant was loaded with fuel last summer and recently turned back on, to mixed reactions.

By Elizabeth Rayne, Published: Jan 28, 2026

Excerpt: "Despite the benefits [sic] of nuclear energy, not everyone is so sure about this move. The Japanese government’s strategic energy plan previously intended to reduce the use of nuclear power as much as possible, but as far back as 2021, it has been focused on incorporating nuclear back into its bank of power sources as a way to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. Its newest plan addresses the progress that has been made since the Fukushima disaster, admitting that the power plant failed to make improvements because of 'the myth [that] created the impression that meeting the standards and conditions set by the government and industry would eliminate all risks.'

"Some citizens see the return to nuclear power as a dismissal of caution."

Read more:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a70108280/japan-is-restarting-its-nuclear-power-program-15-years-after-the-fukushima-disaster/

#RethinkNotRestart #NoMoreFukushimas #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLies #NoNukes #RenewablesNow #Geothermal #Hotsprings #FukushimaIsntOver #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #Radiation #NuclearWasteIsForever

Unfortunately, the #FukushimaDiary website seems to have been locked down. This was one of the last articles posted by #Mochizuki (on December 7, 2025).

#TEPCO Downgrades Thermometers After 80°C Spike, But Data Suggests a Systemic Issue

"TEPCO recently reported that a thermometer in #FukushimaDaiichi’s Reactor 1 recorded an unexpected 80°C temperature increase following nitrogen injection into the primary containment vessel (#PCV). Initially, this raised concerns about a possible heat source inside the containment vessel .

"However, after an internal review, TEPCO concluded that the reading did not reflect an actual temperature increase, attributing it to instrument malfunction. As a result, they downgraded multiple thermometers to “reference use” and removed them from official monitoring .
Contradictions in TEPCO’s Explanation

"TEPCO’s official report claims that the 80°C spike was a sensor anomaly, yet the data contradicts this conclusion..."

https://web.archive.org/web/20251207175303/https://fukushima-diary.com/2025/03/tepco-downgrades-thermometers-after-80c-spike-but-data-suggests-a-systemic-issue/

#RethinkNotRestart #NoMoreFukushimas #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLies #NoNukes #FukushimaIsntOver #WaterIsLife
#OceansAreLife #Radiation #NuclearWasteIsForever

Imagine that... A #nuclear plant operator that LIES!!!

Japan’s nuclear watchdog halts plant’s reactor safety screening over falsified data

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Updated 8:31 AM EST, January 7, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — "Japan’s #nuclear watchdog said Wednesday it is scrapping the safety screening for two reactors at the #HamaokaNuclearPowerPlant in central Japan, after its operator was found to have fabricated data about #earthquake risks.

"It was a setback to Japan’s attempts to accelerate nuclear reactor restarts. Less than a quarter of commercial nuclear reactors are operational in the wake of the 2011 #FukushimaDaiichi meltdowns, but rising energy costs and pressure to reduce carbon emissions have pushed the government to prioritize nuclear power.

"#ChubuElectricPowerCo. had applied for safety screening to resume operations at the No. 3 and 4 reactors at the Hamaoka plant in 2014 and 2015. Two other reactors at the plant are being decommissioned, and a fifth is idle.

"The plant, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of #Tokyo, is located on a coastal area known for potential risks from so-called #NankaiTrough #megaquakes."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/japan-hamaoka-nuclear-fabrication-data-893d7cf94e790ffb51cb1cf85254d658

#ChudenLies #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLies #RethinkNotRestart #NoMoreFukushimas #NoNukes #FukushimaIsntOver #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #Radiation #NuclearWasteIsForever

Nuclear reactor owned by #Fukushima plant operator #TEPCO to shut down again hours after restart

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Updated 7:05 AM EST, January 22, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — "A reactor at the world’s largest nuclear power plant that restarted for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster is now being shut down again Thursday due to a glitch that occurred hours after the unit’s resumption, its operator said.

"The No. 6 reactor at the #KashiwazakiKariwa plant in north-central Japan reactivated Wednesday night for the first time in 14 years, as plant workers started removing neutron-absorbing control rods from the core to start stable nuclear fission.

"But the process had to be suspended hours later due to a malfunction related to control rods, which are essential to safely starting up and shutting down reactors, the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said.

"TEPCO, which also manages the wrecked Fukushima plant, said there was no safety issue from the glitch."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/japan-nuclear-fukushima-tepco-kashiwazakikariwa-e1a784da67f73aaf616413b543ae539d

#RethinkNotRestart #NoMoreFukushimas #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLies #NoNukes #FukushimaIsntOver #WaterIsLife
#OceansAreLife #Radiation #NoMoreFukushimas #NuclearWasteIsForever