They call me the “Questions Girl.”   I wish I could say I donʻt know why.  But it wouldnʻt be authentic of me.   I really care about the planet.   I am insatiably curious about why things happen.  My teachers tell me that is good as long as I know when to stop.   Iʻm still learning about that.

The NY Times has been giving a lot of coverage to Fukushima these days.  I like to read the Times every day when I can – the old fashioned way, even though itʻs on paper that came from trees.   I can see from the NY Times website that they are conscientious in their use of trees, and in their recycling and other programs, so I can feel pretty good about it.

Some of the most recent articles on Fukushima in the Times are about the stress and problems the people of Fukushima have experienced, and continue to experience, since the earthquake, tsunami, meltdowns at three nuclear reactors.   What a lot to go through. Iʻd be super stressed.  I wonder why the nuclear industry doesnʻt all band together and help them out.  It would be great PR for them wouldnʻt it?  Here is the latest article I found on the difficulties:

Japanʻs Nuclear Refugees:  Still Stuck in Limbo

I see that one of Japanʻs most popular former Prime Ministers,  Junichiro Koizumi, has done an about-face on nuclear power and is encouraging Japan to embrace renewable energy sources, according to this NY Times article.  He is quoted as saying. “The Japanese are masters at turning a pinch into a new chance.”

There have been persistent rumors of pressure from the US government to keep Japan heavily invested in nuclear power.  That perspective is represented in this Japan Times article, which quotes John Hamre of the influential Center for Strategic and International Studies, as saying  “Americans cannot afford from a security standpoint to have Japan abandon nuclear power. It’s too important to us.”  Evidently there is a belief that if Japan abandons nuclear power it will erode responsible development of nuclear energy.  The competition from Russia and China will develop less secure reactors in the developing countries, etc. etc…..kind of downhill from here.  I get it.  Is anyone else a little worried about the situation?

T