Is the Cleanup too much for Japan?

Earlier this week, Japan called on the world for help. In a speech given on Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated, “We are wide open to receive the most advanced knowledge from overseas to contain the problem," (Yamaguchi, 2013).  This is surprising in light of Japan’s previous “reluctance in accepting foreign assistance to fight the problems at the plant” (Yamaguchi, 2013). To many, this is a welcome sign of progress at the Fukushima power plant. But this does beg the question: Really, how bad are things at Fukushima?

            Reports earlier today indicate that radiation levels on Wednesday “jumped 13 times the previous day's reading, the highest levels since late 2011” (Reuters, 2013). This event happens on the same day that workers “mistakenly detached a pipe connected to a treatment system, releasing seven tonnes of highly radioactive water” (Reuters, 2013).  TEPCO stated that the spike in radiation levels was due to construction work near the Number 2 reactor building and that the detached pipe was an accident. Last week the overflow of contaminated water in a storage tank was also an accident. What is really happening at Fukushima? Are workers just plagued by accidents? Are they careless? Or is the wreckage at Fukushima just too much to handle? All that seems clear by and in light of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s statement is that Japan needs help. And they need it soon.

Reuters (2013, Oct. 10). Radiation levels near Japan's damaged Fukushima reactor hit two-year high. Retrieved from http://www.trust.org/item/20131010042949-cl8l4/

Yamaguchi, M. (2013, Oct. 6). Japan PM Seeks Overseas Help on Fukushima Leak. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/japan-pm-seeks-overseas-fukushima-leak-20485100

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's previous stance on
nuclear reactor safety.

Workers working on pipes attached to treatment systems