Invitation to Big Island NVC Retreat

After I posted the first draft a few days ago, I got support from my NVC friends and came up with the following. It met my needs for support and clarity. I now think it is ready to go out to the world.

Please share the following if you feel like:

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Sharing NVC from the Inside Out

Nurture Ourselves, Inspire Others and Impact Our Communities

An NVC Retreat in Kona, Hawaii with CNVC Certified Trainer François Beausoleil

Feb 2-5, 2012 at Harmonics Life Hawaii (Yumi and Gen’s house)

How motivated are you to share NVC when you’re drained? Often times, just living NVC is hard when our energy is low or when we feel some emptiness inside. And when we feel lonely, it might be even harder.

Now, how does it feel to share (or live) NVC when it springs naturally out of us? When you almost can not contain it? How do people around you react when you talk about NVC from that place, with that energy?

Yes. Inspired, often magnetized.


This retreat will be focused on nurturing the fire inside, as well as offering ways to increase your ability to be of service and have an impact on your communities.



How to share NVC from the inside out
Nurture Ourselves, Inspire Others and Impact Our Communities


In this 4-day retreat you'll:

· Nurture yourself through healthy food, whale-watching, writing NVC-related poetry, and song lyrics. This will provide a solid foundation of wellbeing and inspiration for you to tap in over and over.

· Strengthen your body and spirit with optional private health consultations with Gen & Yumi, who have many years of experience in applying eastern medicine and practices to supporting individual well-being

· Experience healing around what might slow you down in terms of sharing NVC; this will set you up for moving forward doing what you love with greater strength and speed.

· Learn how to create a nurturing circle of intimacy around you, so you can maintain the fire burning inside all year long.

· Learn the golden rules of how to market your NVC offer.

· Learn the main keys to sharing NVC and being sustainable, saving you time and energy as you design your strategies to share NVC.


François Beausoleil,
MBA, Certified Trainer, Center for Nonviolent Communication
Executive Stamina Certified Trainer

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To register, send an e-mail to rawinfo@harmonicslife.net with “NVC Retreat Hawaii” in the subject, no later than January 20, 2012. In the email, please provide your name, address, phone number, and your prior experience with NVC.

Required minimum participants: 8 (max: 16)

Fees: there are 3 parts: tuition, meals and accommodation
*We accept payment plan. Please consult with Yumi


• Tuition: $600($500 for early birds:if booked by the end of 2011)

• Meals and drinks: $100 (for all the meals at HLH during the 4 days retreat)
(Breakfast fruits, lunch and dinner are mostly vegetarian with some fish or meat. One traditional Hawaiian meal, with organic/wild pork, will be served during the retreat. Other meal options are available with advance request and possibly additional costs)

• Accommodation: Accommodations are arranged separately.
We recommend the Kona Islander Inn ($60-80/night). Book early for the best rate.
http://www.konaislanderinnhotel.com/
*Note we can host up to two people in our home ($20/night requested). This option is available in order of request.

Pls. send a check payable to Gen Morita to the address below for tuition and meals.
Gen Morita/Hamonics Life Hawaii:
75-286 Hoene Place, Kailua Kona, HI96740
T/F:808-334-9616 rawinfo@harmonicslife.net (Yumi and Gen)

NVC Retreat in Paradise : Hawaii(Big Island)

I am so excited to announce our hosting a NVC (Non Violent Communication) Retreat by Francois Beausoleil in Hawaii (Big Island) . My needs for joy, contribution, connection, learning, growth, challenge, fun and sustainability may be fulfilled!

If you are excited about learning and practicing NVC in Hawaii!, please come!

I enjoy using my energy and time for creating peace and sustainability, and sharing NVC is my favorite way of doing it.

But I never done organizing in English in the USA. I have done a lot of organizing in Japan, and this is my first trial of organizing a NVC retreat in the US.

How challenging! Just making a flyer is hard for me. I do not know how to do that in English!

Thanks to the support of the NVC community, my first draft is shaping up. I would like to put it here now so that you can think about visiting Big Island of Hawaii, learning NVC, eating healthy organic vegetarian food, watching whales and even celebrate my birthday!
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Sharing NVC from the Inside Out
Nurture Ourselves, Inspire Others and Impact Our Communities
An NVC Retreat in Kona, Hawaii with François Beausoleil
Feb 2-5, 2012 at Harmonics Life Hawaii (Yumi and Gen’s house)

From the trainer:

“I don't know if you went through a similar experience, but when I started to learn NVC, I was infused with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. In those days, I was driving 4 to 5 times a week from Montreal to Sherbrooke, a 1.5 hour drive, and I had various passengers carpooling with me to help cover the cost of gas. Almost every ride, I would end up talking, or more like preaching, about NVC.

The key here is the energy and enthusiasm I had. I still do, of course. And a lot of that energy comes from the fire inside. The fire that burns from being in the joy of giving and receiving, and of being sustainable.

This retreat will be focused on nurturing the fire inside, as well as offering ways to drastically increase our ability to be of service and have an impact on our communities.

How to share NVC from the inside out
Nurture Ourselves, Inspire Others and Impact Our Communities

In this 4-day retreat you'll:
• Learn the main keys to share NVC and be sustainable
• Receive detailed guidelines about the best formats to share NVC
• Explore how to create a nurturing circle of intimacy around you
• Experience healing around what might slow you down in terms of sharing NVC
• Learn the golden rules of how to market your NVC business
• Go whale-watching , the best time of the year for it
• Write NVC-inspired song lyrics and poetry on the beach
• Celebrate Yumi's birthday in plentiful, healthy abundance
• Eating organically and locally, with some foods grown right on the premises
• Have options for private health consultation with Gen & Yumi

François Beausoleil,
MBA, Certified Trainer, Center for Nonviolent Communication
Executive Stamina Certified Trainer


To register, send an e-mail to rawinfo@harmonicslife.net with “NVC Retreat Hawaii” in the subject, no later than January 20, 2012. In the email, please provide your name, address, phone number, and your prior experience with NVC.

Required minimum participants: 8 (max: 16)

Fees: there are 3 parts: tuition, meals and accommodation
*We accept payment plan. Please consult.

• Tuition: $600 ($500 for early birds, if paid by the end of 2011)
• Meals and drinks: $100 (for all the meals at HLH during the 4 days retreat)
(Breakfast fruits, lunch and dinner are mostly vegetarian with some fish or meat. One traditional Hawaiian meal, with pork, will be served during the retreat. Other meal options are available with advance request and possibly additional costs)
Pls. send a check payable to Gen Morita to the address below for tuition and meals.
• Accommodation: Accommodations are arranged separately. We recommend the Kona Islander Inn ($60-80/night). Book early for the best rate.
http://www.konaislanderinnhotel.com/
*Note we can host up to two people in our home ($20/night requested). This option is available in order of request.

Hamonics Life Hawaii: 75-286 Hoene Place, Kailua Kona, HI96740
T/F:808-334-9616 rawinfo@harmonicslife.net

♪ My Talk@Hawaii Community College: How to reduce your cancer risk with diet ♪ - 27 min 18 sec - 7.1 MB

I gave a talk at Hawaii Community College on their Japan Day event about 311 and Danger of Nuclear Power Plants. I did not have enough time to talk about what you can do to reduce your cancer risk.

And Biannca, my friend from Australia, has sent me this information below, which is what I wanted to say. So, I am posting it here so that you can have it, too. These are very similar to what Gen and I teach in Japan and Hawaii.
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*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc. are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. A better alternative is Bragg's Liquid Aminos or sea salt. (Actually, I do not agree! Most people are not aware that Bragg's Liquid Amino's contain a lot of MSG. Because of this I definitely cannot recommend them. Use sea salt or some other high mineral natural salt.)

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells can be starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)...

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells... Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.

A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

No plastic containers in your microwave. (I would rather say, no microwave at all)

The Morning of Oct. 30 in Oakland, Awakening to Living NVC Consciousness

I was crossing the pacific ocean on Hawaiian airline flight 47 to Honolulu as I wrote this. I am so inspired to share what
happened to me that morning on the way to Oakland airport.

From the Quaker Center, where NVC Leadership Program retreat was held for 8 days, Kangs gave me a ride to his apartment in Oakland where I was spending a night. I woke up early that morning around 6 am in his apartment. I noticed I only had less than 4 hours of sleep as I did not go to bed past 2:00am. We had a party at one of the trainer's house with Thai food take out, which I enjoyed so much and I had a conversation with Kangs after we came home until about 1:00am.

After saying good night to Kangs and his roommate, I went to the bedroom I was to sleep and started writing my blog, which I happily report I did that everyday during the retreat (Japanese blog), and then slept.

As I woke up, I was grateful for not only my being alive but also having energy to check my e-mails and even wrote one to this list about the Gems of LP before leaving the apartment.

At 7:30am the alarm went off, which I borrowed from his room mate.

Last night Kangs asked me how long I needed to get ready after waking up. I said, "5 minutes". Then, to be safe, I asked his roommate to set the alarm at 7:30am so that I would have 15 minutes from waking up to leaving.

We talked about how to get to the Oakland airport. I wanted to use public transportation and Kangs and Barbara gave me the information about BART that goes to the airport.

I needed to leave his apartment at 7:45am to catch 8:15am train from MacArther station, which was closest, within 30 minutes' walk. He said he would drive me to the station if he was up, but it did not happen. I was happy Kangs was meeting his need for rest.

We talked about how we wanted to be a "Good Host" and at the same time how he needed sleep. I shared I would use public transportation as much as I could. The reason behind that, which I did not share then, is I am curious to know how people without car travels in any parts of the world I visit. This was my opportunity to learn and experience. I love learning new things.

About 1 minute before leaving, I wrote a thanking note to Kangs on the map he drew last night and left his apartment quietly at 7:15am, with excitement of walking the town I do not know. I had a clear sense of direction to the MacArther BART station from his apartment.

The morning sun was shining just above the roof of the house in his neighborhood and it was so beautiful that I smiled. I felt joy as I started walking the 33rd street to Market street with no one except me on the street. I turned left there, and continued walking to 40th.

I remembered Kang did say, "My neighborhood is not the safest place".

I was curious how safe or unsafe I would feel as I walked.

Approaching the first highway, I noticed a man was sleeping under the bridge. The person was a black man and soon I saw another one, and then another one on the bench in a park. I walked quietly not to wake them up. They had little belongings, most of which I would consider as garbage. I was sad that US, and my country Japan, among the economically richest nations on earth, have people sleeping on the street and I so wanted the world where basic human needs met.

I noticed a black older women walking towards me looking down slowly in her walking device . As we came close, I said "Good morning" to her smiling. She stopped and said "Good Morning" looking at me and smiled back a little bit.

When I came to a big junction, I wanted to make sure if this was the 40th street where I was supposed to turn right. There, I saw another black man waiting for the green traffic light. I approached and asked him, "Is this the way to the BART station?" pointing right. He said "Yes" and I was so relieved and thanked him.

Turning right, I thought the station must be near. According to the map which I did not bring, the BART entrance was along the next highway to the right. So, I looked for the BART sign to the right along the highway, as he said I would see it.

But I could not find the sign.

So, I continued walking, wondering where the BART entrance was, to the next crossing where more buildings and shops were. "That must be the station", I said to myself. There were more people walking, but no BART station.

I stopped walking, looked around and asked another black man walking to my direction, "Where is BART station?". After asking, I noticed that he was talking to someone on the cell phone. In a few second he said "I call you back" and told me "You passed the BART station already" looking at my eyes.

Then he pointed the direction I came from and started walking. I followed him and soon we were walking side by side. I smelled alcohol from him. When we came back to the highway I passed, we turned right crossing the MacArther street, there I saw the BART sign and a structure that looked like a station.

I was relieved when I saw dozens of people coming out of the structure and I was sure this was the station. I was so grateful to the man, who might have been drinking till morning, who accompanied me all the way to the station.

As I thanked him, I noticed the people who came out may have been coming out of 8:15am train which I had planned to take. I may have missed the train, and I knew there was another one in 20 minutes, that would still get me to the Oakland airport in time.

When I was trying to buy the ticket, I did not know how to do so with the credit card (I had little cash left), then, a worker from the station came out and helped me and I got the ticket to Oakland Airport. I asked him if I missed the 8:15 train and he said yes. He asked me where I was going and I said to the Oakland airport. He told me to take the line 2 to Fremont and get off at Colosseum/Oakland Airport, then take AirBart, which was a bus waiting downstairs outside of the station.

When the train came in 15 minutes or so, it passed me. Then I realized it was 3 car train that did not stop where I was waiting on the platform, so I ran to the train. Luckily train did not leave until I was on. In the train, there were mixture of colors of people, but all the people I met on the street were black. The train did not move for another5 minutes or more. I started a bit worried about the time.

I got off at the Colosseum, walked down, got out of the gate, there I saw a bus waiting. "I am almost there" I said to myself.

Got on the bus, I noticed every one in the bus were white men except me. The bus announcement said it will take 12 minutes to the airport.

At the airport terminal, I could not find the Hawaiian airline counter as they were not in the same area as other airlines. I spent another 5 minutes looking for the Hawaiian airline. Finally at the Hawaiian airline counter, the ground staff told me I was too late and the time of checking in had passed already.

To my surprise, I was calm when I heard it. I was already thinking about the next plan.

Then some miracle happened and the Hawaiian airline decided to hold the plane until I was on board. When I was at the security check, it was already 3 minutes to the departure time, which was 9:40am. Passed the security, I ran to the gate 8, accompanied by the staff. I ran as fast as I could and I was so happy I could run like a child.

In my final approach to the aircraft, flight attendants were counting,"5, 4, 3, 2, 1....". I became the last passenger on board and the door was shut upon my boarding.

I walked to my seat, 28G with my heartbeat drumming. I sat down and took "5 deep breath" as written at the door of Kangs' apartment.

And here I am, writing this to meet my need for learning, expression and feedback.

I was so grateful for all the people showed up this morning. Each one I met were helping me one way or another and I am filled with joy and gratitude.

Of course, I felt safe all the time.

Na Wai Iwi Ola Tokyo Concert: E Ola Ka Hula!

These are the photos taken by 12 year old Michika who spent 6 month living on the Big Island. She helped behind the scenes together with her mother Masami and her grand mother; 3 generations working together! They came to Bunkyo Civic Hall to help us out.

Enjoy the photos and see how beautiful it was!

10 Years from 911

I pray for those who lost their lives on that day and beyond as a result of 911 and the two wars following 911 (Afghanistan and Iraq). I pray those who are left behind who are surviving and living their life overcoming the hardships.

I am sorry
Please forgive me
Thank you
I love you

The following video is something I would like to share with you today, especially with Americans who believe their government and corporate media, on the 10th anniversary of 911. Because I have so many dear friends in the USA:

http://youtu.be/jLzPMww4tdA

I agree with the words of the producer of this video: "This is the biggest crime against humanity" and the truth needs to be revealed. I do not know when it will be and what the truth is, but I know it takes every one of us to make it happen.

You can see some of the people who are trying to reveal the truth. In fact, some of them have risked their lives to expose the discrepancies in the official story. They need more of our attention:
http://torontohearings.org/author/torontohearings/
Here is USTREAM:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings

I would like to tell you that something similar is happening in Japan.

Right now, the facts about Fukushima nuclear power plants' disaster are being hidden from the public so that the government and companies can reduce the amount of money they need to pay out to compensate the victims. They knew that the meltdown occurred right after the 311 earthquake, but they hid it from from us and the world for two months. During those two months the Japanese people in and around Fukushima (in my case I lived 150 miles from it) were exposed to excess radiation. Our government and TEPCO continue to try to make the effect of the damage look smaller and more trivial than what actually is. Our media is the same as in the rest of the world. The truth is distorted to the advantage of the government and corporations.

Today the International Conference on Radiation and Health Risk in Fukushima is being held. Many citizens and citizens groups are challenging the reliability of the conference as they believe it is actually a propaganda event that is being used to support nuclear industry and medical establishment who underestimate the risk of low level radiation, especially internal exposure.

Please read the citizen's point of view here.

May Love, Life and Truth thrive!
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Open Letter of Inquiry to the Organizing Committee for the International Expert Symposium in Fukushima — Radiation and Health Risks

September 10, 2011

Concerning the International Expert Symposium that the Organizing Committee is planning at Fukushima Medical University on September 11 and 12, we have several questions and concerns. Some of them arise from the explanation repeatedly given to the residents of Fukushima Prefecture since the mid-March that exposure to ionizing radiation up to 100 mSv per year represents no harm to the health. The others are related to the evaluation of the Health Examination for Citizens in Fukushima Prefecture, which is to be the main theme of the planned International Expert Symposium.

We consider that the mission of the experts in radiological protection consists in preventing health hazard by minimizing exposure to radiation. However, the document, “An Initiative for the Health Examination for Citizens in Fukushima Prefecture,” says that the purposes of the Examination are “to remove fears among residents of Fukushima Prefecture raised in the wake of the nuclear plant accidents and to secure safety and relief through long-term health management of the residents.” For us, citizens of Fukushima, “safety and relief” can only be achieved when these radioprotection experts fulfil their responsibilities. On the contrary, however, these experts have done nothing but repeat the argument that exposure to radiation up to 100 mSv per year represents no harm to the health.

Also when we find a passage in the briefing document on the said Health Examination that says, “The impact on public health of the accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant can be assumed to be very minor,” we cannot but have an impression that the Examination is conducted under a presumed conclusion, refusing any on-going discussions with specialists with different views. We can only interpret such a scheme as an attempt to evade their own responsibilities. Distrust and discontent are rising among residents of the prefecture and the Japanese public at large. Exposure to radiation is continuing in diverse forms at various locations. Much of the responsibilities for this situation should be assumed by the Japanese experts who are the members of the Committee as well as by the selected foreign participants of the Symposium. It is very unlikely that any views helpful in changing the current situation and promoting proper radioprotection can be obtained from experts from overseas who are designated by the very parties responsible for the current situation. Given such development, we cannot help but concluding that what you are delivering is a make-believe external evaluation, which would only aggravate doubts and fears among residents.

For the reasons given above, we consider that the planned International Expert Symposium is inadequate to scientifically examine the impact on public health of radiation exposure resulted from the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, or to correctly evaluate the health risks involved and protect the public from radiation exposure.

We hereby convey our view, followed by our inquiry below concerning the Symposium organized by the Committee. Your sincere response to our inquiry will be much appreciated. Please note that this Letter of Inquiry will not only be delivered to the Committee but also be open to the public.

Inquiry

Question #1
Among the participants of the Symposium, there are no researchers reporting that the impact of low-dose exposure on health is greater than the assessment by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. If the International Expert Symposium is committed to studies on the impact of radiation exposure on health, it is essential to raise discussions among experts and researchers with different views. For what reasons are such researchers excluded from the Symposium?

Question #2
Fukushima Medical University Vice President Shunichi YAMASHITA, one of the Committee members, has been giving explanation to Fukushima residents that it is safe to be exposed to radiation up to 100 mSv per year. On the other hand, the Food Safety Commission, Cabinet Office, gives quite a different view that adverse impact is observed when one is exposed to a total dose of 100 mSv over a lifetime. What is your opinion on the huge gap between these two observations?

Question #3
Concerning the number of persons that died of cancer caused under the impact of radiation due to the Chernobyl disaster and the number of cancer patients, there is a significant discrepancy between the IAEA/WHO report (4,000 cancer deaths estimated by the Chernobyl Forum in 2005) and Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, “Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment,” (published in 2009; a total of one million deaths caused by various cancerous and non-cancerous diseases, stillbirths, etc.) or many other reports from ECRR, German Radiological Protection Association, etc. How will you explain the gap? We would like to have the view of the Committee good enough to be accepted by residents with fears.

Question #4
There is a passage, “The only illness pinned down related to the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is thyroid cancer among children caused by internal exposure to radioactive iodine. No increases of other illnesses have been recognized” (“Purpose and Outline” in the Health Examination document). Are you planning examination of massive studies and reports (e.g., Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, “Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment” and German Affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Health Effects of Chernobyl, 2010) indicating observations different from the view above? If not, please explain the reasons.

Question #5
Despite the fact that experts and researchers have different opinions, they are not having any debate on the differences. This will lead to increasing concerns among local residents, which is against the purposes of the Symposium. What are the purposes and intent of the Organizing Committee? What are the reasons behind them?

Question #6
In the August 16 press conference, the Organizing Committee announced that you would compile suggestions for removing concerns over radiation among Fukushima residents in general and mothers with children in particular. You say you will make suggestions for eliminating concerns. Why won’t you make suggestions for radiological protection, instead?

Question #7
While being aimed at eliminating concerns among the public, why is the Symposium being held by excluding citizens in general, not allowing their voices to reach?

Sincerely,

Organizations and Researchers submitting this Letter of Inquiry
(in random order)
市民放射能測定所 Citizens' Radioactivity Measuring Station 47 プロジェクト Project47
低線量被ばくから子どもの未来を守るプロジェクトProject to protect the future of children from low dose exposure
高木学校 Takagi school
NPO 法人セイピースプロジェクト Say Peace Project
市民科学研究室・低線量被曝研究会 Exposure to Low-Dose Radiation Research Group, Citizen Science Initiative Japan
ドイツ放射線防護協会 German Society for Radiation Protection
たんぽぽ舎 no nukes plaza tanpoposya
未来の福島こども基金 Fukushima Children's Fund
and many others...

If it Really Safe for Children to Live in Fukushima?

Scientists from IAEA, WHO, ICPR　are coming to Fukushima and hold International Conference: 9/11 Symposium on Radiation and Health Risks.

But this conference is getting a challenge and critisizm of people of Fukushima.
http://www.fccj.or.jp/node/6874

Description:
Fukusima Citizens Challenge 9/11 Symposium on Radiation and Health Risks

On Sept. 11-12, 30 radiation and health experts from 14 countries will gather in Fukushima Prefecture for a Nippon Foundation-sponsored symposium on the health risks faced by Fukushima residents. But the symposium has drawn fire from local residents who note Fukushima citizens will not be allowed to directly attend the proceedings, which are ostensibly being held for their benefit.

Critics of the symposium are concerned about the Japanese participants, who have already indicated the primary purpose of the symposium is to conclude Fukushima is safe. They charge the symposium is merely an attempt by the nuclear power lobby to cover themselves with a fig leaf of international respectability rather than an open and objective scientific debate about the issues. The three speakers oppose the symposium, charging it will make a collective scientific evaluation on health risks faced by people living in Fukushima without any first-hand knowledge of Fukushima citizens, and without civil
society findings.

Fukushima-based Seiichi Natate and Wataru Iwata will address the voices of Fukushima citizens, their efforts to reduce radiation exposure, and the open letter of inquiry being sent to the organizing committee for the International Expert Symposium in Fukushima (September 11th-12th.)

Tokyo-based Kazumasa Aoki will present findings on radiation his organization has conducted including Fukushima children's urine, while Kyoto-based Aileen Mioko Smith will comment on her efforts to appeal to the UN on behalf of the Fukushima victims.

Adding Insult to Injury!

Why are they sending us high level waste now when we are already being irradiated with radiation from Fukushima?

******

Sellafield High Level Waste (HLW) shipment sails for earthquake region of Japan

3 August 2011

Sellafield High Level Waste (HLW) shipment sails for earthquake region of Japan – a direct threat not only to the people and environment of Japan, but also to en-route communities in the Caribbean and Pacific and their marine environment.

The shipment, which comes less than five months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit the Pacific coast of northern Japan, and while the Fukushima-daiichi nuclear meltdown and accident is on-going, left the port of Barrow-in-Furness at approximately 0200 hrs this morning. The cargo of nuclear waste is bound for Aomori, north-eastern Japan via the Carribbean and the Panama Canal.

The vitrified HLW, delivered by rail from Sellafield in three TN28VT transport flasks yesterday, was loaded onto the Pacific Grebe, a British-flagged ship operated by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL). Within the transport flasks were 76 cannisters of vitrified HLW, totalling over 40 tonnes of highly radioactive waste which has been assigned to the Kansai, Shikoku and Kyushu Electric Power Companies in Japan respectively.

Last month CARICOM, which represents the nations of the Caribbean, had demanded a halt to all shipments in a statement condemning ‘as unacceptable and injurious, the practice by the United Kingdom, France and Japan of transporting hazardous waste through the Caribbean Sea, thus risking the very existence of the people of the Caribbean’. The Pacific Grebe, making her maiden voyage to Japan, is expected to arrive in the Caribbean in mid-August, the Panama Canal on 18th August, and its HLW cargo scheduled to arrive in the port of Mutsu-Ogawara around 25th September.

CORE’s spokesman Martin Forwood said today: “It is incomprehensible that whilst Japan, its people and environment continue to suffer daily from the still unfolding Fukushima catastrophe, Sellafield should see fit to add to the country’s woes by sending nuclear waste. This unwanted shipment of the most radioactive material on the planet is also being made in flagrant disregard of the long-standing opposition to such shipments by the Caribbean nations and others en-route. These dangerous transports are wholly unnecessary and must be stopped”.

The high level waste results from the reprocessing of Japanese spent reactor fuel at the Sellafield site in NW England – the process which also recovers plutonium. Under contracts signed in the 1970's and 1980's, Japanese nuclear power companies shipped the waste to the UK and France for reprocessing with some of the waste and all of the plutonium to be returned. The HLW, in glass block form, is sufficiently radioactive to deliver a lethal radiation dose to a person standing within one metre of an unshielded block in less than one minute.

Today’s shipment is the second return of HLW to Japan, the first undertaken early last year when 14 tonnes in one transport flask were returned on the Pacific Sandpiper. Some 15 years late, these waste returns to overseas reprocessing customers were originally scheduled to be made in the mid-1990’s.

A shipment of plutonium MOX fuel was scheduled to leave France the first week of April 2011 for Japan, including Fukushima. Due to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident it was cancelled after it was revealed by Greenpeace France.

******

Original article: http://goo.gl/C35Y5
English/Japanese: http://goo.gl/KikL6

Prof. Chris Busby to make an emergency visit to Japan

To the Press

July 14, 2011

Dr. Chris Busby - European Committee on Radiation Risk (ECRR)
Emergency Visit to Japan Press Conference & Lecture Schedule

From July 17 to 21, Dr. Christopher Busby, Scientific Secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk (ECRR) and well known for his research on internal radiation exposure will make an emergency visit to Japan. As you may know, Dr. Busby’s position differs significantly from that of the International Committee on Radiation Protection (ICRP), which he believes has greatly underestimated the dangers of internal exposure. Dr. Busby continues to research into both the dangers of internal exposure as well as the negative health consequences of low-dose radiation exposure.

During his visit to Japan, Dr. Busby will present for the first time his analytical results for the various radionuclides that have been dispersed in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo, based on his original dust collection method, which was carried out in advance of his visit. His findings indicate that the official methods used to evaluate radiation exposure to the population are grossly inadequate. He is deeply concerned for the people of Japan as he feels they have not been given accurate data on the levels and types of radionuclides that they are being exposed to.

Dr. Busby will give talks in Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture; Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture; and in Tokyo, and will meet with local citizens. Visiting Japan for the first time since the nuclear accident, Dr. Busby will hold lectures and press conferences as outlined below. We sincerely look forward to your attendance at any or all of the events.

Dr. Busby’s Lecture Schedule in Japan

July 17 (Sun) 16:00 to 20:00 pm (Venue opens 15:50)
Location: Waseda Hoshien Scott Hall (2-3-1 Nishi Waseda, Shinjuku Ward)
http://www.hoshien.or.jp/english/index.html
Attendance limit: 200 persons Participation fee: 1000 yen
Enquiries: office.sokai@gmail.com

July 18 (Mon) 13:30 to 16:30 p.m
Location: Matsudo City Chamber of Commerce, 5th Floor Conference Room
http://www.matsudo-cci.or.jp/english/index.html
Attendance limit: 200 persons Participation fee: 500 yen
Enquiries: expose2011@mail.goo.ne.jp

July 19 (Tue) 18:30 to 21:00 pm (Venue opens at 18:00 pm)
Location: Apio Space Exhibition Hall (90 Inter-nishi, Aizu Wakamatsu City)
http://www.apio.or.jp/apiospes.html

Attendance limit: 250 persons Participation fee: 500 yen
Enquiries: Ms. Sakai: 080 5557 5407
Interlocutor: Professor Emeritus Shoji Sawada of Nagoya University

***July 20 (Wed) 11:00 a.m. (Venue opens at 10:00 a.m.)***
Location: Kojimachi Press Conference Room
2F, YT Bldg. Kohjimachi 2-2-4 Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
Sponsor: Free Press Association of Japan
Application: Free Press Association application web page: http://fpaj.jp/?page_id=1406
Please enter “Application for 20 July Dr. Chris Busby Press Conference participation” in the subject line and then fill out the required details. *Please ensure that each individual wishing to participate sends in their own separate application.
Deadline: By 18:00, 19 July
Enquiries: Free Press Association (FPAJ), PR Manager: Mr. Hatakeyama
Tel. 03-5213-4888 Fax. 03-5213-4989　info@fpaj.jp http://fpaj.jp

For more information regarding this press interview and all other events: Ms. Hajime Shiraishi: 03-3296-2720 (Our Planet TV) 090-9824-5731 shiraishi@ourplanet-tv.org

July 20 (Wed) 2011 13:30 to 16:00
Location Chiyoda Ward, Uchisaiwai Hall (1-5-1 Uchisaiwai Cho, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo)
http://www.uchisaiwai-hall.jp
Attendance limit: 183 persons Participation fee: 1000 yen
Ms. Hajime Shiraishi: 03-3296-2720 (Our Planet TV)

***July 20 (Wed) 16:30 to 18:30 pm***
Meeting with House of Representatives Members and Press Conference
Location: Diet Members' No. 1 Office Building of the Lower House, Conference Room No. 2
Attendance limit: Diet members and press only.(not open to public)
Enquiries: irihome@js6.so-net.ne.jp (Ms. Irisawa)
Sponsor: “Evacuate Children From Fukushima Lawsuit”, Representative Mr. Toshio Inoue, Chair of Legal Team, Mr. Toshio Yanagihara Prior application is not required. Participation is on a first come, first served basis.

If there are English language problems when booking any of the events listed, contact Gen Morita: moritagen...at...gmail.com

For more background on the "Evacuate Children from Fukushima Lawsuit" check out this news story:
http://www.majiroxnews.com/?p=10335
or
http://www.majiroxnews.com/2011/06/26/radiation-scare-prompts-lawsuit-to-move-fukushima-schools/

Fukushima is Worse than Chernobyl - on Global Contamination by Dr. Chris Busby

Now that Dr. Chris Busby is coming to Japan for the first time after 311, I would like to post this article here so that you know who he is and what he has been doing.

Dr. Chris Busby
Interview by Norimatsu Satoko and Narusawa Muneo
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Chris-Busby/3563

Introduction by Norimatsu Satoko

Chemical physicist Chris Busby is at the forefront of scientists who are challenging the radiation risk model propounded by ICRP, the International Commission on Radiological Protection, whose standards for allowable radiation doses the Japanese government has adopted for its citizens affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident.

Busby, Scientific Secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk (ECRR), points out that the ICRP model “deals with radiation exposure from all sources in the same way, as if it were external to the body,” and then takes this dose and multiplies it by a risk factor based on the high acute external doses of the atomic-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The ICRP method thus fails to take into account a number of ways in which certain internal radionuclides can deliver very high doses to critical targets in cells, particularly the cell DNA. One of these is from “inhaled or ingested hot particles, which are solid but microscopic and can lodge in tissue delivering high doses to local cells.”

As a result, internal radiation exposure can be “up to 1,000 times more harmful than the ICRP model concludes.”

In his calculation based on the ECRR model that considers such internal radiation risks, Busby has estimated that within 100 km of Fukushima Daiichi, approximately 200,000 excess cancers will occur within the next 50 years with about half of them diagnosed in the next 10 years, if the 3.3 million people in the area remain there for one year.

He estimates over 220,000 excess cancers in the 7.9 million people from 100 to 200 km in the next 50 years, also with about half of them to be diagnosed in the next 10 years. By contrast, the ICRP model predicts 2,838 extra cancers in the 100 km population.

“The eventual yield will therefore be another test of the two risk models,” Busby contends, pointing out that many studies of the Chernobyl disaster showed much higher cancer yields than the ICRP model had predicted.

The effect of the nuclear disaster, moreover, extends well beyond the 200 km radius. It has been reported in Japan that “traces of plutonium” have been found in the proximity of Fukushima Daiichi.

This is no surprise, since unusual amounts of plutonium and uranium have been detected in Hawaii, Guam, Alaska, and on the West Coast by the US Environmental Protection Agency in the wake of the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami.

CTBTO, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, has reported that radioactive materials had dispersed throughout the Northern Hemisphere within two weeks of the Fukushima accident, and that it had even reached the Southern Hemisphere by mid-April.

Shukan Kin Yobi, a weekly magazine, interviewed Chris Busby on the issue of global contamination at a time when the Japanese media have maintained silence on the issue. This is a complete original English text of the interview, published simultaneously with the Japanese version on Shukan Kin’yobi (July 8 edition). Check out the Japanese version of the magazine by clicking here.

The Nuclear Disaster That Could Destroy Japan ... and the World

Counterpunch published an excellent article by Mr. Takashi Hirose's on April 25, 2011:
http://www.counterpunch.org/takashi04252011.html

It is definitely worth reading and so I am posting it here and on my Japanese blog so it can be seen by a wider audience.

Thank you Mr. Hirose and Mr. Lummis, the translator, for your excellent work!

I pray that no more big earthquakes will hit Japan but nature is often more powerful than our individual and even combined human hopes and wishes...

It is becoming more and more obvious that the only way we can completely eliminate the future risk of nuclear power plant disasters in earthquake prone Japan is for all the nuclear power plants here to be decommissioned!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Nuclear Disaster That Could Destroy Japan ... and the World

By HIROSE TAKASHI

Translated by Doug Lummis

The nuclear power plants in Japan are ageing rapidly; like cyborgs, they are barely kept in operation by a continuous replacement of parts. And now that Japan has entered a period of earthquake activity and a major accident could happen at any time, the people live in constant state of anxiety.

Seismologists and geologists agree that, after some fifty years of seismic inactivity, with the 1995 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (Southern Hyogo Prefecture Earthquake), the country has entered a period of seismic activity. In 2004, the Chuetsu Earthquake hit Niigata Prefecture, doing damage to the village of Yamakoshi. Three years later, in 2007, the Chuetsu Offshore Earthquake severely damaged the nuclear reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa. In 2008, there was an earthquake in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, causing a whole mountain to disappear completely. Then in 2009 the Hamaoka nuclear plant was put in a state of emergency by the Suruga Bay Earthquake. And now, in 2011, we have the 3/11 earthquake offshore from the northeast coast. But the period of seismic activity is expected to continue for decades. From the perspective of seismology, a space of 10 or 15 years is but a moment in time.

Because the Pacific Plate, the largest of the plates that envelop the earth, is in motion, I had predicted that there would be major earthquakes all over the world.

And as I had feared, after the Suruga Bay Earthquake of August 2009 came as a triple shock, it was followed in September and October by earthquakes off Samoa, Sumatra, and Vanuatu, of magnitudes between 7.6 and 8.2. That means three to eleven times the force of the Southern Hyogo Prefecture Earthquake.

All of these quakes occurred around the Pacific Plate as the center, and each was located at the boundary of either that plate or a plate under its influence. Then in the following year, 2010, in January there came the Haiti Earthquake, at the boundary of the Caribbean Plate, pushed by the Pacific and Coco Plates, then in February the huge 8.8 magnitude earthquake offshore from Chile. I was praying that this world scale series of earthquakes would come to an end, but the movement of the Pacific Plate shows no sign of stopping, and led in 2011 to the 3/11 Earthquake in northeastern Japan and the subsequent meltdown at the Fukushima

There are large seismic faults, capable of producing earthquakes at the 7 or 8 magnitude level, near each of Japan’s nuclear plants, including the reprocessing plant at Rokkasho. It is hard to believe that there is any nuclear plant that would not be damaged by a magnitude 8 earthquake.

A representative case is the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant itself, where it has become clear that the fault under the sea nearby also extends inland. The Rokkasho plant, where the nuclear waste (death ash) from all the nuclear plants in Japan is collected, is located on land under which the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate meet. That is, the plate that is the greatest danger to the Rokkasho plant, is now in motion deep beneath Japan.

The Rokkasho plant was originally built with the very low earthquake resistance factor of 375 gals. (Translator’s note: The gal, or galileo, is a unit used to measure peak ground acceleration during earthquakes. Unlike the scales measuring an earthquake’s general intensity, it measures actual ground motion in particular locations.) Today its resistance factor has been raised to only 450 gals, despite the fact that recently in Japan earthquakes registering over 2000 gals have been occurring one after another. Worse, the Shimokita Peninsula is an extremely fragile geologic formation that was at the bottom of the sea as recently as the sea rise of the Jomon period (the Flandrian Transgression) 5000 years ago; if an earthquake occurred there it could be completely destroyed.

The Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant is where expended nuclear fuel from all of Japan’s nuclear power plants is collected, and then reprocessed so as to separate out the plutonium, the uranium, and the remaining highly radioactive liquid waste. In short, it is the most dangerous factory in the world.

At the Rokkasho plant, 240 cubic meters of radioactive liquid waste are now stored. A failure to take care of this properly could lead to a nuclear catastrophe surpassing the meltdown of a reactor. This liquid waste continuously generates heat, and must be constantly cooled. But if an earthquake were to damage the cooling pipes or cut off the electricity, the liquid would begin to boil. According to an analysis prepared by the German nuclear industry, an explosion of this facility could expose persons within a 100 kilometer radius from the plant to radiation 10 to 100 times the lethal level, which presumably means instant death.

On April 7, just one month after the 3/11 earthquake in northeastern Japan, there was a large aftershock. At the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant the electricity was shut off. The pool containing nuclear fuel and the radioactive liquid waste were (barely) cooled down by the emergency generators, meaning that Japan was brought to the brink of destruction. But the Japanese media, as usual, paid this almost no notice.

The Hamaoka Nuclear Plant is located at Shizuoka City, on Suruga Bay. Despite predictions of a magnitude 8 earthquake on Suruga Bay, it has continued in operation. If you look at the illustration showing the configuration of the plates beneath the Pacific Ocean, you will see that there is a point at which the Philippine Sea Plate, the huge Pacific Plate, the North American Plate, and the Eurasian Plate all meet; directly over that point is the Japanese Archipelago. And the very center of the area where these four plates press together is Shizuoka.

Large scale earthquakes in the eastern and southern seas have occurred regularly at intervals of between 100 and 250 years. Today in 2011, 157 years have passed since the Great Ansei Earthquake of 1854, so we are in a period when the next big one could come at any time. And the predicted center of this expected major earthquake is – though this is hard to believe – exactly under the location of the Hamaoka Nuclear Plant. And sonar readings at the site indicate that from thirty years back the Eurasian plate has been bending, which means that it is in a condition where it can be expected eventually to spring back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hirose Takashi has written a whole shelf full of books, mostly on the nuclear power industry and the military-industrial complex. Probably his best known book is Nuclear Power Plants for Tokyo in which he took the logic of the nuke promoters to its logical conclusion: if you are so sure that they're safe, why not build them in the center of the city, instead of hundreds of miles away where you lose half the electricity in the wires?

Douglas Lummis is a political scientist living in Okinawa and the author of Radical Democracy. Lummis can be reached at ideaspeddler@gmail.com

My Macbook Air is out of order!

Since April 23, my Macbook Air has been out of order and I have no access to my e-mails. Sorry about the delay in responding to your e-mails and with submitting my articles (for editors).

I hope to be able to fix it soon and work on all my responsibilities (especially the articles I am supporsed to submit now and soon).

Gomen nasai (I am sorry!).

Distance between Big Cities in Japan and Nuclear Power Plants

Japan is a small islands country as you all know. We have constant earthquakes.

Here is what I wrote in my twitter today: The distance between major cities in Japan and the nearest nuclear power plants:

東京110、横浜130、大阪85、名古屋100、京都50、札幌65、神戸90、福岡50、北九州100、川崎120 日本10大都市と最寄原発からの距離(キロメートル)。あなたの家からは何キロか調べておきましょう。

Tokyo 110km
Yokohama 130km
Osaka 85km
Nagoya 100km
Kyoto 50km
Sapporo 65km
Kobe 90km
Fukuoka 50km
Kitakyushu 100km
Kawasaki 120km

1mile=1.6km so you can calculate your safety (or danger) level.

Earthquakes can happen at any time anywhere. We do have them every day now in Japan.

Tetsuo Jimbo's Inside Report From The Fukushima Evacuation Zone

Tetsuo Jimbo is an old friend of mine. He and the VideoNews.com crew went to Fukushima Daiichi Neclear Power Plant and took the footage you can see below. It is so sad to see the dogs and cows walking around trying to survive...

With the geiger counter exceeding 100 mSv/hr I can only say Tetsuo and his crew have guts!! Of course, we should be thankful to them for showing the world what is happening there!

This is a must see:

http://youtu.be/yp9iJ3pPuL8

No More Fukushimas!

No more nuclear power plants! They all must be closed down! All of them.

There is no safe place for them in Japan, or the world, for that matter!

April 10th 'Stop Nuclear Power Plants! Global Action Day'! Click here to learn about this event.

Candlelight Vigil in Solidarity with the People of Japan: A Non-Nuclear Future

Mr dear friend Frank Dorrel in Los Angeles sent me this information.

A Candlelight Vigil in Solidarity with the People of Japan: A Non-Nuclear Future

Monday, March 28th, 7:00 PM
At
Westwood Federal Building
Corner of Westwood & Veteran

Los Angeles Will Join Nationwide Vigils to Stand with the People of Japan

With Ron Kovic & Other Community Leaders

March 28th is the 32nd Anniversary of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Meltdown in Pennsylvania

Bring friends, candles & signs with your message or wish for a non-nuclear future for Japan... and the world.
Assemble on the sidewalk at the Westwood Federal Building.

Music & a few brief speakers will address participants & a presentation of origami cranes will be made.

For More Information Contact Andy Liberman: 310-600-1254 - teachins1@yahoo.com
http://goo.gl/5iZSD

Sponsored by: Greenpeace, Coffee House Teach-ins, Palisadians for Peace,
Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA, and Nuclear Information Research Service

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I am so touched by the support we are getting from all over the world. I really pray this tragedy will wake up humanity and we learn to live more sustainablly and peacefully with nature and with each other.

I will be on the Carrol Cox Show tomorrow (HAWAII）

I will be speaking on this show tomorrow morning (Sunday) from 8-10am in Hawaii.
http://carrollcox.com/

If you are in Hawaii or have friends in Hawaii, it is KWAI 1080AM. If you are local, you can call in on:524-1080

I will be speaking about the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Power Plants disaster in Japan and our Tsunaguhikari campaign to evacuate pregnant women and children away from the radiation. We are currently moving/evacuating/finding homestays in Okinawa.

For more information, please go to our website:
つなぐ光(Japanese site)　http://tsunaguhikari.jp
Tsunaguhikari(English) http://tsunaguhikari.weebly.com/

Thank you for your support!

We do need donatioNS to help with transporting those women to Okinawa. The airfare from the Tohoku area to Okinawa is about $700 per person and many have lost everything and can not go back to homes as they are too contaminated with radiation. They will not be able to return to the area near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station for a while, possibly for a long while.

The half life of caecium is 30 years. It accumulates in the soil. Their fertile farm land will be unsuitable for farming for a long long time I am afraid.

The half life of plutonium is 24,000 years. Fukushima No.3 reactor has plutonium so I am very concerned.
http://goo.gl/Nn38C

Here is the latest news. The situation continues to be quite serious:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/27_12.html

URGENT: Evacuate Pregnant Women and Children from Fukushima Nuke Plant

If you know anything about low level radiation and health, you must be concerned about the health of pregnant women and children in Fukushima right now (and entire Japanese people as more radiation is released and spread).

And, after watching this, maybe more than just Japanese children, but children of California and Mexico!
http://www.woweather.com/weather/news/fukushima?LANG=us&VAR=euradsfc

I have known Dr. Rosalie Bertell and Dr.Earnest Sternglass personally (I met Dr. Bertell at the Earth Summit in Rio, 1992 and I interpreted for Dr. Sternglass when he lectured in Japan back in 2006) and their work on radiation and public health.
http://www.radiation.org/
http://ratical.org/radiation/inetSeries/

Those who live within 30 km (less than 20 miles) of Fukushima nuclear power plants are told to stay inside the house even today after the radioactive contamination is found not only within but also beyond 20 miles after the disaster of Japan's earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011.

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power has 6 plants and 4 already broken, Fukushima Daini has 4, Onagawa Nuclear power has 3 plants, so all together 13 reactors are not normal condition. Out of those, 4 are already releasing the radiation and 9 are unknown as of today (no news about them).

The most damaged is Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and those who live within 20 km of Fukushima Daiichi have evacuated now, but are those who between 20 and 30 km are told stay inside the house. I wonder if those people are safe. If it is safe, what about children and pregnant women? I know all the standard are usually set for male adult,

After knowing Sternglass's work, I can not agree with what Japanese government and all the Japanese media are saying to us. It is safe, no need to evacuate, etc. I understand it is important to avoid panic, but even the low level radiation is not safe for pregnant women and small children.

On TV news, they keep saying the level of radiation won't be immediate health threat and DO NOT WORRY at all. I wish that were true!! But for pregnant women and small children, you better take a extra caution as they are more prone to radiation.

So, we launched a project for EVACUATION AND FINDING HOMES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN on March 18 in Okinawa Japan for two reasons: 1. Okinawa has no nuclear plants and rare earthquake 2. Okinawa is furthest spot in Japan from the radiation. On March 26, radioactive material is already found in Okayama (west part of Japan) so, the contamination of all Japan is just a matter of time and weather (wind and rain).

Here is the press release we put out:

-----------
Press Release

March 18, 2011

"TSUNAGU HIKARI"(Connecting Light) Launched to Support Victims from the Tohoku Kanto Earthquake/Tsunami

We, volunteer citizens of Japan, wish to announce the launching of "TSUNAGU HIKARI", a support campaign for victims' from the Tohoku Kanto Earthquake/Tsunami afflicted areas.

As there are expected to be serious effects caused by the radiation released from the damaged nuclear power plants, the recovery of those areas afflicted by the earthquake, tsunami and damaged nuclear power plants it is anticipated to be a long term process.

Tsunagu Hikari is an information center created to help find accommodation in Okinawa for pregnant women and families with small children from the affected areas. Among the first to be evacuated will be women and children living within the 30 km (20 mile) unsafe radiation boundary.

Okinawa is located in the most distant part of Japan from the afflicted areas and can be considered to be the safest place for evacuees.

We are recruiting volunteers to help with this project. We need information on available homes and unused hotel rooms, as well as any kind of housing or dormitories etc. in Okinawa that can be offered for this purpose. We are also doing fundraising to cover the costs.

Our Mission:

1. To arrange accommodation in Okinawa for women and children impacted by the tsunami/earthquake and radiation from the nuclear power plants.

2. To provide appropriate personal care as required by the victims, including counseling, clothing and other personal items.

Founding Members of the "Tsunagu Hikari" Project:

Chief Director: Chikashi Kinjo
Executive Director: Kakuji Nakagawa
Public Relations: Yumi Kikuchi
Adviser: Gen Morita
Staff: Koka Nakagawa

Contact Ms. Nakagawa: (Japan - 81) 90-6146-5054
Email: tsunagu@mothership2012.org
Website: http://tsunaguhikari.jp



For more information and donation:
contact Gen Morita genm@trust.ocn.ne.jp
or
yumik@fine.ocn.ne.jp

English Information on the Earthquake & Nuclear Disaster in Japan

My friend sent me the information below for English speaking people in Japan. Share it to those who need this.

Love,

Yumi
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● At-a-glance summary of the situation in the Fukushima reactors, by the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum
http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1300584349P.pdf

● NYT: Food safety inspectors said the iodine 131 in the tested milk was up to five times the level the government deems safe, and the spinach had levels more than seven times the safe level. The spinach also contained slightly higher than allowable amounts of cesium 137. Minuscule amounts of radioactive iodine were also detected in the water supply in Tokyo and its five surrounding prefectures.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20japan.html
More testing is needed.

● Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology
(MEXT) is providing radiation measurements:
http://www.mext.go.jp/english/radioactivity_level/detail/1303962.htm

● Effects of radiation, by Medical News Today, includes a list of signs and symptoms likely to occur when a human is exposed to acute radiation (within one day), in mSv
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219615.php

● World Health Organization information about contaminated food:
http://www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/jpn_earthquake/FAQs/faqs_foodcontamination.htm

● The IAEA is now providing updates and information. "We now have continuous online access to data from CTBTO radionuclide monitoring stations, which is being evaluated by Agency dosimetry specialists (19Mar)."
http://www.iaea.org

● The IAEA is providing slides/photos on this site as well, including an aerial schematic of the Fukushima plants (19 Mar):
http://www.slideshare.net/iaea

● Japan PM Kan in a meeting with Amano "said the government is disclosing all information but that information-gathering efforts might be insufficient. Kan said the government will improve its information disclosure by taking photos of the plant regularly and stepping up radiation monitoring." NHK, 18 Mar,
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/18_26.html

● K2P highlights a story that says TEPCO tried to hand over crisis on 14 Mar, and the request was denied by the PM:.
http://ktwop.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/tepco-was-ready-to-give-up-and-abdicate-on-14th-march/
This site (recommended by Tatsu Suzuki), also provides summaries of news conferences.

● Other sites of interest:
TEPCO - http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/index-e.html
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission - http://www.nrc.gov
CTBTO news: http://www.ctbto.org/press-centre/ctbt-in-the-new
Greenpeace - http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/nuclear/

Urgent petition:Decommission of the 10 reactors of Fukushima nuclear power plants

The worst case scenario may not occur, but critical conditions still continue today at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants(10 of them all together), 10 days after the 1st big earthquake.

We are demanding the decommissioning all the 10 reactors at the first and second Fukushima nuclear power plants, and you can help us by signing and spreading this petition:
http://fukushimahairo.web.fc2.com/index_en.html

Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan
Katsumata Tsunehisa, Board chairperson, Tokyo Electric Power Company,

Accept the request made by the Mayor of Koriyama city and decide to decommission the Fukushima nuclear power plants!
Appeal:

Immediately decide to decommission all of the 10 reactors of the first and second Fukushima nuclear power plants.

Background of the appeal:

Masao Hara, the Mayor of Koriyama city, at the press conference in the afternoon on March 19, 2011, said, it was the outrageous mistake that the Japanese government turned down the support offered by the United States which suggested decommissioning the nuclear plants. He announced that he made a request to the Tokyo Electric Power Company and Mr. Kaieda, the Minister of economy, trade and industry to immediately take measures to control the nuclear accidents towards decommissioning the plants. We urge the State and the Tokyo Electric Power Company to accept the request made by the Mayor of Koriyama city and decide to decommission the Fukushima nuclear power plants.

We are worried about the workers who have been courageously engaging in the operations day and night to suppress the reactors and avert the worst-case scenario at their peril of being exposed to the radiation at the Fukushima nuclear power plants which were affected by the recent and continuing earth quakes. It has become clear to everyone that as long as the nuclear plants run, people are affected by the radiation. So many nuclear plant workers have been exposed to the radiation and some died from the radiation exposure even when the plants were running "safe". The people are little known who died after a long suffering, when the causal link between the death and the radiation exposure became difficult to establish.

We must now stop our practice: enjoying the "safe" electricity from the nuclear power plants at the expense of the workers exposed to the radiation.

Voluntary group calling for decommissioning the Fukushima nuclear plants

How to Petition
Please send your name and address to sign this petition to fukushima.hairo [at-mark] gmail.com
Please put "endorsement" on the title of your email.
Deadline
1st deadline: end of March 2011
2nd deadline: end of April 2011
-------------------------

THank you for your help!

Yumi Kikuchi

You Can Help Japan : STOP HAMAOKA and TOKAI Nuclear Power Plants Now

So many people have contacted me across the ocean if we are safe. Thank YOU. I and my family are all safe and alive as I write this. My town Kamogawa is not affected even though we had earthquakes and tsunami, too.

But radiation is coming and it is serious.

In my view, all the pregnant woman and children are better off to go as far as they can from Fukushima Nuclear Power plants (there are 10 plants there. 6 @1st Fukushima, 4@2nd Fukushima). 10 nuclear power plants are under critical condition, 4 have started releasing radioactive gas to the environment, which is now heading west across the pacific ocean.

Now, it is about the survival of Japan and maybe northern hemisphere. If you are American, you can help us now by asking your senators and congressman to request Japanese government to stop Hamaoka and Tokai nuclear power plants now before the next big earthquake happens.

The earthquakes are moving down south and we had a big earthquake yesterday in Fuji (Mt. Fuji area) magnitude 6. We have had 200 earthquakes since the 1st one as big or bigger than magnitude 5 in one week. Japan is in severe danger now.

Here is a letter I wrote. Thank you Cathy Cadden, my NVC teacher,who helped me for this.

You may wonder why I am doing this. I tell you! Because Japanese government tend to listen to what US (president) says more than what Japanese people ask.

Help US now (will help you for reducing the amount of radiation you are getting soon）!!!!

Please spread widely the letter or this blog post:
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　Another Way To Help Japan Now in Your Country

Dear People in the United States,

We are asking that all of you contact your local representatives and President Obama and implore them to pressure the Japanese government to shut down Hamaoka and Tokai nuclear power plants. These plants are the two closest to Tokyo.

We continue to have aftershocks that register from 4.0 to 7.0. We also are experiencing other quakes from epicenters close to and inside Tokyo. If these plants become affected it could be devastating for Japan as Tokyo has the largest concentration of our population. We would also request that the rest of the nuclear power plant facilities (all 55) be fully checked out for safety.

Contact them as soon as you can to help our health and survival,

Thank you ,
concerned parents in Japan,
Yumi Kikuchi and Gen Morita
Kamogawa, Japan
contact: info@wa3w.com

Map of Japan's Nuclear Power Plants' Site:
http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/
(each site has 2-6 reactors, 55 all together）

Support Needed: Another Nuclear Power Plant in Japan? I DO NOT THINK SO!

To me it is crazy to build and operate nuclear power plants over earthquake fault lines. There are faults under the islands of Japan so there is no safe site for any nuclear power plants here, period!

Please read the urgent appeal from the Kaminoseki area of Japan, where our 56th nuclear power plant is being planned in spite of the many voices of the Tanoura Island people whose life depends on the wild and abundant sea food there.

They have lived sustainably over 1000 years!
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Dear Global Citizens,

In Japan, the country of the chair of COP10 until 2012, at a valuable Biodiversity hotspot, land-filling to build the Nuclear
Power Plant started last Monday(21st Feb 2011).

This Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Plant was mentioned as an issue at the plenary session at NGO meeting in COP10 in October last year.

Because of insufficient Environmental Impact Assessment, a number of signatures were handed in to Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Now the details in English is available:
http://en.parc-jp.org:8080/en/news/news/the-land-fill-construction-to-build-the-nuclear-power-station-has-started-support-the-people-of-iwaishima-island

The main problem of Chugoku Electric Power Inc. is that they created severe conflict in the city. And Chugoku Electric Power Inc. hasn't tried to resolve the conflict.

Chugoku Electric Power Inc. is neglecting opposing residents and focusing on proceeding the construction. By the construction, the hotspot sea area where is egg-laying site of rare species of fish will be land-filled.

Residents of Iwaishima Island have been living on the rich natural resource from the sea. In order to save the sea, approximately 100 people of the residents are desperately opposing and raising action by nonviolent means. However, Chugoku Electric Power Inc. has hired 600 people to force through the construction.

Now they are on the verge.
So we need your support.

Further details in English is available:
http://en.parc-jp.org:8080/en/news/news/the-land-fill-construction-to-build-the-nuclear-power-station-has-started-support-the-people-of-iwaishima-island

Our 1st goal is to stop the Chugoku Electric Power Inc. to land-fill the valuable Biodiversity hotspot.
Chugoku Electric Power Inc was a participant of COP10.

Therefore, I hope you have several minutes to help us by doing 2 points as follows:

1) Please let your friends, colleagues, companies, families and other people to know this fact by forwarding this email.
2) Please call or send Chugoku Electric Power Inc. an e-mail to ask them to stop the land-filling.

The Spotlighted issue at COP10,the destruction of Biodiversity hotspot due to construction of Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Plant is on a critical point.

We wish this issue will reach as many global citizens as possible.

Let us, global citizens, move forward to say "Stop constructing Nuclear Power Plant!" everywhere in the world.

Thank you for your assistance.
Love from Kaminoseki,

P.S. "Please stop constructing Nuclear Power Plant" in Japanese is "Gen-Patsu Kensetsu wo Yamete Kudasai"

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■Chugoku Electric Power co. INC.
Mail Form(Japanese/ English): http://p.tl/FPft
Original URL: http://p.tl/Nml5
Translation: http://honyaku.yahoo.co.jp/url
Tel: +81-82-241-0211 Fax: +81-082-504-7006
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::::::::: For Your Information::::::::
When Kaminoseki was mentioned at the Plenary session COP10 (57'44"-58'35")
http://webcast.cop10.go.jp/player.asp?id=2209&type=ondemand
Statement::
http://www.cbdnet.jp/wp-content/uploads/18c7100f8f78e85e2531664d3e7c72c1.pdf

Live Broadcast from the site
You Tube http://www.youtube.com/user/hakunamatataTJ#p/u/0/LSsByMcXDXo
USTREAM http://www.ustwrap.info/multi/7222191::7083136
(From at sea, and on shore)

Nuclear Ginza:

A Sea of Miracles Threatened by Nuclear Power
https://picasaweb.google.com/108283839638844864377/ASeaOfMiraclesThreatenedByNuclearPower#

The Demand for Re-investigating an environmental assessment of
Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Planned Construction Site.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108283839638844864377/TheDemandForReInvestigatingAnEnvironmentalAssessmentOfKaminosekiNPP#

::::::::::Related Stakeholders' Contact List:::::::::
■Chugoku Electric Power co. INC.
Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Plant Preparation Office
TEL: +81-820- 62-1111

■Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Kaieda, Banri (Mr)
TEL: +81-3-3508-7316
FAX: +81-3-3508-3316
E-mail: office@kaiedabanri.jp

Nuclear Facilities Development and Nuclear Fuel Cycle Industry Division
TEL: +81-3-3501-1873

■Yamaguchi Prefectural Governor
Nii, Sekinari (Mr)
TEL: +81-83- 933-2570
FAX: +81-83- 933-2599
E-mail: teigen@pref.yamaguchi.lg.jp

■Yamaguchi Prefectural government
Bureau of Infrastructure (to stop the reclamation)
Tel: +81-83-933-3810 Fax: +81-83-933-3829
Bureau of Environment (to conserve environment or precious animals)
Tel: +81-83-933-3050 Fax: +81-83-933-3069

■Kaminoseki town office
Tel: +81-820-62-0311 Fax: +81-820-62-1600