Japan soon to be largest solar market

Source: Bloomberg

Japan is set to overtake Germany as the world’s largest solar market by annual installations this year as government incentives to encourage clean energy in light of the Fukushima nuclear crisis attract investment.

Developers may install 6.9 gigawatts to 9.4 gigawatts of solar in 2013, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Germany led solar installations in 2012 with 7.6 gigawatts of capacity.

The outlook from Bloomberg New Energy Finance revises the lower end of a forecast by the London-based researcher, which earlier called for Japan to install 6.1 gigawatts to 9.4 gigawatts of capacity. Based on the most conservative estimates, BNEF previously said China would edge out Japan as the world’s largest market this year.

The change comes after the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association announced that domestic shipments of solar modules rose 73 percent in the first three months of the year compared with the previous quarter, according to the report.

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Read more: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/05/business/japan-soon-to-be-largest-solar-market/#.Ua4QwEDVArU

Naoto Kan, Gregory Jaczko, Arnie Gundersen, Peter Bradford, Dave Roberts streaming live in San Diego

Today, June 4, 8:30-noon
Live stream: http://av4b.com/live/

Former Japanese Prime Minister And Ex-Head Of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission To Discuss Fukushima's Lessons For Southern California

*** Webcast Available to Media Outside of San Diego ***,

Against Backdrop of Debate About Fate of Troubled San Onofre Reactor, Two Public Officials Who Led During Time of Japanese Reactor Crisis Appearing Together for First Time.

SAN DIEGO, June 3, 2013 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two public figures who led the response in Japan and the United States to the Fukushima reactor crisis will appear together Tuesday for the first time to outline the lessons of Fukushima for Southern California, which now awaits the decision on whether or not the crippled San Onofre reactors near San Diego will be restarted.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan will discuss his concerns about the inherent dangers posed by nuclear reactors. He will be joined by former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Gregory Jaczko, who has emerged as a leading critic of safety at U.S. nuclear power plants.

The Friends of the Earth event will be available live both to reporters in San Diego and via Webcast to members of the news media elsewhere in the U.S.

News event speakers will be:

• The Honorable Naoto Kan, former Prime Minister of Japan from June 2010 to August 2011;
  
  
• Gregory Jaczko, former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from May 2009 to July 2012;
  
  
• Peter A. Bradford, adjunct professor at the Vermont Law School, a former member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and a former utility commission chair in New York and Maine;
  
  
• Arnold "Arnie" Gundersen, chief engineer of the energy consulting company Fairewinds Associates, and a former nuclear power industry executive; and
  
  
• Dave Roberts, County Board of Supervisors, San Diego.
  

Fukushima Ongoing Lessons For California - Live Stream - Naoto Kan and others in San Diego now

June 4, 8:30-noon
Live stream: http://av4b.com/live/
LBN press release yesterday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014499471

TEPCO finds groundwater contaminated with radioactive cesium

Source: Kyodo

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Monday that it has detected radioactive cesium in groundwater samples taken from the premises of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, reversing an earlier announcement that any contamination was negligible.

The announcement came as TEPCO is trying to secure the understanding of local fishermen over the dumping in the Pacific Ocean of groundwater that has been pumped out from wells at the site, saying it has confirmed that concentrations of radioactive substances are sufficiently low.

TEPCO had said radioactive cesium in the groundwater was at a level that could not be detected by an instrument at the Fukushima Daiichi complex. But the same sample was found to contain 0.22 becquerel of cesium-134 and 0.39 becquerel of cesium-137 per liter when checked at the Fukushima Daini plant, where radiation levels are lower.

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Read more: http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2013/06/228399.html

Former Japanese Prime Minister And Ex-Head Of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission To Discuss Fukushim

Source: Friends of the Earth

Former Japanese Prime Minister And Ex-Head Of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission To Discuss Fukushima's Lessons For Southern California

*** Webcast Available to Media Outside of San Diego ***,

Against Backdrop of Debate About Fate of Troubled San Onofre Reactor, Two Public Officials Who Led During Time of Japanese Reactor Crisis Appearing Together for First Time.

SAN DIEGO, June 3, 2013 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two public figures who led the response in Japan and the United States to the Fukushima reactor crisis will appear together Tuesday for the first time to outline the lessons of Fukushima for Southern California, which now awaits the decision on whether or not the crippled San Onofre reactors near San Diego will be restarted.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan will discuss his concerns about the inherent dangers posed by nuclear reactors. He will be joined by former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Gregory Jaczko, who has emerged as a leading critic of safety at U.S. nuclear power plants.

The Friends of the Earth event will be available live both to reporters in San Diego and via Webcast to members of the news media elsewhere in the U.S.

News event speakers will be:

• The Honorable Naoto Kan, former Prime Minister of Japan from June 2010 to August 2011;
  
  
• Gregory Jaczko, former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from May 2009 to July 2012;
  
  
• Peter A. Bradford, adjunct professor at the Vermont Law School, a former member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and a former utility commission chair in New York and Maine;
  
  
• Arnold "Arnie" Gundersen, chief engineer of the energy consulting company Fairewinds Associates, and a former nuclear power industry executive; and
  
  
• Dave Roberts, County Board of Supervisors, San Diego.
  

UN Nuclear Chief: Iran Talks 'Going Round in Circles'

Source: Reuters

The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said on Monday talks with Iran have been “going around in circles” - unusually blunt criticism pointing to rising tension over suspected nuclear arms research by Tehran that has increased fears of a new Middle East war.

Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, vented growing frustration at the lack of results in getting Iran to address suspicions of military dimensions to its atomic energy program. Tehran denies the accusations.

In hard-hitting comments to the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors, he also said Iranian advances in building a heavy-water research reactor and in its uranium enrichment work were in “clear contravention” of U.N. Security Council resolutions, dating to 2006, calling for a suspension in such activities.

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Read more: http://m.voanews.com/a/1674024.html

Noam Chomsky on a matter of urgency for the children of Fukushima and Miyagi

New! Noam Chomsky interview: the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster - June 1 2013

Mother's Level of Education Has Impact On Depression in Her Children

60,000 protest Japan's plan to restart nuclear power plants

Source: United Press International

Approximately 60,000 people rallied Sunday near the Diet building in Tokyo to protest Japan's plan to restart nuclear power plants, rally organizers said.

The Metropolitan Police Department put the number of protesters at closer to 20,000 to 30,000, Kyodo News reported.

The rally began in Shiba Park, which was attended by Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe, RIA Novosti reported. The protesters then marched on the Diet building.

Participants have gathered more than 8 million signatures against the government's plan to restart nuclear power plants after the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant due to a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake, RIA Novosti reported.

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Read more: http://www.upiasia.com/Top-News/2013/06/02/60000-protest-Japans-plan-to-restart-nuclear-power-plants/UPI-34961370197818/