After the massive earthquake and the subsequent tsunami and nuclear accident in March, 2011, I left several memos with respect to this disaster in this blog. I had no idea but to write what I thought at that time. However, I realized that these memos were rather too personal and incomplete and even emotional.
Although the disaster is still ongoing in Japan, and I do not intend to reject posts containing my emotion, I decided to refresh all the past posts and start a new blog. The following is the URL of my new blog.
http://takanoriishizuka.wordpress.com/
Living in the Metropolitan of Tokyo
Recording of one man's life in Tokyo
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Personnel strategy for international cooperation
Japan Nuclear Human Resource Development Network published a report with the title of "a new direction of human resource development in response to the accident of Fukushima nuclear power plant" (東京電力福島原子力発電所事故を踏まえた原子力人材育成の方向性について). At the section of "future direction" in this report, the following notices are found:
The central government mentioned in a report with the title of "An additional report prepared by the Japanese government to internal nuclear agency - the accident of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima- ". At the section of "securing personnel in the field of nuclear safety" in this report, the following notices are found;
The other section of "strengthen of regulatory organization for nuclear safety" mentioned as the followings:
Before the 3.11, the nuclear safety is not managed under conventional environmental regulations like water pollution prevention acts or soil pollution prevention acts in Japan. Environmental quality standards for radioactive substances have not yet been established. On the other hand, a set of strict regulatory frameworks on the nuclear safety is developed for radiation controlled areas. Although some people including Dr. Sakata Shoichi had suggested that the regulatory framework should be expanded in order to regulate radiation contamination outside the radiation controlled areas, there is yet no rules in Japan to regulate nuclear safety outside the radiation controlled areas.
I think that it is time for environmental consultants to work with this big issue in collaboration with experts of nuclear safety.
In order to contribute to the development of new safety criteria in international organizations governing nuclear safety in response to the accident in Fukushima, it is required to develop human resources who have communication skills as well as technical knowledge on nuclear safety.
The central government mentioned in a report with the title of "An additional report prepared by the Japanese government to internal nuclear agency - the accident of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima- ". At the section of "securing personnel in the field of nuclear safety" in this report, the following notices are found;
We will launch a study to establish "a training center in the field of nuclear safety for international cooperation and improvement of personnel quality".
The other section of "strengthen of regulatory organization for nuclear safety" mentioned as the followings:
We aim to establish "Nuclear Safety Agency" (tentative name). Will will secure high quality personnel ,regardless of public sectors or private sectors, in order to proceed properly with our missions.The more I encountered such kind of voices from the governmental sides or private sectors, the more I am convinced that environmental consultants will play a pivotal role to provide stakeholders with proper solutions.
Before the 3.11, the nuclear safety is not managed under conventional environmental regulations like water pollution prevention acts or soil pollution prevention acts in Japan. Environmental quality standards for radioactive substances have not yet been established. On the other hand, a set of strict regulatory frameworks on the nuclear safety is developed for radiation controlled areas. Although some people including Dr. Sakata Shoichi had suggested that the regulatory framework should be expanded in order to regulate radiation contamination outside the radiation controlled areas, there is yet no rules in Japan to regulate nuclear safety outside the radiation controlled areas.
I think that it is time for environmental consultants to work with this big issue in collaboration with experts of nuclear safety.
Personnel strategy in Fukushima
Several measures, from the central governmental level to private organization levels, with respect to personnel issues have been already taken to manage the radioactive substance contaminated soil and the ongoing accident in Fukushima.
The central government has established "Fukushima decontamination work promotion team"(福島除染推進チーム" in Fukushima prefecture. One of the missions of this team is to promote decontamination works in collaboration with local governments. Though the details of this team are still unclear, the importance of personnel issues seems to be recognized in the central government in the work of decontamination.
Fukushima prefectural government has announced that it would establish "the personnel bank for decontamination work" (除染人材バンク) in the next January. According to a basic policy of the central government, local governments has responsibility to undertake decontamination work for the areas where radiation levels are less than 20 micro Sv/year and more than 1 micro Sv/year. Fukushima prefectural government has thus decided to establish the personnel bank, seeks technical experts to be registered in the bank, and conduct decontamination works with the help of knowledge of the bank.
There is other movement in a private field. Skilled Veteran Corps for Fukushima (福島原発行動隊) is not a governmental organization, but a source of skilled personnel. People who are over 60 years old, have technical skills and mission based minds are permitted to join this corps. One of the missions of this corps is to provide advice with respect to decontamination works for governmental bodies and private companies and even send the registered personnel to decontamination works.
The central government has established "Fukushima decontamination work promotion team"(福島除染推進チーム" in Fukushima prefecture. One of the missions of this team is to promote decontamination works in collaboration with local governments. Though the details of this team are still unclear, the importance of personnel issues seems to be recognized in the central government in the work of decontamination.
Fukushima prefectural government has announced that it would establish "the personnel bank for decontamination work" (除染人材バンク) in the next January. According to a basic policy of the central government, local governments has responsibility to undertake decontamination work for the areas where radiation levels are less than 20 micro Sv/year and more than 1 micro Sv/year. Fukushima prefectural government has thus decided to establish the personnel bank, seeks technical experts to be registered in the bank, and conduct decontamination works with the help of knowledge of the bank.
There is other movement in a private field. Skilled Veteran Corps for Fukushima (福島原発行動隊) is not a governmental organization, but a source of skilled personnel. People who are over 60 years old, have technical skills and mission based minds are permitted to join this corps. One of the missions of this corps is to provide advice with respect to decontamination works for governmental bodies and private companies and even send the registered personnel to decontamination works.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Business Trip to Thailand (Third Time)
I am now at a departure gate in the Narita
International Airport. I am going to visit Bangkok today, and this is the third time
to land on Thailand.
Thailand is currently suffering from severe
flood threat. The flood is causing damages in the northern
part of Thailand, but it has not reached the central part of Bangkok.
I will arrive at Bangkok this afternoon,
and will leave Bangkok at the midnight tomorrow.
According to news obtained so far, I am not
sure whether the flood threat will reach Bangkok. If the central part of
Bangkok is attacked by the flood, then, I will not be able to undertake my
business mission in Bangkok, and in the worst case, I will not be able to leave
Bangkok if the international airport in Bangkok halts its functions due to the
flood threat.
This is similar to the situation which I
experienced in Japan on March 11, 2011. Large earthquakes and subsequent
massive tsunami as well as the successive meltdowns of the nuclear power plants
in Fukushima completely halted functions of Tokyo. Trains were delaying and even not moving, and electricity was stopped in some areas.
Urban areas are fragile to natural
disasters.
I am writing this post in a train back to
Tokyo.
I came back to Tokyo, and I am safe and
well. I was not trapped in the flood thread in Bangkok, but I felt the
situation was not solved and still facing future crisis. I am not sure whether
Bangkok will be safe.
This crisis tells me that a megacity is
fragile to natural disasters. Once a natural disaster occurs in a metropolitan,
then, at first, vast of information starts distributing. We face massive of
information. In addition, this kind of information spreads all over the world in
a short period.
Next, many of managers are assigned from different authorities
to the disaster. For example, in the Japanese case of the nuclear crisis, the
prime minister of Japan, the minister of Economic Trade and Industry, and
President of Tokyo Electric Power Company were conducting operations to
minimize damages of the nuclear crisis. Although each of the representatives seemed to try to do
their best, communication among each other was reported not to be enough.
In the past, I have read a book, but I
forget the title of the book. The title was probably “sustainability future”
or stuff like that. According to the book, 50 to 75 % of human beings will live
in mega cities in the future. Given the ongoing flood crisis damage social and economic activities in Thailand, people will face a similar hard situation in the future as well.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Chrysanthemum Festival
Today and tomorrow, there is a
chrysanthemum festival in my town. A couple of hand-made-Japanese dolls
dressing chrysanthemum is displayed at a temple near my home during this two
days. This festival is held every October. It is the fourth time for me to see
this festival.
When I was in my home today after my dinner,
I heard pulses of Japanese drums. I went outside, and found five young women
and one man were beating Japanese drums on top of a float decorated as like a fishing
boat. I was fascinated with the performance.
While watching the performance, I found
that people in my town seem to be connected to each other rather strongly. I
have no kids, and my working place is about 1 hour away by foot from my town; thus, I have
very limited connections with people in my town. On the other hand, when I went
back to my hometown where I had been living until the 18 years-old, I found
myself a member of communities in my hometown.
Someone regard this valuable connection as
social capital. We need time and effort to foster social relationships in
communities; but, once such a connection is developed, you will be able to
obtain many opportunity from your community.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Air pollution in Tokyo
Japan experienced severe environmental
issues during the period of 1955 to 1970. In this period, air pollution was significant
in industrial complex areas. The Yokkaichi industrial area, in which many
petrochemical factories were located, was notorious for its air pollution. Air
in the Keihin industrial area, including seaside areas of Kawasaki and Yokohama,
was also contaminated by air pollutants originating from petroleum burning. Residential
areas in Tokyo also experienced severe air pollution due to heavy traffic
loads. A number of people were damaged by the air pollution, and people were
even killed in the worst case.
During the period, a relationship between a
cause and its result was simple. Production activities required oil burning,
and pollution control technique was not matured. Thus, air pollution was
inevitable issues at that time. A relationship between light and shadow were really
understandable. You would have good reasons to say that economic activities
were enemy to your environment at a loud voice.
I am currently living in a residential area
in Tokyo, but am able to breathe air prevailing in Tokyo. I believe that acute
toxicities arising from air pollution is not almost at a concerned level in
Tokyo. This is thanks to recent emergences of environment-friendly vehicles and
severe technical and regulatory pollution prevention measures taken in Japan
for the past several decades. Although air pollution levels along main road side
areas in Tokyo should be still taken cared about, I can find a residential place
in the metropolitan Tokyo where I have not to take care about air pollution.
However, I cannot say anything about newly appearing air pollutants: radioactive substances coming from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. I am not totally sure whether the radioactive substances will cause negative impacts on your health in the future.
However, I cannot say anything about newly appearing air pollutants: radioactive substances coming from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. I am not totally sure whether the radioactive substances will cause negative impacts on your health in the future.
Monday, September 12, 2011
After 10 years
I was in Washington D.C. on September 11, 2001. I was there for my private trip. I was 20 years-old, and traveling over the U.S. by the national train company called AMTRAC. I arrived on L.A. at the end of August in that year, and started to move from L.A. to Arizona, Florida, New York, Boston, and to Washington D.C by the train.
I was in FBI at the moment when two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Centers. FBI had invited travelers to its headquarters, and I applied that tour, which was free of charge. When we were in a room designed for shooting practices, we travelers were forced to leave the headquarters without any explanation.
I was on a bench in a large park located in the center of Washington D.C. when an airplane crashed into Pentagon. I forgot the name of the park, but it should be famous one. The park included Smithsonian museums and Lincoln Memorial and others. I heard a large sound, and later I confirmed white smoke. And, the world has changed after those consecutive terrors.
The U.S. had a policy to put evils outside its own country, and attacked Afghanistan and Iraq. It was easy for us to understand logics preparing in the U.S. at that time. There were enemies in the Middle East, and you had to attack the enemies before the enemies attacked to you. You were always at the side of justice. With this simple logic, the U.S. has been spending huge USD and precious human resources for those wars.
This is a universal picture which you often encounter in your life. For example, cult religious groups such as Oumu Shinri Kyo played similar actions to the ones conducted by the U.S. Oumu seemed to believe that they were at the justice side, and all the worlds constructed outside Oumu were at the evil side, thus, Oumu had to attack the evils.
The same concept can be applied to our individual households. If a wife and her husband are both naïve and very honest, then they have to face many difficulties because honest people is always fighting against something (or, people who are always fighting against something are called as honest people.) If the wife and her husband find themselves at the side of justice and the remaining others at the side of evil, then the wife and her husband have a possibility to attach the remaining others.
In this sense, it is one of good ideas that we hold evils inside our own home.
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