Latest news with #Fukushima
India Today
an hour ago
- Politics
- India Today
Can the Israel-Iran conflict spark the next Chernobyl or Fukushima disaster?
Missiles don't always just kill soldiers. Sometimes, they awaken buried last few days have witnessed Israel unleashing a targeted assault on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, striking Natanz, Isfahan, and the underground fortress at Fordow. These weren't power plants or reactors under fire, but enrichment sites where uranium is processed and these facilities smolder under missile strikes, a chilling question reverberates: Could the next Middle East flashpoint become another Chernobyl—or worse?advertisement What Remains UntouchedIran's nuclear power reactor at Bushehr and its research reactor in Tehran remain unscathed. This distinction matters critically. Nuclear reactors are deceptively fragile structures. A direct hit can breach containment buildings, disable cooling systems, and if fuel pools are destroyed, trigger catastrophic core spectre of Fukushima looms large: radiation leaks spreading across vast territories, contaminating land and water for generations. Fortunately, those nightmare scenarios haven't materialised Real TargetsFordow, Natanz, and Isfahan are enrichment facilities, not weapons arsenals. These sites house centrifuges spinning uranium isotopes—U-235 and U-238—under careful supervision. The process involves enrichment, not detonation. That crucial line still even without reactor meltdowns, the situation remains perilous. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed centrifuge damage at these facilities, with chemical and radiological contamination occurring within the plants. While external radiation levels remain stable for now, containment failures could unleash localised radiation leaks with devastating health impacts aren't abstract: vomiting, severe skin burns, cancer, and long-term environmental contamination. These grim possibilities hang in the balance whenever enrichment bunkers become PrecedentThis isn't Israel's first nuclear strike against regional neighbours. Iraq in 1981, Syria in 2007—both pre-emptive and surgical, executed before nuclear programs could advance. But Iran's facilities present greater challenges: older, deeper, and more dispersed infrastructure. Fordow, built beneath a mountain, exemplifies this defensive immediate catalyst was a damning IAEA resolution revealing Iran's concealment of nuclear activities at three sites—the first such serious breach warning in two Fallout AheadWhile the ingredients for disaster exist, the recipe remains incomplete. Iran hasn't developed nuclear weapons, and conventional strikes cannot trigger nuclear explosions. Chernobyl's radioactive ghosts aren't rising these attacks have shattered the illusion that nuclear facilities are immune to warfare. If strikes continue, containment systems may fail. Even without mushroom clouds, the fallout—radiological, geopolitical, and humanitarian may have already InMust Watch
NHK
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NHK
TOKIO's Kokubun Taichi to halt activity indefinitely due to 'compliance issues'
Kokubun Taichi, a member of the Japanese band TOKIO, is suspending his activities indefinitely due to breaches of compliance rules. This was announced by his management agency on Friday. Earlier in the day, Nippon Television Network, or NTV, said it was removing Kokubun from a popular weekly program, "The Tetsuwan Dash." It cited the 50-year-old's multiple past acts deemed problematic in terms of compliance. Kokubun said in a statement that, after spending long years in the entertainment world, he lacked a proper understanding of his position. He said he was naive and conceited, and acted poorly. He said he will halt all his professional activities indefinitely and reflect upon himself. NTV has not said when the compliance-related problems took place or what exactly happened for privacy reasons. But it says they are not the kind of issues that warrant the filing of criminal complaints. NTV says it first learned of the problems in late May. It says that, based on a probe by third-party lawyers, the company's board approved Kokubun's removal from the show at an extraordinary meeting on Friday. It says "The Tetsuwan Dash" will remain on the air. NTV President Fukuda Hiroyuki told reporters that the program has been airing for a long time and is loved by its viewers. He said this makes it all the more necessary to strictly enforce governance. "The Tetsuwan Dash" featured segments in which Kokubun and other members of TOKIO engaged in farming and other activities in Fukushima Prefecture and other rural locations. Fukuda said the broadcaster will offer an explanation to the local people who have supported the show, and will seek their continued cooperation. Kokubun debuted as a member of the all-male band TOKIO in 1994. Due to his friendly character, he has emceed variety shows and other programs, while also pursuing acting roles in TV dramas and movies. Prior to Friday's announcement, Kokubun had six regular programs on TV and radio. He also appears in several TV commercials.
Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Times
¥1.9 trillion over five years eyed for 2011 tsunami reconstruction
Japan adopted a new basic policy on Friday for reconstruction after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, expecting projects worth ¥1.9 trillion for the next five years from fiscal 2026. The amount tops ¥1.6 trillion for the five years through fiscal 2025, which ends in March. Under the basic policy, the government will tackle such issues as the final disposal of soil removed during radiation decontamination after the nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' Fukushima No. 1 power plant. The government will also promote the return of evacuees to their homes in areas affected by the radiation from the nuclear accident. "With a strong determination to resolve problems for reconstruction within the next five years, all the cabinet members will accelerate reconstruction efforts further, staying considerate to those in affected areas," Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a meeting of the government's council for reconstruction from the disaster. The basic policy calls for studying the idea of allowing forest management and some other activities in areas where entry is heavily restricted due to the radiation from the nuclear accident. The government will also promote the use of soil collected during decontamination work in public works projects and continue to financially support disaster-affected municipalities with special grants. Of the ¥1.9 trillion projected for the next five years, ¥1.6 trillion will go to reconstruction efforts in Fukushima Prefecture, devastated by the Tepco accident on top of the quake and tsunami. The tsunami-hit prefectures of Iwate and Miyagi will each secure some ¥100 billion.
Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan seeks gas past 2050, with AI and data centers set to lift demand
Japan is encouraging energy importers to secure liquefied natural gas (LNG) past 2050 — the deadline the second-biggest buyer of the fossil fuel has set itself for net zero emissions. Several of the country's largest LNG buyers are considering 20-year supply deals with projects that would start after 2030, according to people with knowledge of the discussions, who asked not to be named as the negotiations are private. They aim to deploy technology such as carbon capture and storage to mitigate the emissions from burning the super-chilled fossil fuel under Japan's national target. The government expects a boom in artificial intelligence, data centers and semiconductor chip-making factories to revive power demand, which has been tracking a declining population for years. It sees LNG as vital to energy security, even as it works on increasing renewable energy generation and restarting nuclear reactors idled after the 2011 Fukushima No. 1 disaster. "During the transition period toward carbon neutrality by 2050, we believe LNG will continue to play an important role,' Nobuhiro Sugesawa, a senior managing executive officer at Tokyo Gas, said in an interview. "Even with 15- or 20-year contracts, long-term contracts should remain a core part of our strategy.' In order to adhere to climate commitments and continue using gas-fired power plants, companies are looking to use carbon capture systems or mix the fuel with green ammonia and hydrogen. These technologies have yet to be deployed on a significant scale in Japan. The state-backed Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security is providing financial support for importers seeking to invest in overseas LNG projects but is also assisting with negotiations, said Hiroyuki Mori, an executive vice president at the organization. "We have to also take care of environmental issues,' like methane emissions control or carbon capture, he said. Japan will require about 74 million metric tons of LNG by fiscal year 2040 if it only curbs greenhouse gas emissions by 61% from 2013 levels, the trade ministry said in an estimate released earlier this year. Japan imported 65 million metric tons last calendar year, according to ship-tracking data. The companies are also looking for LNG supply that is flexible, like that being offered from the U.S. Gulf Coast, as that will allow them to divert shipments to other nations should domestic demand falter, the people said. "Even as we push forward with decarbonization, it remains extremely important to continue utilizing fossil fuels,' Yoshifumi Murase, the commissioner of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy within the trade ministry, said at a conference in Tokyo this week.
Zawya
7 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Japan returns to long-term LNG deals on AI boom, national energy plan
TOKYO/SINGAPORE - Japan is back in the spotlight for liquefied natural gas producers as the boom in artificial intelligence, rising costs for cleaner energy and a new national energy plan drive appetite for long-term LNG deals. While imports by China, the world's biggest LNG importer, are expected to fall this year, buyers in number two Japan are securing long-term supply deals again, including a potential landmark deal with Qatar. Japan's LNG imports had fallen for a decade as nuclear power plants, idled after the Fukushima disaster, restarted and as renewable energy sources increased. Data centres are expected to use enormous amounts of power to sustain the AI boom, while Japan's 7th Strategic Energy Plan in February identified gas as a realistic transition fuel for the nation's goal of zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and "an important energy source even after carbon neutrality". "We had expected that electricity demand in Japan would decline, but the growth of data centres is bending that curve," Yukio Kani, global CEO of JERA, the country's top power generator and LNG buyer, told Reuters. "If we want quick solutions for data centres, Japan needs LNG. That is one external change." Rising costs have also dimmed prospects for alternative fuels like hydrogen and ammonia, Kani said. "Until two or three years ago, we expected faster development of ammonia, but now we have to pause," he said. "So we've been shifting back to LNG over the past year or so." 'STILL IN THE MIX' In Japan's energy plan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry forecast annual LNG demand would fall to between 53 million and 61 million tons in 2040 if it met its emissions reductions target, from 66 million tons last year. But in a risk scenario where decarbonisation technologies lag, METI forecast demand could instead rise to 74 million tons. The plan calls for public-private cooperation to secure long-term contracts for the super-chilled fuel, given price volatility and supply disruption risks. Under Japan's previous decarbonisation-focussed energy plan, gas importers had hesitated to sign long-term contracts. The new plan makes it easier for buyers to commit to long-term contracts, said Takashi Uchida, chairman of the Japan Gas Association and top city gas provider Tokyo Gas. "It's very clear that LNG has a role to play as a transition fuel, and it's now firmly still in the mix for this investment cycle," said Lachlan Clancy, energy partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. Japan has also been auctioning new gas-fired power capacity mainly to replace aging coal power plants, awarding 7 gigawatts (GW) over the past two years, according to the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators, Japan. In March the organisation projected LNG-fired capacity would rise to 85.75 GW by 2034 from 79.98 GW in 2024. Japan's energy plan projects power generation will increase by between 12% and 22% from 2023 levels to between 1,100 and 1,200 terawatt-hours in 2040. Consumption by Japan's data centres will soar 80%, or about 15 TWh, by 2030, the International Energy Agency forecasts. To feed this growth, Morgan Stanley sees Japan's LNG imports rising to 78 million tons in 2030 as gas-fired power generation rises amid high costs for generating solar and wind power. 'UNCERTAINTY AHEAD' Among the spate of deals since METI released the energy plan, Osaka Gas signed a 15-year pact with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Kyushu Electric Power said it would sign a deal with Energy Transfer, its first long-term deal with a U.S. supplier, and JERA inked four 20-year deals with U.S. suppliers NextDecade, Sempra Infrastructure, Cheniere Marketing and Commonwealth LNG. By comparison, from late 2022 to early this year, Japanese buyers had announced only three deals longer than 10 years. More deals are likely soon, Rystad Energy analyst Masanori Odaka predicts, as some utilities seek to replace expiring volumes for supply security and meet seasonal demand. JERA and Mitsui & Co are in talks for long-term supply from QatarEnergy's North Field expansion project, Reuters reported last month. Uncertainty persists, however, over Japan's demand for LNG, tied to questions over its ability to meet its carbon neutrality targets and its pace of nuclear plant restarts. To address this, importers are enhancing trading operations and pursuing flexible-term contracts. "With the government presenting multiple future scenarios, it is no longer possible to provide a definitive outlook for energy supply and demand - highlighting the uncertainty ahead," said Tokyo Gas' Uchida. (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi in Tokyo and Emily Chow in Singapore; Additional reporting by Katya Golubkova in Tokyo and Marwa Rashad in London; Editing by Tony Munroe and William Mallard)
