March 11, 2011, we had a tremendous earthquake that forced people, who live in Fukushima, to evacuate from the dangerous place the safety one. In spite of the situation, in 2013, Tokyo was erected as 2020 Olympic because many believe Tokyo was much better than any other city. Shinzo Abe, the prime minister, strongly said to members of IOC,” The situation is under control”, but the critics claim that this is uncertain because both of Japanese government and Tepco have not been going a step to clean up the contaminated area yet.
What should we be concerned about? First, we wonder how Japan will be in 2020. This is so hard to predict what Japan will happen, especially Fukushima with 4 nuclear power plants, because of decommissioning plans not finished at all. According to the Tepco and the government, it takes 40 years complete all of the process. Besides, the removals of spent nuclear fuel rods from a cooling pool littered with debris are causing them a great deal of trouble. In other words, Tepco has not prepared enough safety systems to prevent accidents from occurring during the tough work.
Next, much of radioactive water was found to have leaked at the nuclear power plans. What we need to stop leaking are to build a frozen wall and freeze the ground around reactors. However, it costs annually 3 billion yen to construct this wall as well as about 30 billion yen to freeze it, which of the plan is unprecedented. In addition, if they use the permafrost walls, experts expect the system to require lots of electricity even though nuclear power plants cannot work moreover. How can we compensate for? The question is not yet settled.
In my opinion, we have to come up with new idea, like reformation of energy structure in order to make up for nuclear energy. Nuclear energy has to be changed for alternative energies such as solar, geothermal, water and wind power. But I would like to suggest the new thermal power. For example, now, Tepco and Mitsubishi group think about constructing two cutting-edge coal-fired power stations in Fukushima Prefecture. The two facilities’ capacity will be equivalent to one of the nuclear reactor. The new power plants discharge less auto emissions, eco-friendly facilities. Furthermore, the plan will generate thousands of jobs in Fukushima that must be helpful for many workers there. The new plants do not produce ill effects that are different from nuclear reactors, so this is the safest for us and most effective energy something like shale gas. I guess shale gas is also the best source of energy we have to make use of, as the cost of it is not higher than other alternative energies.
Japan has been in trouble because of the situation. Just now, Japan should rely on other countries experts to reform the old structure, reconsider the system of safety and help lots of people who cannot return to their home town. Everybody all over the world hopes Japan comes back and constructs the safest land linked with preparing for 2020 Olympic.
Hi, this is Ms. MacGregor. Your suggestions are very interesting, but doesn't coal create a lot of air pollution? Also, I think Japan has little or no coal of its own so it would be dependent on imports for its coal, wouldn't it? I don't really know the answers to these questions, but if you do, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteI especially like your ideas of thermal power and shale power. I hope Japan will pursue the extraction of shale and give it a try, despite the huge cost. Everyone's life depends on it.