Hurray for Putting One's Money Where One's Mouth Is!

Renewable power, not nuclear power! Sounds good, but can it be accomplished? Japan has taken a big step toward making electricity from renewable sources practical--supporting the development of a storage battery for the proverbial rainy day.

Here's how Jiji news in The Japan Times online reports the new development:


Big battery eyed as green energy cure

Six-story Hokkaido cell to keep power flowing on dark, windless days


JIJI

Sep 25, 2013


Japan will build the world’s largest storage battery system in Hokkaido as early as this autumn in a bid to rectify fluctuations in the electricity produced by renewable energy sources.

The project is aimed at promoting renewable energy by addressing a key defect — inconsistent power generation.

The nation’s utilities are required to buy electricity generated by solar, wind and other green power sources at fixed prices under the feed-in tariff system introduced in July 2012.

But the electricity generated by such sources accounts for only 1.6 percent of the nation’s total, partly because solar and wind power are dependent on the vagaries of the weather.

To raise renewable energy’s role the national energy mix, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry pushed for the development of a large storage system that would store electricity when weather conditions are favorable and dispense it when the weather fails.

Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co. are leading the storage project, and the ministry has provided ¥20 billion to cover all development and manufacturing costs.

“A subsidy in full is the exception of exceptions,” a senior METI official said.

Sounds True

This is what was said about nuclear power at the Japan Foreign Correspondents' Club and reported in The Japan Times online:


Ex-top U.S. nuclear regulator counsels end to atomic power

by Kazuaki Nagata

Staff Writer

Sep 24, 2013


The ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 plant is a sign that the world needs to seriously rethink nuclear safety and consider possibly ending its dependence on atomic power, the former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday in Tokyo.

“When you look at what happened around the Fukushima Daiichi (No. 1) area, it’s simply unacceptable,” as tens of thousands of people have been unable to return to their homes due to radioactive contamination, said Gregory Jaczko, who served as the top U.S. nuclear regulatory official for nearly three years until July 2012.

Given that Japan is extremely prone to earthquakes and tsunami, among other disasters, using nuclear power poses serious risks unless some kind of new technology is created to completely eliminate the possibility of severe accidents, Jaczko told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.

However, Jaczko also said that creating such zero-risk technology is next to impossible.

Instead, Jaczko said, he hopes Japan pours its resources and energy into coming up with ways to function without atomic power.

“I think the Japanese people have the ability to do that,” he said.

Which is scarier, the news that Japan launched an aircraft carrier on the de-facto national peace day in August, or the fact that our relatively chemical-free, labor-intensive, and totally delicious agricultural sector will be flattened under the Monsanto steamroller? Because that is what opening our "politically sensitive" food lifeline will entail.

Here's what The Japan Times online edition reported today:


Move pressures Japan to open up farm sector

Four TPP members offer to kill all tariffs

Kyodo



Sep 21, 2013

WASHINGTON – Four of the countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative are offering the other members total tariff elimination on all agricultural and industrial goods, a source close to the talks said.

The move by Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Chile is likely to put pressure on Japan, the second-largest of the 12 TPP economies, to open up its politically sensitive agricultural market, the source said Friday.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Instead of putting their heads together and finding a way to clean up their mess, why are the authorities still denying the chemical poisons left in Okinawa by the US military? Today's Japan Times online carries a long article by a chemist detailing the chemicals found buried under a kids' soccer pitch on property formerly used by the US for their Kadena air force base. Here is the lead. Please go to the Japan Times online to read all about it. The point is, the chemicals have been found but the denials still continue.


Denials of defoliant at former U.S. base site in Okinawa fly in the face of science

Evidence points to Vietnam-era herbicides in drums buried in field, scientist says



Aug 26, 2013

For the attention of the government of Japan and the people of Okinawa:

As accusations and denials swirl regarding the burial of herbicides employed by the U.S. military in Vietnam during that war, there are irrefutable facts that seem not to have been considered in their true context. Denials of such burials by the U.S. military on land that was then part of Kadena Air Base on Okinawa by Dr. Alvin Young, a hired consultant and purported expert on military herbicides, and the U.S. Department of Defense are disingenuous at the very least, and at worst a blatant cover-up of historical realities.

A Voice backed up by Experience and Wisdom--Yohei Kono

Former leader of Japan’s ruling party against raising defense profile

Kyodo



Aug 13, 2013

Ahead of the anniversary Thursday of Japan’s surrender in World War II, former Liberal Democratic Party President and noted dove Yohei Kono expressed his views on constitutional revision proposed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other issues.

Kono, 76, who was known for being the most dovish among LDP lawmakers, held such key posts as chief Cabinet secretary, foreign minister and Lower House speaker before retiring from politics in 2009.

Q* Abe is keen on revising the Constitution. The LDP, now headed by Abe, in its draft proposal defines the Self-Defense Forces as a national defense force, while allowing Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense. What is your take on this?

A* I do not see the need for revisions. If Japan modifies its Constitution to position the SDF as a national defense force and changes its defense guidelines to allow increased defense equipment, this would be encouraging neighboring nations to alter their defense programs.

There is absolutely no need to set the stage for a never-ending arms race. There are views that the security environment surrounding Japan is changing, but this is exactly the time when more diplomatic efforts are needed.


(There is much more, and I suggest interested persons go to The Japan Times Online and read the whole interview.)

Why build a warship? Why unveil it on August 6?

While major political figures were laying wreaths to peace in Hiroshima, and most people of Japan had their heads bowed in prayers for peace, something strange was happening in the harbor at Yokohama. This was on Tuesday, August 6, 2013--the 68th anniversary of the nuclear holocaust in Hiroshima--a day devoted to renewing Japan's vow never again to engage in the folly of war.

By "vow" I mean popular will plus a national constitution that forbids war and armaments.

So, first question: Who picked this day--of all days--to unveil a new, made-in-Japan warship? Described as a ferry for helicopters, the Izumo has the look and scale of an aircraft carrier.

Second question: Japan does not build it's own aircraft, because aircraft could become instruments of war, and building instruments of war is forbidden. Why is it evil to build a commercial airplane but not wrong to build an aircraft carrier?

Third question: Since a warship on that scale can't be built in an instant, who was in charge of Japan when the project was started in 2009?

I'm not sure of the answer to questions #1 or #2, but the answer to question #3 is Yukio Hatoyama, the prime minister whose grandfather almost single-handedly dragged Japan into WWII.

What a strange coincidence!


Now, on to the fourth question. Some people are excusing the aircraft carrier/helicopter ferrier, saying Japan needs it because China has been maintaining a presence in Japanese territorial waters in the Senkaku island area, near Okinawa. This began in 2012.

Question #4: Which came first, 2009 or 2012?

The Envelope, Please...

Results are in for the upper house elections in Japan. The coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party (Jiminto) and the Komei Party (Komeito) now controls the majority of seats in the House of Councillors. Until this election, while the Prime Minister was from the LDP, the upper house was dominated by the Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto). Needless to say, this meant there was a lot of opposition to legislation for opposition's sake.

The big winner was, as everyone predicted, the Liberal Democrats. What is new is the emergence of the Komei Party as the second most powerful party.

As for actual votes, in Japanese elections voters cast two ballots: one for a candidate by name and one for a party.

In round figures, this is how the party votes ("hirei-ku") turned out:

18.4 million for the Liberal Democrats (Prime Minister Abe, chief)
7.6 million for the Komei Party (Natsuo Yamaguchi, chief)
7.1 million for the Democratic Party of Japan
6.3 million for Ishin Kai (Toru Hashimoto, chief)
5.1 million for the Japan Communist Party
4.8 million for the Minna no To
1.3 million for the Socialist Party of Japan
0.9 million for the Seikatsu no To (Ichiro Ozawa, chief)
(the rest for miscellaneous small parties)