Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano press statement:
In additional to the above previously mention plant status:
Plant 1. Reactor 2
2m of fuel rod exposed due to drop in collant level.
Trying to add more water to keep at safe level.
Plant 2. Reactor 3
The cores collant over 100 degrees C (normally 30C); they may start releasing air from containment vessels (like yesterday for Plant 1, reactor 1).
Russia has upped it's monitoring of radiation levels in the Far East.
Extensive coverage to the situation being given by foreign media organisations overseas.
PM Kan press conference now starting
10,000 SDF depatched
2500 police officers deployed
Firefighters 1,100 units deployed
Medical team, more than 200 in disaster areas.
Supplies being provided.
Many being transport by air due to blocked infrastructure on the ground.
RE: Fukushima Power Plant:
Many power plants have been damaged. Power is in short supply. Instructed to get suppply from other power companies.
Ask people to conserve energy. May be shortage of power*** - leading to power outages in wide areas.
Sudden power outages could devastate people and industries. Therefore instructed TEPCO to make a pre-medicated outage in Tokyo area.
The details will be explained by mis. Economy Trade & Industry.
Recognises this will be inconvience and was a hard decision to make.
Government launched panel to address concerns /protect lives from power outages (i.e people relying on power for life saving, like life support).
In the 65 years after the end of the second world war, the is the toughest and most difficult crisis in that period.
Can Japanese people overcome this crisis? ->
That question is asked to each of the Japanese people.
I am confident that the Japanese people can be united to overcome this difficulty. That's my strong belief.
I ask everyone of you, please have such determination. Deepen the bond with family and neighbours to overcome this crisis and become a better place., we can build together. This is the message I'd like to empahsis to the Japanese people and is my request to the people.
Chief Cabinet Secretary
After this news conference, we will work out the timeline and setup the headquarters regarding the planned power outage and workout the details.
Transporation of food and water*, as per PM, we are working hard on this, however, particular coastal areas, it's difficult to transport food and water. We are trying to come up with various methods and measures to deliver such food as quickly as possible.
I'm sure we will be able to tell more about this in the immediate future.
Number 3 reactor:
Sea water injection started. Level of water has risen up to a certain level. The gauge is not showing the level of water increasing but the supply of water continues.
Reactor valve might be making some error.
Pressure needs to be lowered inside. Radition monitor hasn't shown any change. {i.e. no increase}.
Question: Water level and gauge.
Are there any concerns about Number 3 reactor. In Number 1 yesterday, the gauge was not functioning - this is now the case in Number 3.
Possibility:
Malfunction of the value to remove the air.
The possibility of an explosion still remains, but the situation is improving since yesterday because air has been removed to a certain extent. Experts are analysing the situation.
Currently analysing fuel rods.
Proposed tax hike one of the options being considered, but not working on any detail.
But the Government are not ruling out any options.
*Pharmaceuticals are also being sent to the affected areas, particularly the coastal areas.
Government unaware of a suggestion/media report that a SDF plane was exposed to radiation.
*** later it was stated that demand is 41 MWats, Supply is currently 31MWats, hence a 10MWat shortfall.
Tohoku area has enough supply to meet the demand, but will give some of the supply to neighbouring areas hence some powercuts.
Rolling powercuts expected to start tomorrow {Monday} including Tokyo. Not decided how long this will last for. Schedule is not yet decided, power companies are currently working on it.
Note that Western Japan used 50Hz, the affected area, Eastern Japan uses 60Hz. This complicates things as power can't just come from Western Japan.
___END___