21/04 Vũ Thu Phương tập 'Bước nhảy hoàn vũ'

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Sau đêm mở màn ấn tượng, ngày 24/4 tới, các thí sinh sẽ chính thức bước vào đêm thi đầu tiên với vũ điệu Latin và Standard. Hàng ngày, 10 cặp đôi, trong đó có Vũ Thu Phương và Tihomir đều đến phòng tập để khớp bài. Không ít động tác khó khiến người đẹp phim 'Giao lộ định mệnh' phải đổ mồ hôi tập lại nhiều lần.

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Tên người

• Vũ Thu Phương
• Kim Hiền
• Huy Khánh
• Thủy Tiên

Động từ

• lột đồ
• đổ mồ hôi

Danh từ riêng

• Giao lộ định mệnh
• Bước nhảy hoàn vũ

Danh từ

• phòng tập
• vũ điệu

Tính từ

• Latinh

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25/04 2 men hand 50 mil. yen to evacuees, disaster-hit city

The Yomiuri Shimbun

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi--Two men handed envelopes of cash to evacuees at several shelters in disaster-hit Ishinomaki last week, as well as more than 5 million yen in cash to a branch of the city government, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The total amount given by the two men was believed to exceed 50 million yen, but their acts of generosity also sparked complaints of "unfairness" among evacuees who missed out.

The two men, who claimed they were representatives of "the western Japan volunteer committee" and "the western Japan retailers association," handed envelopes containing 30,000 yen to evacuees at six shelters in the city Thursday and Friday.

The men also delivered about 170 brown envelopes each containing 30,000 yen to the Ishinomaki municipal government's Oshika Sogo branch office, according to the city's disaster countermeasures committee.

The two men handed the envelopes to evacuees despite requests by city officials at the evacuation centers to stop, and then left, the committee said.

Several evacuees who heard about the incident called the municipal government to complain that it was "unfair" that some people had not received the cash.

An official at the municipal government said, "We appreciate the men's gesture, but we'd prefer they send donations that can be fairly shared among disaster victims."

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Movers turn away evacuees / People told to relocate get cold shoulder from moving firms

The Yomiuri Shimbun

FUKUSHIMA--Many residents in Fukushima Prefecture who have been told to prepare for evacuation have been refused service by moving companies, it has been learned.

People living in designated areas have been told to evacuate within one month because of radiation leaks from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in the prefecture.

"Out of consideration for our employees' safety, we can't let them take on those jobs," an official of one moving firm said.

Moving firms' reluctance to work in the area will likely hinder the relocation efforts of the more than 6,000 residents in the five cities, towns and villages inside the zone that was on Friday designated for evacuation.

"We were told to evacuate, but we can't. Are [the moving companies] just going to abandon us without offering help?" said a 50-year-old woman of Iitatemura, which is within the designated zone.

The woman called a major moving firm on Saturday, and informed a staff member of her address. The employee told her, "Currently, we classify [Iitatemura] as a no-service area."

The woman persisted in her request for service, but the employee said: "We think there'll be consequences from the accident at the nuclear power plant... Our company has already decided its position on the matter."

Another major moving company also refused to serve the woman, she said.

Her family of four stayed briefly at a relative's house after the first accident at the nuclear power plant, but returned home after one week, she said.

After hearing on April 11 that a new evacuation zone would be set, she decided to move as soon as possible. She found a house in Sendai and made plans for the family to move there on May 4, only to be rebuffed by the moving companies.

Iitatemura's village administration office has received inquiries from other residents seeking advice after being turned away by moving companies.

"This isn't a problem the village office can deal with. It's the policy of these companies. We want the central government to do something," a village official said.

"I want the central government or someone to give us proper support so we can move. If the situation is left as it is, people will be left behind in the evacuation zone," the woman said.

Moving firms cited employee safety as the reason for the policy.

"We don't let our workers go in the zone where evacuations are planned, or anywhere within 30 kilometers of the plant, because of safety considerations. However, if the prefecture and local authorities combine to make a request, we'll look at what can be done," said an official of Nippon Express Co., based in Minato Ward, Tokyo.

Yamato Home Convenience Co. in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, also expressed concern for the safety of employees.

"We've made the area within 30 kilometers of the plant and the planned evacuation zone no-go areas for pickup and delivery. We want to meet the demands of our customers, but we can't let our employees go there because of safety issues," an official of the company said.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Movers turn away evacuees / People told to relocate get cold shoulder from moving firms

The Yomiuri Shimbun

FUKUSHIMA--Many residents in Fukushima Prefecture who have been told to prepare for evacuation have been refused service by moving companies, it has been learned.

People living in designated areas have been told to evacuate within one month because of radiation leaks from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in the prefecture.

"Out of consideration for our employees' safety, we can't let them take on those jobs," an official of one moving firm said.

Moving firms' reluctance to work in the area will likely hinder the relocation efforts of the more than 6,000 residents in the five cities, towns and villages inside the zone that was on Friday designated for evacuation.

"We were told to evacuate, but we can't. Are [the moving companies] just going to abandon us without offering help?" said a 50-year-old woman of Iitatemura, which is within the designated zone.

The woman called a major moving firm on Saturday, and informed a staff member of her address. The employee told her, "Currently, we classify [Iitatemura] as a no-service area."

The woman persisted in her request for service, but the employee said: "We think there'll be consequences from the accident at the nuclear power plant... Our company has already decided its position on the matter."

Another major moving company also refused to serve the woman, she said.

Her family of four stayed briefly at a relative's house after the first accident at the nuclear power plant, but returned home after one week, she said.

After hearing on April 11 that a new evacuation zone would be set, she decided to move as soon as possible. She found a house in Sendai and made plans for the family to move there on May 4, only to be rebuffed by the moving companies.

Iitatemura's village administration office has received inquiries from other residents seeking advice after being turned away by moving companies.

"This isn't a problem the village office can deal with. It's the policy of these companies. We want the central government to do something," a village official said.

"I want the central government or someone to give us proper support so we can move. If the situation is left as it is, people will be left behind in the evacuation zone," the woman said.

Moving firms cited employee safety as the reason for the policy.

"We don't let our workers go in the zone where evacuations are planned, or anywhere within 30 kilometers of the plant, because of safety considerations. However, if the prefecture and local authorities combine to make a request, we'll look at what can be done," said an official of Nippon Express Co., based in Minato Ward, Tokyo.

Yamato Home Convenience Co. in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, also expressed concern for the safety of employees.

"We've made the area within 30 kilometers of the plant and the planned evacuation zone no-go areas for pickup and delivery. We want to meet the demands of our customers, but we can't let our employees go there because of safety issues," an official of the company said.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Law change to bolster security of private data

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The government plans to toughen penalties for illegal use and distribution of individuals' personal information, and make it possible to punish individual workers for such offenses, according to government sources.

At present, only heads of businesses and governmental administrative bodies can be punished in such cases.

The move would be intended to complement a proposed ID-number system seen as having wide-ranging applications in areas including provision of social security services and tax collection.

The stiffer penalties will be incorporated into an outline of the envisaged ID-number system expected to be compiled by the end of this month.

The ID-number system would deal with a large volume of private information, including details about individuals' income and medical history, and would likely lead to more frequent exchange of sensitive personal data between government offices and private-sector institutions.

The government believes tougher penalties for illegal use of such data, and scope for broader enforcement, should therefore be introduced.

At present, the Personal Information Protection Law only allows punishment of business operators--not individual employees--in cases where personal data is leaked from a private corporation, or used for unlawful purposes.

State ministers can warn offenders or order them to take corrective measures, and subject them to further punishment if they fail to do so.

A company that violates the current law can be fined up to 300,000 yen, and company heads can be given prison terms of up to six months.

If the offender is an official of a governmental body, he or she faces up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen.

The government plans to establish an independent entity to supervise governmental bodies and private companies that handle information under the ID-number system. The new entity would be authorized to make so-called raid inspections of suspected offenders.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Canadian filming quake-hit Kesennuma

The Yomiuri Shimbun

KESENNUMA, Miyagi--A Canadian researcher has focused her camera on Kesennuma in a project that may last a decade to show how the devastated city and residents are recovering from last month's massive earthquake and tsunami.

Anne McDonald, 45, a resident of Kanazawa, lived in Miyagi Prefecture from 1997 to 2008. Since arriving in Japan in 1991, she has researched fishing communities across the country.

"I really like the lively atmosphere of fishing communities and fishing ports," she said. "I think my film will encourage people in other parts of Japan and around the world to support [earthquake victims]."

She currently serves as director of the Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa of United Nations University's Institute of Advanced Studies.

At the outset of her project, McDonald recorded the sentiments of Kesennuma fishermen, the damage to their lives and the efforts they are making to recover from the disaster.

Kesennuma, one of the hardest-hit communities in the disaster, is famed for its large catches of bonito and Pacific saury, a fish also known as sanma.

"It's just like a battlefield," she said in reference to the battered city.

When she arrived on April 12, she was stunned and could only remain motionless as she stared at a still submerged area near JR Minami-Kesennuma Station.

A malodorous mixture of fish and heavy oil permeated the area, and debris was piled up on the shoulders of roads.

"This is a precious place for me," McDonald said, referring to the time when she used to live in the area. "It's sad to see the damage, but I couldn't look away."

Since she arrived in Japan 20 years ago, she has visited more than 2,000 fishing communities across the country to research the lives of fishermen.

She said she admires the mental and physical strength of fishermen who are in awe of nature but have to coexist with the ocean. In the March 11 disaster, some of the people she came to know through her research have gone missing.

During an initial three-day shoot from April 12, McDonald turned her camera on the local oyster cultivation business and factories of seafood products manufacturers, which both suffered damage. She also interviewed the head of the local fishing association, travel agents and officials of the local chamber of commerce and industry.

She said she would continue shooting her film over a period of five or 10 years. Excerpts from her quake-related footage will be shown at a symposium on the environment on May 22.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Sharing disaster-area workers' emotional, mental load

Shingo Hashitani and Yuichi Sato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

Ito Arizono counsels a Ground Self-Defense Force member at the GSDF's Fukushima base on April 15.

A psychotherapist has been assigned to to care for Ground Self-Defense Force colleagues in Fukushima Prefecture who are suffering shock as a result of their search and rescue work in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Ito Arizono, 29, provides precious relief to GSDF members whose physical and mental fatigue has been accumulating since the disaster struck more than a month ago.

In a consulting room in the GSDF's base in Fukushima, experienced GSDF members tell Arizono about their worries.

Some have a somber manner, and some speak in detached tones, but the common thread, Arizono said, is "a sense of anxiety stemming from their experience of seeing a large number of dead bodies over a long period of time."

The consultations with the GSDF members are unlike anything else in her professional experience, Arizono said. While listening to them describe atrocious scenes they have witnessed, she tries to create a supportive atmosphere.

She reassures GSDF members that they will be able to recover, and gives advice to those showing symptoms of acute stress disorder.

Arizono, from Kagoshima, obtained her psychotherapist's license after graduating from Tohoku University. She worked as a counselor at a middle school in Kagoshima Prefecture before joining the SDF.

"There are many SDF facilities in my home prefecture, so the forces have always been close to me," she said. Working in the Tohoku region, where she had spent her college years, feels natural, she said.

She first learned of the disaster when she was watching television at her parents' home in Kagoshima.

She was shocked to see how the beautiful scenery of Matsushima Bay had been destroyed. She tried to find out whether her college friends were safe, but could not find out right away.

Arizono said that when she learned she would be assigned to the Fukushima base from April, she was not deterred by the radiation and other problems at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Rather, it consolidated her determination to go to the Fukushima base.

"I wanted to contribute there," she said.

GSDF members dispatched on search and rescue missions to disaster-hit areas, such as Ishinomaki and Higashi-Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, nearly always return to the base after seeing many bodies.

"Many of them have told me about feeling psychological shock, and extreme stress and helplessness after their missions," Arizono said.

Arizono also counsels GSDF members' relatives in their homes. Sessions with family members cover a range of issues, from fears about radiation from the nuclear plant, the numerous aftershocks and anxiety about their loved ones' work.

"The GSDF members feel extreme mental fatigue after leaving mission sites. I hope I can alleviate that fatigue through counseling," Arizono said.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Anchored by community spirit / Village's determination to recover inspires N.Z. woman to stay put

Aki Nakamura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

NODAMURA, Iwate--"A real tsunami..." As assistant language teacher Georgia Robinson watched the water push through the village, she remembered the fear a book about tsunami had inspired in her as a child in her native New Zealand.

Illustrations of giant waves looming over and crashing down on people left a strong impression on the young Robinson.

At about 3:40 p.m. on March 11, Robinson, 24, was at work in a building that housed Nodamura's education board.

Everybody in the building was aware a tsunami alert had been issued after the massive earthquake that struck about 50 minutes earlier. But as most buildings in the village stood on a hill, and because they were about 800 meters inland, everyone continued to work as usual.

"What's that?"

Looking out the window, Robinson was confused by the sight of what looked to be a house moving. It took a few moments for her to process what she saw and understand that tsunami had hit the village.

Inside the building, the people could hear nothing of the destruction occurring outside. Giant waves were sweeping away buildings amid an eerie calm that was nothing like the chaotic illustration she remembered from her childhood. But the quiet only made things more frightening.

From the second floor, Robinson could see the building was surrounded by dark, muddy water. The first floor was soon flooded. Debris smashed into the door. The sound of glass shattering rang out.

===

Smoke on the water

Not long before the tsunami arrived, Kazumi Osawa, 15, and her grandfather Tokichi, 87, left their home in the seaside district of Minami-Hama in the village immediately.

Osawa, a third-year student at Noda Middle School, and her grandfather--the only members of the family who were at home--went to a vacant lot designated as an evacuation area.

The evacuation area was near the sea, but was on a hill and was more than 20 meters above sea level. About 20 people had already gathered there when Osawa and her grandfather arrived.

Out at sea, Osawa could see what looked like a line of white smoke. "Is that a tsunami?" she wondered.

Osawa reached for her mobile phone to take a photograph, and when she looked back out to sea a moment later, a huge blue wave had begun to build behind the white line.

She looked for her grandfather but could not see him. When other people started to scream and run, Osawa rushed farther up the hillside with them, pushing through the branches of the trees.

When she looked back, Osawa saw a house next to the evacuation site engulfed in water.

===

Aftermath

In the education board building, Robinson and others spent the night in pitch darkness on couches in an office on the first floor. They could not sleep at all due to frequent aftershocks.

At 6 a.m. on March 12, Robinson went outside. In front of the local government office next door, Self-Defense Forces personnel were gathered for search and rescue work. She realized it had not been a dream.

Robinson joined others trying to clean up, but every time there was an aftershock they had to evacuate to a nearby gym.

She saw bodies covered with blankets, and reflexively closed her eyes.

In the morning of March 14, Robinson received an e-mail written in English.

"Hi, it's Kazumi. Are you OK? I'm very worried."

It was from Osawa. Robinson had gotten to know her at an English speech contest last autumn, and Osawa had once visited Robinson's home.

"Hello, I'm OK. Are you and your parents OK?" Robinson replied.

Osawa's next message read, "My grandfather hasn't been found yet."

Robinson's heart ached for her young friend. She sent Osawa another e-mail: "Be strong."

===

Solidarity inspires

Robinson's mother, Brenda, 48, could not contact her daughter for about 36 hours after the disaster. Her fears grew every time she heard familiar names like Kamaishi, a town near Nodamura, on TV in New Zealand.

Brenda's house is located on New Zealand's South Island, which was itself still reeling from a magnitude-6.3 earthquake that hit Christchurch on Feb. 22.

And the series of accidents at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant only added to her concern.

When Brenda finally got through to Robinson's mobile phone, she broke down in tears of relief upon hearing her daughter's voice.

Brenda asked her daughter to come home to New Zealand, but Robinson said she did not want to leave Nodamura.

She had seen village officials working through snow to remove debris, helping to clean the devastated village at an amazing speed. She was touched by people's efforts to restore their village.

She was also mindful that she had signed a work contract that extended to summer.

Osawa, who early this month began attending high school, was very happy to know Robinson was still in Nodamura.

"Many foreigners left Japan, but she's still here," Osawa said.

Tsunami swept away Osawa's family home. Her grandfather's body was found near where the house had stood.

Osawa recalled that she had often played with her grandfather there by the sea. "But I want to be strong like my teacher [Robinson] told me," she said.

She hopes to one day work in a job related to foreign languages, such as translation.

On April 7, Robinson went to the seashore for the first time since March 11. Before, she had often enjoyed reading by the sea and looking out at the water. Though tsunami broke the breakwaters, the beach was as beautiful as ever. Robinson thought to herself, Japan will definitely recover.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 FROM SQUARE ONE / Japan's unique electric history

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Recent electricity shortages faced by Tokyo and its vicinity after several power plants were damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake have shed light on the weaknesses of the nation's power distribution systems.

Ten electric power companies have virtual monopolies in their respective regions, and this small country is divided into two zones with different power frequencies. These are points on which Japan's power industry differs from its counterparts overseas.

Japan's electricity history began in 1886, seven years after Thomas Edison put electric light bulbs into practical use.

Under the modernization policy of the government during the Meiji era (1868-1912), factories sprang up across the nation, along with demand for electricity to power them. This led to the birth of hundreds of small and midsize electricity suppliers.

In the Taisho era (1912-1926), these smaller utilities merged or were taken over until only five were left. During this realignment, Toho Denryoku emerged as the leader. The firm was led by Yasuzaemon Matsunaga, who was nicknamed the "king of electric power." Toho Denryoku was a predecessor to today's Kyushu Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co. and Chubu Electric Power Co.

But in the early Showa era (1926-1989) when the military gained power, the government in 1939 established a state-controlled company, Nippon Hassoden K.K. (Japan Electric Generation and Transmission Company), to control the power supply.

Matsunaga, who was a free market advocate, opposed the state takeover and retired from the business.

After World War II, the Allied Powers' General Headquarters demanded the government restructure the electricity utilities, saying state control of the power supply had indirectly helped the nation continue the war.

Although Matsunaga was more than 70 years old at the time, he accepted the post of chairman of a governmental council tasked with realigning the power industry.

The panel divided the nation, except Okinawa Prefecture, into nine blocs and established one private power company in each bloc. Matsunaga wanted to utilize the expertise of the private sector but avoid excessive competition.

GHQ supported his idea and Nippon Hassoden was divided into nine companies in 1951.

Because power demand in Japan was surging at the time, Matsunaga believed a huge capital investment would be needed to meet the nation's growing needs. He forced through a plan to raise electricity bills by more than 70 percent and was renicknamed the "devil of electric power."

When Okinawa Prefecture was returned to Japan in 1972, Okinawa Electric Power Co. was established, bringing the number of power utilities to today's 10.

There are also companies that wholesale electricity to the 10 firms. These include Electric Power Development Co. (J-Power), established in 1952 to supplement the nine main companies' generation capacity; and Japan Atomic Power Co., established in 1957 as the nation's nuclear power pioneer.

===

Liberalization cut rates 20%

The government began liberalizing the electricity market in the 1990s amid the economic slowdown that followed the collapse of the economic bubble. Various industries, frustrated by Japan's expensive power rates--which were then twice or three times higher than U.S. and European rates--had demanded introduction of competition into the electricity market.

In the first round of liberalization, the Electricity Business Law was revised in 1995, enabling private companies to enter the wholesale market and sell electricity to major power companies over long periods of time.

Kobe Steel, Ltd., which was hit hard by the Great Hanshin Earthquake of January 1995, was blessed by the deregulation. The company became one of largest independent power producers (IPPs) in the country, using two coal thermal generators with a capacity of 700,000 kilowatts each at its Kobe works.

The retailing of electricity was liberalized in 2000.

Large-lot power consumers with contracted wattage of at least 2,000 kilowatts, such as major factories and department stores, became able to sell electricity freely after being certified by the government as power producers and suppliers (PPSs).

In 2004, liberalization was expanded to include midsize factories with contracted wattage of at least 500 kilowatts. From 2005, small business operators such as small-town factories and multitenant buildings with contracted wattage of 50 kilowatts or more became able to sell electricity.

Overall, the liberalizations covered 63 percent of all the nation's electricity sales.

To coincide with the expanded liberalization of the electricity market, the Japan Electric Power Exchange started operating in 1995. The exchange gathers information on electricity surpluses and shortages and mediates spot transactions and forward transactions of electricity.

Thanks to the liberalizations, electricity rates in Japan dropped by about 20 percent to levels below those of Italy and Germany, where high crude oil prices pushed up power rates.

However, only 46 PPSs remain, including some trading houses and a subsidiary of a major gas company. The amount of electricity they sell accounts for only 3 percent of the liberalized portion of the power business. Therefore, the regional monopolies by 10 major electricity suppliers continue.

Furthermore, small-lot electricity supplies to general households have not been liberalized. Based on the principle of maintaining a stable supply of electricity, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry plans to study whether this field of business should be liberalized, with a conclusion expected in 2013.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 FROM SQUARE ONE / Mismatch leaves nation divided

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The country's electricity grid is effectively split in two by mismatched power frequencies--the supply is 50 Hz in eastern Japan, and 60 Hz in western Japan. The "electricity border" runs from Itoigawa in Niigata Prefecture to the Fujigawa river in Shizuoka Prefecture.

This incompatibility severely limits the transfer of electricity from western Japan to the Tokyo metropolitan area, where it is currently in short supply.

It is rare for a single country to operate on two different power frequencies.

Most modern electrical appliances are compatible with both frequencies, but until the mid-1990s, products were often compatible with only one.

The split originated in the Meiji era (1868-1912), when two power companies introducing generators to Japan decided on different models. Tokyo Dento Co., a predecessor of Tokyo Electric Power Co., chose a German-made 50 Hz generator, while Osaka Dento Co., a predecessor of Kansai Electric Power Co., introduced a U.S.-made 60 Hz generator.

Switching to a common frequency was debated after World War II, but efforts were instead concentrated on the more urgent task of increasing power supply to facilitate postwar reconstruction. Frequency-conversion facilities were later built that enable electricity to be shared between east and west.

In 1965, Electric Power Development Co., commonly known as J-Power, built a frequency-conversion station in Shizuoka Prefecture. TEPCO installed a station in Nagano Prefecture in 1977, and Chubu Electric Power Co. established a station in Shizuoka in 2006.

However, the three stations combined can only convert 1 million kilowatts of electricity at a time--too little to make up for TEPCO's power shortfall, which was nearly 10 million kilowatts immediately after the March 11 earthquake.

Calls to unify the nation's power network under a single frequency remain strong. But doing so would require a major infrastructure overhaul--including facility upgrades and land purchases--that would cost up to tens of trillions of yen, according to experts. Realizing unification of the nation's electricity grid could depend on the government taking the lead, as it did on the digitization of terrestrial TV broadcasting.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Need-based welfare reforms eyed

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is drafting a social security reform plan that would cap out-of-pocket medical, nursing care and child care payments by low-income earners, according to government sources.

Another main pillar of the plan would curb pension benefits paid to members of high-income groups.

The reforms seek to ensure the social security system is based on the three principles of a sense of security, mutual aid and fairness, the sources said.

After coordinating opinions with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, the ministry aims to submit a final plan to a government social security reform panel chaired by Prime Minister Naoto Kan, as soon as early May.

The draft plan stipulates that the government will consider adopting a package of comprehensive measures to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for low-income earners who receive medical and nursing care services.

One measure being considered is a refund system under which any amount exceeding new caps on out-of-pocket payments made to hospitals by low income-earners would be returned. Public funds would be used to pay the difference.

Because each household's income would have to be tracked under the system, a precondition for its introduction is establishment of a common ID numbering system for social security and taxation, which is to be introduced in January 2015.

The ministry's draft calls for the postponement of the DPJ's pension reform plans. The DPJ has proposed integrating national, employees' and mutual pension schemes into one scheme that would guarantee a minimum pension to all people.

The ministry said a postponement of the plan is necessary because it will take time to gain a public consensus, introduce the common ID numbering system and create a national revenue agency.

The ministry said pension reforms would be handled under the current systems for the time being.

Under the reforms, the employees' pension scheme would also cover part-time workers, temp staff and other types of nonregular contract workers.

The ministry also plans to integrate employees' and mutual pension schemes to beef up public pension schemes' functions. It aims to guarantee minimum postretirement income and eliminate current problems of being unable to receive any pension or pensions that are too small.

The ministry says in its draft plan that people should shoulder burdens in accordance with their financial capabilities. In this vein, it aims to cap pension payouts to wealthy people to secure sustainability of the public pension system.

The ministry aims to implement each of the reform measures between 2015 and 2025, when the nation's first postwar babyboomers become elderly, the sources said.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 Atmospheric radiation leak underestimated

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Data released by the government indicates radioactive material was leaking into the atmosphere from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in early April in greater quantities than previously estimated.

Radioactive material was being released into the atmosphere from the plant at an estimated rate of 154 terabecquerels per day as of April 5, according to data released by the Cabinet Office's Nuclear Safety Commission on Saturday.

The NSC previously estimated radiation leakage on April 5 at "less than 1 terabecquerel per hour."

Iodine-131 and cesium-137 were released into the atmosphere that day at the estimated rates of 0.69 terabecquerel per hour and 0.14 terabecquerel per hour, respectively, the NSC said.

Emissions are converted into iodine-131 equivalents for assessment on the international nuclear event scale (INES), to arrive at the total 154 terabecquerels per day, the nuclear safety watchdog said.

One terabecquerel equals 1 trillion becquerels.

On April 17, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said in its plan for stabilization of the crippled reactors it would not start to get radiation leakage under control until the plan's fourth month of implementation.

This would mean 10,000 terabecquerels of radioactive substances would be released into the atmosphere from the plant during the coming three months, according to simple calculations based on the estimated emission rate as of April 5.

Emissions in that three-month period alone would therefore exceed the level necessary for a Level 6 severity rating on the INES, the globally accepted measure for evaluating nuclear accidents.

The ongoing crisis at the Fukushima plant has been rated a maximum Level 7 on the scale, which was established by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 1992.

The total amount of radioactive material discharged from the plant from March 11 to early April was estimated between 370,000 and 630,000 terabecquerels, according to government sources.

The commission, however, said the figures were estimates only, "with a considerable margin of error." Radiation levels around the six-reactor complex have been slowly falling, it said.

(Apr. 25, 2011)

25/04 細野補佐官「東電は大きな判断やりにくい会社」

　政府と東京電力、文部科学省、経済産業省原子力安全・保安院、原子力安全委員会などでつくる福島第一原子力発電所事故対策統合本部（本部長＝菅首相）は２５日、これまで東電や保安院で別々に行っていた会見を一本化し、初の共同記者会見を開いた。

　午後５時２０分過ぎから始まった会見は、事故当初の政府や東電の対応を巡る質問が相次ぎ、４時間近く続いた。

　統合本部事務局長の細野豪志首相補佐官は、同原発１号機で３月１２日に行われた放射性物質を含む蒸気を放出する「ベント」操作を巡り、「政府としては１１日夜にはベント実施の腹を決めたが、（東電が）なかなか実施しなかったので、午前６時５０分に命令に切り替えた」と説明。東電について「電力供給という（日々あまり変化がない）ルーチンワークに慣れた会社なので、何か大きな判断が若干、やりにくい会社なのかなと感じていた」と述べ、東電の動きが鈍かったことを批判した。

（2011年4月25日22時26分 読売新聞）

25/04 福島・郡山市、校庭２８か所の表土除去へ

　福島県郡山市は２５日、福島第一原発事故による放射線量の数値が高かった市内の小中学校と保育所の計２８か所で校庭の表土を除去すると発表した。

　県教育庁によると、県内の教育機関で放射線対策の土壌改良を行うのは初めて。

　国の暫定基準では校庭の放射線量が毎時３・８マイクロ・シーベルト以上の場合、屋外活動を制限するとしており、県内１３の小中学校、幼稚園などが該当していた。

　郡山市で基準以上だったのは小学校１校だけだったが、市は地表から１センチの高さの放射線量について、小中学校は毎時３・８マイクロ・シーベルト以上、保育所や幼稚園では同３・０マイクロ・シーベルト以上の場合は表土を除去するという独自の基準を設定。県の調査結果を基に、除去作業を進める学校、保育所を決めた。取り除く表土は厚さ１～２センチを予定し、早ければ今週末から行う。除去した土は、市内の最終処分場に破棄する。

（2011年4月25日22時25分 読売新聞）

25/04 東電、社長ら報酬５０％削減…新規採用も見送り

　東京電力は２５日、会長と社長、副社長、常務の年間報酬を５０％削減すると発表した。

　執行役員は４０％、管理職は２５％、一般従業員は２０％それぞれ削減する。２０１２年４月入社を予定していた約１１００人の新規採用も見送る。一連の人件費削減により、年５４０億円を捻出し、福島第一原子力発電所の事故による賠償金の支払いの原資としたい考えだ。

　報酬や給与の減額は、執行役員以上は４月支払い分から、管理職以下は７月から行う。社外取締役の報酬も減額する。

　東電の清水正孝社長は、「被災した皆様への補償や、設備復旧等にかかる諸費用の増加による経営状況の大幅な悪化を踏まえ、（人件費削減を）実施した」とのコメントを発表した。

　東電労組は「社会的にも極めて大きな影響を及ぼしている現状を組合員一人一人が重く受け止めた」としている。

（2011年4月25日21時36分 読売新聞）

25/04 共産「警鐘に耳貸さなかった」東電・政権を批判

　「国会でのわが党の指摘に耳を貸さなかった東電、歴代自民党政権の責任は大きい――」

　共産党の井上哲士参院議員は２５日の参院決算委員会で、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故に関連し、同党が炉心溶融も想定した対策の必要性を訴えるなど、国会で長年、原発の危険性について警鐘を鳴らしてきたことを強調。そのうえで、「（原発）安全神話のもと、重大事故への構えも備えもなかったことが深刻な事態を作り出した」と歴代政権や東電の対応を批判した。

　民主党政権にも矛先を向け、「安全神話を受け継いだ責任も当然問われるのに、真剣な反省があるのか」と訴えた。

　これに対し、参考人として出席した内閣府原子力安全委員会の班目春樹委員長は「事故を防げなかったことを深く反省する」と終始、平身低頭だった。

（2011年4月25日21時20分 読売新聞）

25/04 汚染水濃度、１か月前の２５０倍…４号機地下

　福島第一原子力発電所の４号機タービン建屋地下の汚染水について、東京電力は２５日、約１か月前に比べ、放射性セシウムで２５０倍の高濃度になっていることを、事故対策統合本部の記者会見で公表した。


　３号機タービン建屋から流入している可能性がある。水位も上昇しつつあり、原子炉の安定冷却に向けた工程に影響を及ぼす恐れがある。

　東電は２１日に、４号機タービン建屋地下の汚染水を採取し、放射性物質の濃度を測定した。通常運転時の炉水の１０倍の濃度の放射性ヨウ素や、ヨウ素濃度を上回る放射性セシウムなどを検出。３月２４日に同じ場所で採取した汚染水と比べると、長期にわたり高い放射線を出すセシウム１３４が７８００ベクレル、同１３７も８１００ベクレルで、それぞれ約２５０倍に濃度が上昇していた。また放射性ヨウ素１３１も約１２倍だった。

　建屋地下の水位は徐々に上昇しており、４月２５日午前１１時で、床から最大１・１５メートルの水深が計測されるなど、前日に比べて５センチ上昇。１週間前に比べて１５センチも増えるなど、水量全体も増加しつつあるという。

　また、３号機タービン建屋地下の高濃度汚染水についても、改めて２か所で濃度を調べ直したところ、１か月前に比べて１・５～２倍以上になっていた。

（2011年4月25日20時57分 読売新聞）

26/04 今ごろ？…放射性物質の飛散予測、毎日公開へ

　内閣府原子力安全委員会は２５日、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所から大気中に放出された放射性物質のコンピューターによる拡散予測を公表した。


　予測は本来、事故発生直後の避難に活用する計画だったが、これまで３月２３日と４月１１日の２回公開されただけだった。細野豪志・首相補佐官は２５日の事故対策統合本部の共同記者会見で「３月半ばの最も放射性物質が飛んでいた時期に予測を利用できず、大変申し訳ない」と謝罪した。

　公表されたのは、３月１１日から４月２５日までの１時間ごとの放射性物質の拡散予測と、これまでの積算放射線量。今後は、１時間ごとの予測を毎日正午に更新、積算線量も随時更新する。

　原発からの放射性物質の放出量を、各地の放射線量の実測値から逆算。風速や風向、地形のデータをもとに積算線量を計算した。

　公表の遅れについて、安全委は、原発からの放出量が当初分からず、文部科学省と内閣府の調整にも手間取ったためと釈明した。

（2011年4月26日00時22分 読売新聞）

25/04 タリバン大脱走…５か月かけ３２０ｍのトンネル

　【イスラマバード＝横堀裕也】アフガニスタン南部カンダハル州の刑務所で２４日夜から２５日にかけ、４５０人以上の収監者が集団脱走した。


　大半は旧支配勢力タリバンのメンバー。地下トンネルを通じた計画的脱走で、タリバンが犯行声明を出した。

　刑務所所長によると、トンネルは刑務所の外部から数百メートルにわたって掘られていた。タリバンは声明で、「５か月間以上かけて３２０メートルのトンネルを掘った。気付かれないように４～５人ずつ、４時間半をかけて脱走させた」としている。

　同刑務所では２００８年６月、タリバンの襲撃を受けて約１０００人が脱走、警備態勢を強化したはずだった。米軍が撤収開始予定の７月を前に、アフガン当局の治安維持能力への懸念が高まりそうだ。

（2011年4月25日21時43分 読売新聞）