Why is the Japanese government not transparent about the explosion at nuke plant?

[thewiseguy]

After the explosion at the nuclear plant in Japan, there are many unanswered questions and I do not understand why the Japanese government is not addressing those.

First off how much radiation was released during this explosion? Signs are that radiation did leak due to the explosion: Injured workers at a hospital near by had been exposed to radiation, Plans to distribute iodine, Increasing the exclusion zone to 20 km.

Second, what is the status of the plant now? I have seen reports ranging from everything is fine to meltdown may be inevitable.

Following the news, I get the impression that the Japanese government has not been transparent about what took place at the nuke plant or the status of their nuclear emergency as of this minute.

[jpak]

1. Saving face?

:shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. When you are in the middle of an emergency, communication to uninvolved

look-e-loos is less important than working to solve the problem. When this calms down, hopefully without a calamity, we should reasonable expect a complete writeup. While in the midst of things, not so much.

[thewiseguy]

6. If everything is fine according to some sources then a reasonable writeup is expected

Plus it would be very help to let the public know how much radiation was leaked as a result of this explosion.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Nothing I have read has said everything is fine

Things are in a helluva mess and still not stable. I have no doubt Japanese authorities are doing everything they can to avoid a catastrophe including evacuations and other public safety measures. That they are not issuing press releases to satisfaction of some outsiders does not bother me in the slightest. The best qualified opinions I have seen say the problem is still in flux.

Once things are indeed safe is when I would expect to see the data, not before.

[thewiseguy]

22. Well according to one Japanese Government Official they are

He said the core is fine. There was very little leakage and that the temperatures and pressure have all came down and under control. He further proceeded to say the radiation levels dropped after the explosion!

I do not see the transparency...

[Hannah Bell]

23. well if you don't believe what they say why do you care what they say.

they had a press conference just a bit ago.

no one is interested, i guess because they already know that an apocalyptic meltdown is taking place.

[dipsydoodle]

3. how much radiation was released ?

Some what less than Hiroshima and Nagasaki I'd guess.

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. So far, about a years worth of ambient radiation per hour

Yes, it's bad. Yes, it's worrisome. No, it's not Chernobyl. More like TMI.

[cliffordu]

4. Tons o' radiation at the site, a fucking EXPLOSION in a fucked up

nuclear reactor -

Why don't you wander in and send a report???

[OmahaBlueDog]

5. I suspect they honestly don't know all the details

Essentially, they've had three catastrophic disasters hit simultaneously. A major earthquake; a devastating tsunami; and a nuclear power plant gone-bad. It's a lot to go wrong all at once, and I imagine they are overwhelmed with information and issues.

[itsrobert]

8. See Toyota

nt

[jaxx]

9. BBC live is a good place for information.

Live video plus their twitter runs on the left side of the page and has been a good source. No hair on fire stuff, but much from the Japanese government as to what has happened and their moving people away from the site, etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[enough]

10. News from people we know in Japan suggests the possibility of panic becoming

a real problem. People are in shock and facing all sorts of unknowns. From what they say,
travel is very difficult with formerly short journeys taking many many hours. I suspect the desire to avoid panic is also a factor.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Preventing a panic

I don't like it, they should be open, but I get it.

[Rex]

16. What I am going with too.

Panic right now would be the worst idea imo.

[KG]

13. name me a gov't anywhere that is transparent about anything...

[KittyWampus]

14. Because they are a government.

[Yo_Mama]

15. I think they are being honest

Perhaps your impression of a lack of transparency comes from the limited news.

But it seems that they are trying to report all that's happening and that's known. There is less news coverage than we are used to because of the huge amount of damage over a very wide area and the need to keep people in the areas around the affected power plants to a minimum.

They didn't know Daiichi was going to be hit by another quake. No one did. It's not that they are trying to cover up, it's that the situation is highly fluid.

[northernlights]

17. what makes you think their government is

any better than ours?

Seriously, major countrywide disaster turns into a 3fer. They have a lot to contend with. There's probably a lot they don't know yet. Don't want to needlessly panic the sheeples because that won't help any.

[somone]

18. I'm not sure these people want to read a full comprehensive report on anything right now:

[Kip Humphrey]

19. To prevent PANIC (reference: 3 Mile Island, Chernobyl)

The people will know once it is too late.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. You do realize that map is off by a few...

I mean in dosages?

THere is a serious problem with it, but that is ok.

Now wind patterns... yes... it works.

[JCMach1]

21. Remember TMI and Chernobyl?

[RedCloud]

24. Or why didn't more people die? Gummint imposed earthquake standards.