Society

TEPCO's nuclear plant to clear NRA check

Oct 04 (NHK) - Japan's nuclear regulator has taken a step further in allowing Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, to restart its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast.

The nuclear plant would be the first of those held by the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant to soon be given the regulator's green light under the requirements introduced after the 2011 accident.

The commissioners of the Nuclear Regulation Authority on Wednesday unanimously adopted its draft assessment for the plant's No.6 and 7 reactors. The plant has 7 reactors.

The assessment says safety measures for the 2 reactors set forth by TEPCO meet the requirements.

The measures include introducing new equipment and procedures for use in case of severe accidents, such as leaks of radioactive substances from the plant's damaged containment vessel.

The reactors would also be the first of Japan's boiling-water-type reactors -- the same type as those that melted down at Fukushima Daiichi -- to get approval for restarting.

The regulator plans to invite the public to express opinions for a month starting on Thursday before it gives official approval.

Meanwhile, Niigata Governor Ryuichi Yoneyama has indicated that he will not decide on whether to give necessary consent for the restart before the prefecture's investigation into the 2011 accident is complete. The probe is expected to take 3 or 4 years.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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