Here are a few links to information on how the radiation exposure following the destruction at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will affect people and the environment.

Ourplanet TV – In Japanese

Greenpeace Press Release – “Greenpeace condems move to raise radiation exposure levels for Japanese children”

The Rice4Japan event was held Wednesday, April 13, 2011, and featured speakers, including President David Leebron.

The links below are to documents related to the event.

Earthquake Assessment Document with Photographs (In Japanese)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan – “Nuclear Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station”

Japan Overview Powerpoint

Elapsing Map of Japan Earthquake Epicenter

Political Map of Northeast Japan

Duncan College Panel on the Japanese Earthquake and the Aftermath – “Nuclear Crisis in Japan”

Here is the link to a 2009 article on how plutonium reacts when ingested.

“Radioactive rays photographed from Nagasaki nuclear ‘death ash’

The videos below are parts of a documentary expose on the Japanese nuclear energy industry from the perspective of ordinary workers.

The Baker Institute held a panel discussion on April 8, “Japan: The Aftermath” 

More than 200 people attended an April 8 lunchtime panel discussion on the aftermath of the events at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

Neal Lane, Ph.D., former science adviser to President Clinton and the senior fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute, moderated the discussion. The event was presented by the Baker Institute Science and Technology Policy Program and Energy Forum.

The panelists were Rice University physics professor Paul Padley, Ph.D; Amy Myers Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies and director of the Energy Forum at the Baker Institute; radiation oncologist Dr. James D. Cox, who oversees the new proton treatment center at the MD Anderson Cancer Center; and Erich A. Schneider, Ph.D., an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at Austin who specializes in nuclear engineering.

The Chao Center did not co-sponsor this event.

Here is a list of events being held to benefit the people of Japan.

• Wednesday, April 13, 2011 – 7PM Keck Hall 100
  “Rice4Japan”

Speakers:      President David Leebron
                          Takahiko Watabe, Acting Consul-General of Japan at Houston
                          Greg Crowe, President of The Japan-America Society of Houston
                          Dr. Marjorie Corcoran, Department of Physics and Astronomy
                          Dr. Fenglin Niu, Department of Earth Science

Artwork created and donated by Rice students will be on display and will be for sale.

Visit Rice4Japan for more information and to make a donation online.

• Friday, April 29 – May 1, 2011 – Houston Zen Center
  ” The Heart of the Brush: A Benefit and a Workshop”
  Sponsored by Houston Zen Center

Kazuaki Tanahashi – artist, peace activist, and translator

Friday, April 29 – 7 PM
Reception and Silent Auction – HZC hosts an evening of calligraphy by Kaz. Kaz’ paintings will be hung throughout the Zen Center. The proceeds of the purchase of each of the pieces goes directly to Kaz to support the organization he founded, World Without Armies.

Saturday, April 30 – 9:45 AM
Dharma Talk – During the regular Saturday schedule Kaz will teach from his celebrated translation of Dogen Zenji, Treasury of The True Dharma Eye. The recent publication of this two volume work is the result of four decades of work and is an indispensable addition to Dogen scholarship. Dogen Zenji is the founder of Soto Zen in Japan.

Sunday, May 1 – 9 AM to 4 PM 
Workshop: The Heart of the Brush – Kaz teaches his excellent day of calligraphy. Beginners and experienced artists are equally welcome. The day is mindful, playful and instructive. All materials are provided but you may bring your brush if you would like. A vegetarian lunch and refreshments are also included. Limited to 30 participants.

Cost is $80 for the Sunday retreat, $40 for members of HZC.

• Thursday, May 12, 2011 – 7 PM – Museum of Fine Arts
  Documentary – “Live with Honor, Die with Dignity”

Presented in collaboration with the Japanese American Citizens League of Houston, Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA), and the Consulate General of Japan of Houston.

During WWII, soldiers of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, composed mainly of Japanese-Americans, fought not only the enemy, but also prejudice, as they faced severe racial discrimination in their homeland.  Despite these challenges, the 442nd became one of the most decorated regiments for its size and length of service in the history of the United States military. 

A Q&A with Floyd Mori, president of the National Japanese American Citizens League and one of the film’s participants follows the screening.

General admission is $7, MFAH members, senior adults, and students with ID receive a $1 discount ($6) and children 5 and under are admitted free.

Here are some suggested links following the situation in Japan.

• Irregular Rhythm Asylum – a blog from Tokyo, featuring text and video.  Most of the posts are in Japanese and some of the videos are in German.
• NYT – “Experts Had Long Criticized Potential Weakness in Design of Stricken Reactor” – Japan had been warned over nuclear plants, WikiLeaks cables show
• NYT – “Lessons From Chernobyl for Japan”
• Quoted in the Chicago Tribune, Sunday, March 20:

A resident of Miyako named Souichiro Tachibana, “Nowhere is safe.  Teach me what I can do.  I’m listening.  Where can we run away to?”

• Japan’s Nuclear Future: Policy Debate, Prospoects, and U.S. Interests” 

• Youtube – “Love Me Tender” – Film from two decades ago done by a rocker who did political parodies of US hits.  The songs are about nuclear fall out and exploding power plants.  He died of cancer.

※アルバム　「カバーズ」(1988.8.15 オ リジナルLP発売予定→中止）収録

• An antinuclear parody song (in Japanese)

Here are the lyrics in English:

“They had spun the serious lie” (#zutto_uso_datta)

54 nuclear power plants in this country
“They’re safe!” CMs and schoolbooks say

We trust on them, They conclude the fiasco as “unexpected” disaster
The Black Rain from the good sky
They had spun to prosecute the business
with serious lie and it was in vain
 The lie:
“nuclear power plants are safe”

They had spun the serious lie
Popeye not contaminated, please!
They’ve pretended: patch on patch worse
however they should’ve known that was human error

We cannot close the radioactive substances diffused

How many people contaminated?
Un-reliable Government…

Can you find good water just apart from this town?

Tell us the truth
We know They would not admit…

No escape way

They all spins the lie and shit from the beginning
T  E  P    C  O and other power companies
We should have being faced on this reailty

They all are shit from the beginning

And They seem to spin and spin

Hey, We had spun shit outrageously

Urged to sing even such a cowardice

They all are shit from the beginning

And They seem to spin and spin yet

Hey, We had spun shit outrageously
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