Seeking volunteer/intern translators

Posted on May 18, 2012 by edmkoz

We’re looking for volunteers and interns to translate Japanese audio files into English transcripts. Please contact us if you can help.

Ishii’s cucumbers

Posted on May 18, 2012 by edmkoz

Ishii used to deliver food to Japanese restaurants in Maryland. For years he studied EM (effective microogranisms) as a hobby. Now he grows organic vegetables in Sukagawa, 60 km southwest of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. He believes the EM prevents his crops from absorbing radioactive cesium—they have tested “ND”: no detectible radiation.

Asami’s Tokyo volunteers

Posted on May 13, 2012 by edmkoz

Tokyo volunteers make their annual weekend trip to Kitakata in western Fukushima to help Asami clear debris from the village’s 200-year-old irrigation canal.

Fukushima cherry blossoms

Posted on May 12, 2012 by edmkoz

Cherry blossom ritual for children's health in Towa, Nihonmatsu, Fukushima, Japan.

Sugeno soil test

Posted on May 12, 2012 by edmkoz

Niigata University researchers test the effect of various combinations of soil additives on the absorption of radioactive cesium by Sugeno’s rice.

Saitos spread zeolite

Posted on May 12, 2012 by edmkoz

Father and son Saito powder their rice field with government-mandated zeolite. It’s intended to fix cesium in the soil to reduce absorption by crops, but some question its effectiveness and health impact. Fields across Fukushima are dotted with the white bags, and the white dust is everywhere.

Organic farmer father, nuclear engineer son

Posted on May 12, 2012 by edmkoz

85-year-old Teruo Yasukawa has an organic farm on the edge of the nuclear exclusion zone.
Last year Yasukawa challenged city officials for the right to grow rice for personal consumption.
Yasukawa irrigates his farm with well water and fertilizes it with his cows' manure, thus avoiding new contamination. Most of his rice tested below 20 becquerels per kg last year.
Teruo's son Hiroshi Yasukawa was an engineer for TEPCO, the owner of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. His hat has TEPCO and GE logos.
Hiroshi Yasukawa has been exposed to more that 400 millisieverts of radiation.
Because of his high exposure level, he can no longer work at the power plant. He's been transferred to work on decontamination, but he's not optimistic about the prospects for success.
Hiroshi Yasukawa points toward the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power plant where he used to work, just beyond the horizon.
Hiroshi Yasukawa has had this geiger counter/watch for 10 years.