Japan In Full-Scale Nuclear Accident Probe

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Sunday October 3 11:03 AM ET 

Japan In Full-Scale Nuclear Accident Probe

TOKYO (Reuters) - Officials Sunday continued an investigation into 
the cause of the nation's worst-ever nuclear accident, working late 
into the night after raiding the offices of the nuclear plant's 
operators.  

The questions focus on whether Thursday's incident was caused 
by simple human error -- as has been previously suggested by the 
management of the uranium processing plant -- or whether there 
was a systematic violation of regulations which led to the release of 
a massive burst of radiation.  

Critics also argue the central government could be held responsible 
for failing to ensure the company had proper safety procedures to 
prevent the accident.  

A local police spokesman said a 100-strong task force was formed 
Sunday to investigate why a ``criticality accident,'' or a nuclear 
chain reaction, occurred at the plant in Tokaimura, in Ibaraki 
prefecture, 140 km (90 miles) northeast of Tokyo.  

VICTIM PREPARES FOR TRANSFUSION

Fifty-five people, mainly plant workers and emergency personnel 
who responded to the accident, were exposed to the radiation. 
Three workers were in serious condition, with some experts saying 
their chances of survival were slim.  

One of them, 35-year-old Hisahi Ouchi who was exposed to the 
biggest dose of radiation, will receive a transfusion of peripheral 
stem cells into the bone marrow.  

The transfusion, aimed at boosting his blood-producing functions, 
is likely to be carried out as early as Wednesday, a hospital official 
said.  

INVESTIGATORS TO CONTINUE RAIDS Investigators from the 
Science and Technology Agency, in charge of the country's 
nuclear program, raided the Tokyo and Ibaraki offices of JCO Co. 
Ltd., the operator of the uranium processing facility.  

Television footage showed inspectors leaving the Tokyo office with 
bags full of confiscated papers, while government officials said the 
raid on the branch office was likely to continue into Monday.  

JCO Co, a wholly owned unit of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd., 
acknowledged Saturday it had illegally revised a government-
approved manual to allow its workers to use stainless steel 
buckets to transfer a uranium solution into a mixing tank.  

This practice was not directly linked to the accident. But because 
the workers were doing the job by hand, instead of using the 
required apparatus, they mistakenly loaded 35 pounds of 
condensed uranium, nearly eight times the normal amount.  

This, nuclear experts say, likely created the ``flash criticality'' 
which was not halted until Friday morning.  

GOVERNMENT VOWS STRICT INVESTIGATION

Kazuo Sato, chairman of the Nuclear Safety Commission, said 
Sunday that the commission would look into whether there had 
been lax supervision by the central government.  

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi was reported by Kyodo news agency 
as telling reporters he hoped for ``strict investigation.''  

``I'm told that the accident was caused by the way the company 
ran their operations with little regard for safety. I think that's 
unforgivable,'' Kyodo quoted Obuchi as saying.  

While refusing to admit the government was at fault, Science and 
Technology chief Akito Arima said authorities should tighten 
control over the nation's nuclear facilities.  

``We did not predict this sort of accident could ever happen... It is 
unthinkable that 16 kg of uranium was brought in,'' Arima said.  

``The government will work on measures to prevent similar 
accidents from occurring in the future and incorporate them into 
Japan's long-term nuclear program,'' he added.  

RESIDENTS STILL IN FEAR, ANGER

In Tokaimura town, life was slowly returning to normal after the 
government lifted its evacuation order Saturday for people living 
within 350 meters (1,155 feet) of the site of the accident, saying it 
was safe for them to go home and pledging to look for ways to 
prevent similar disasters.  

Many of the people interviewed on national television expressed 
relief at being able to return home, but said they still feared the 
invisible threat of radiation and hoped those responsible would be  
punished.

------------------------
Sandy Perle
E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205

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