As of 15 March 2011, 1:00 pm
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano announced today developments at two of the reactors of the Fukushima Number One Nuclear Power Plant. He said an explosion occurred at the No. 2 reactor of the said plant, and that there is a high possibility that the container vessel inside was damaged. Edano also said that the plant’s No. 4 reactor is on fire, the cause of which was similar to that of reactors No. 1 and 3.
According to Edano, radiation levels reached 30 milisieverts between reactors 2 and 3; 400 milisieverts around reactor 3; and 100 milisieverts around reactor 5. He noted that the milisievert levels are higher than the microsievert levels previously reported. He said these are levels that affect human health but emphasized that the figures were obtained near the plant.
Edano urged the public to remain calm and continue their normal routines.
Japanese authorities made the following announcement with regard to these developments:
Official Notice
15 March 2011, 11:00
1. Areas in which counter-emergency measures should be taken:
Residents staying within a 20-kilometer radius from the Fukushima Dai-ichi [Number one] Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Company, Inc. (TEPCO)
Residents staying in the are from the 20-kilometer to 30-kilometer radius from the Fukushima Dai-ichi [Number one] Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Company, Inc. (TEPCO)
2. Direction:
Residents staying within a 20-kilometer radius from the Fukushima Dai-ichi [Number one] Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Company, Inc. (TEPCO) shall be evacuated.
Residents staying in the area from the 20-kilometer to 30-kilometer radius from the Fukushima Dai-ichi [Number one] Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Company, Inc. (TEPCO) shall stay inside the houses or buildings.
Observe directions by the relevant authorities if such directions are given.
From: http://tokyo.philembassy.net/events/advisory-to-the-filipino-community-in-japan/
The Philippine Embassy in Japan recently posted an advisory that is urgently requesting some Filipinos to contact the embassy. Click the link below to view complete advisory and to se the list of Filipinos:
Request for information of some Filipinos in Japan.
As of 14 March 2011, 8:30 pm
Another explosion occurred at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant at 11:01 a.m. today. Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) announced that a hydrogen blast took place at the No. 3 reactor of the Fukushima Number One power plant, which was similar to the hydrogen blast that occurred at the No. 1 reactor of the same plant on 12 March 2011.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said that the latest blast has left the container of the No.3 reactor intact, and that the likelihood of large volumes of radioactive material being dispersed in the air is low. The NISA said that it has so far observed no abnormal rise in radiation around the compound of the power plant.
Japanese authorities advised residents still remaining within the 20 kilometer radius around the plant to evacuate the area as soon as possible. The numbers of the Fukushima Prefectural government hotlines are 024-521-7192 and 024-521-7194. Filipino nationals who cannot contact their local governments may get in touch with the Philippine Embassy at telephone numbers (03)5562-1570, (03)5562-1577 and (03)5562-1590 or email: emergency@philembassy.net so that the Embassy can inform Japanese authorities of their location.
Japanese authorities said people residing outside the 20-kilometer radius can remain and continue with their normal activities. However, Filipino nationals who are concerned about ongoing developments may wish to voluntarily relocate to areas further away.
Read more.
Reports that the licensure examination for foreign nurses in Japan will now be given in English is not true. This is the clarification made by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) which has come from a representative of the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW).
The speculations that the exam will be translated in English stems from the fact that foreign nurses in Japan are having a difficult time passing the licensure examinations in their host country as evident by the extremely low passing rate of previous examinees.
Read more.
The Labor Department is pushing for an intense Japanese language training program for all Filipino nurses and caregivers who want to work in Japan. This is part of the agency’s effort to solve the extremely low passing rate of Filipino nurses and caregivers in the licensure examination in Japan.
Click here to read the full article regarding the language training program for Filipino nurses and caregivers in Japan.
