Published: August 1st, 2012 at 12:28 pm ET
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Title: Prosecutors: criminal inquiry in nuclear accident
Source: NHK WORLD
Date: Aug. 1, 2012 – Updated 13:09 UTC (22:09 JST)
Japanese Prosecutors will start investigating the Fukushima nuclear accident as a criminal act by the government and Tokyo Electric Power Company.[...]
Prosecutors in the 3 districts [Fukushima, Tokyo, and Kanazawa] on Wednesday officially accepted the complaints and decided to open the case, coordinating with each other.
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Published: August 1st, 2012 at 12:28 pm ET
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WOW!! CRIMINAL ACTIVITY indeed! Here we go. Arnie, pack your bags. You should be an expert witness in this matter. Wow is all I can say.
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It's about time!!!!
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I'm not one for buying into 'official' gestures. Still, there's always a chance they'll be one man amongst the other investigators who understands how important it is to hold these people accountable for their crimes. Generations will be looking back to see what was done…
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Agree, it's about time, an excellent idea.
I just hope the world media give the case public attention it deserves, not just in the first few years but until all victims are made whole.
The tactics of the Japanese government is to put a delay on such trials one after another until the victims exhaust their financial means to continue fighting in the court and the majority of them die off. That's what is happening with the Minamata disease cases. The initial outbreak happened around 1965 and the case has not progressed due to the government interference, repeated delay tactics, and an arbituraly filing time cut-off. Many of the Minamata victims already passed away.
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Myme: This is a criminal case, run by district prosecutors, so those wronged (everyone) cannot run out of money.
Hope the prosecutors pursue this case vigorously, and recommend that they begin reading ENEnews daily to keep up with the ongoing lies, like today's revelations where officials falsify radiation readings. The MSM will will try, but can no longer ignore Fuku, since Tokyo should have been evacuated when Fuku1 went up, but was not, and since Tokyo has been proven to be very heavily contaminated, but evacuation is still being delayed. The protests will focus attention on the trial, and the trial will focus attention on the protests. Great development!
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Yes, I also recommend ENEnews daily to the district prosecutors. Starting on Page 1 here, and view all discussion threads and links provided.
http://enenews.com/page/182
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i'm sure enenews will impress the good senators with stories of 'elites to mars', 'israel quakes', 'evil scientists and haarps' and maybe even sharks with laser beams.
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I'm sure that you will try to impress the 'foolish' common people with your tales of lack of conspiracies by people with enough money to create the conspiracies.
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con·spir·a·cy [kuhn-spir-uh-see]
noun, plural con·spir·a·cies.
1. the act of conspiring.
2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.
4. Law . an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.
5. any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.
The unfortunate thing, as the above definition describes, is that most 'conspiracy' theories have now been proven to be true.
No Senator is not fully aware of the horrific loss of life to come from the disaster forever existing in Japan. Go, Bobby1, you're on the right track.
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I feel like this is a repeat of the Gulf Disaster, how much trouble did BP get into and are they still drilling? You know the answers.
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BP was not investigated by prosecutors. Just interviewed by an industry friendly Congress with a handful of genuine political leaders who wanted some accountability. The committee did not recommend going the next step that is happening now in Japan for TEPCO and some government leaders.
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What's a 'genuine political leader'? From what I see, they're all spineless cowards begging for the next campaign contribution.
Any of the 'good' ones are retiring. They know what's coming.
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Move to Oregon. You'll find some very genuine political leaders here – people who dedicate their skills to public service. One of those would be Senator Wyden who founded the Grey Panthers, a senior rights organization when he was under 20, and was the only US senator willing to go to Japan and see Fukushima for himself, then go straight to the press and say how bad things are. He broke with his party many times, including over Fukushima.
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I will take this seriously when names like GE, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), down to the authorities (including doctors) that will say they were only doing what they were told to do are investigated.
It is not to late to redefine the fallout zone per Speedi maps along with ground readings more than a year later.
I'm not sure how you lockup the entire Japanese government but this is a start.
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"I'm not sure how you lockup the entire Japanese government but this is a start."
… plus many more…
Great comment, razzz!
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This 'official' investigation won't go anywhere. Been there, done that.
What will work, and is coming, are class-action civil lawsuits filed in both Japanese courts and the World Court. Lawsuits for Japanese radiation exposure are already being planned in the US and Canada. The world's largest corporations and governments are involved, so the pockets are as deep as they get.
There's no stopping what's coming, in any direction. There will be full reckoning. Won't fix the damage, but we will know who is responsible for the end of all life on this planet.
The greatest lawsuits in all of history. There will be nowhere to hide.
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Maybe some forensics team will visit Fuku before the site is "all cleaned up", and can finally settle the matter of what caused Buildings1,3,&4 to blow up. Where was the center, the source, of the explosions? What was the explosive material that destroyed these buildings?
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@philipupnorth
August 1, 2012 at 204 PM
Also they must check out very very forensically:
http://glaringlacuna.blogspot.in/2012/01/nuclear-effect-in-causing-earthquakes.html
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I can just see hear up-in the boardroom, "Price-Anderson…where are you when we needed you?!"
The implications for the health-insurance 'industry' – alone – will be staggering. Unlike others, who don't bother to follow this story, we knew from day-one where this was going.
Tighten the straps kids…ride's going to get even more exciting!!!
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Aftershock:
Coverup is coming apart.
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Maybe it will be like the "Monkey Trial".
They may lose the battle, but perhaps they can win the war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial
Believe it or not there was a time when it was illegal to teach evolution in schools. Not so long ago really. It was bible believers vs non-believers. The non-believers initially lost.
Things then slowly started to change.
So.. It's sort of like those who 'believe' and profess that nuclear power is safe and those who know it's not.
If they can at least get this into court it may help bring the 'truth' issues to the forefront.
I doubt anyone, (with money), will ever go to jail for these insidious crimes.
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I think they can be 'got' on the fact that they de-contaminated the areas around the radiation post markers to try to 'hide' the actual values… this is criminal…
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We really need to compile a master list of Fuku crimes, with the names of those who ordered and carried out their crimes against humanity, for they by now number in the hundreds.
I might begin the list with Hiliary Clinton, who agreed not to test food and goods imported from Japan into the United States for radiation. I am the right person to put this name forward, since I am a loyal Democrat who loved Bill and Hiliary Clinton for the magnificant 1990s. On her behalf, I can only say that she knows better, and so does President Obama. But crimes against humanity are still crimes, even if you are The Secretary Of State (right, Colin (WMD) Powell?)
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"The magnificant 1990s"? Glass-Stegal ring a bell?
Add the EPA and their crony sub-contractors who can re-calibrate all the US radiation monitors with one turn of the dial.
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Yes what they are doing with their cleaned and shielded monitors is criminal. But so are the over exposures to workers,their abandonment of their emergency plan, and all their outright lies about the safety and condition of the plant and the environment.
But i will be very surprised if this investigation is real. After all the health of General Electric, Toshiba and the whole nuclear industry is at stake. And their influence will make sure nothing is said to hurt their bottom line.
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There's an easy solution for that. Boycott GE and Toshiba.
They'll never get a dime of my money.
People forget boycotting is very effective at getting a message across. Especially when the kids are dying.
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I had a dream… The infamous Yamashita was arrested by the Tokyo Police 警視庁 Keishichō in a scene eerily similar to the arrest of the Blues Brothers at the tax collector's office. Of couse the police officers had nightsticks instead of guns.
His life sentence…making rag doll clowns for children in a locked cell.
His prison…Unit 1 Fukushima Daiichi.
Sleep well in your cell Dr Brainwasher Shun-ichi Yamashita…and keep smiling!
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I would be nice to get the kids out and over here to the States asap. Of course it would take Government action.
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My first reaction to this news was along the lines of 'Goodie, goodie goober drops' (damn, am giving away my ancientness here) – 2nd, 3rd, & 4th thoughts were more along the lines of the above comments by Time is Short, Centaur, Razz, et al. When pigs grow wings will justice be done, etc. Wrists will be slapped, chosen fall guys will pay a price (we are talking capital crimes but I doubt we will see any such JUST & APPROPRIATE penalties).
But I hope like hell that I'm wrong.
"The just penalty for killing and mortally injuring millions (and trashing the whole planet) should be…?"
"Duh, dat's a hard one… can we come back to dat one later… a whole lot later.. Your Honor Sir?"
"Depends on how much it's worth to ya, pal…"
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@bleep: "Depends on how much it's worth to ya, pal…" Did you ever call that one. I'm on the floor over here!
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The recent findings of the independent investigative committee created by the Diet, along with the massive protest in Japan, the media picking up the story, this website, etc. have managed to get this criminal investigation going. Of course, TEPCO et al did plenty of criminal actions that went outside industry standards, cheating and shortcuts that even the nuclear industry finds illegal and dangerous – so that's saying a lot right there – and that has landed them in the dock because TEPCO's actions just may have been the death nell for the entire industry.
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@Vic: though you've come up with a nice wish list, I have a feeling that you're right. The nuc-industry itself knows all too well what's gone down. If they're half as intelligent as they'd pretend to be, they'd move hard against TEPGOV…
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Just like the banks, starting to eat each other.
This will be fun to watch.
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@AFTERSHOCK…The nuc-industry is not half as smart as they pretend to be. You're giving them to much credit….
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But, they are greedy enough to eat their own.
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This is the best news story since 3/11, I hope it ias true
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It is left to be seen whether or not…this in in earnest..
"The Japanese operator of the nuclear power plant devastated in last year's disasters received a 1 trillion yen ($12.8 billion) bailout Tuesday, putting it under government ownership, while international experts visited another plant that survived the tsunami's impact."
The Jpanese government now owes Fukushima.
A branch of the Japanese government..investigating another? ..real results seem unlikely.
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/31/13052115-japan-nuke-operator-tepco-gets-13b-bailout?lite
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The truth will come out in the courts, HOTR, not in any 'official' investigation.
This is going to be fun to see them try and stop this. They will try, but it won't work.
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Right, Tepco is now effectively controlled by the Japanese government, and from now on when we criticize Tepco, we are criticizing the Japanese government.
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Oh yeah….hopefully it will follow all the way through.
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Wow..Bad typos..
The Japanese government now owns Fukushima Npp.
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@Heart: figured you meant that. And yes, the shell game's likely to played-out across the globe. But if they're intent on getting the world citizenry involved in picking-up the cost for this fiasco, they'd be well advised to do some – genuine – housecleaning…
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This is all a show of course, just like Corzine. There is no justice.
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There never was much of a show with Corzine. He got a pass and now lives in Europe on the beach, and only flies in to the US to bundle donations for Obama.
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I did some research earlier in the year on the legals earlier this year and this is what I came across:
evendine
May 8, 2012 at 12:48 pm Log in to Reply
It seems to me that the policy of deliberate radioactive contamination of a populated area (e.g. burning of radioactive debris, or failing to do everything possible to prevent further emissions generally) qualifies as a 'crime against humanity' under international law.
Under Article 7 of the Rome Statute (jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court) section 1 states:
'For the purpose of this Statute, "crime against humanity" means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:
(a) Murder;
(b) Extermination;
…
(f) Torture;
…
(h) Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court;
…
(k) Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health'
Section 2 qualifies certain terms:
'b) "Extermination" includes the intentional infliction of conditions of life, inter alia the deprivation of access to…
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food and medicine, calculated to bring about the destruction of part of a population;
…
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evendine
May 8, 2012 at 12:51 pm Log in to Reply
(e) "Torture" means the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, upon a person in the custody or under the control of the accused; except that torture shall not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions;
…
(g) "Persecution" means the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group or collectivity;
It seems to me that all of the above clauses apply in this case.
Surely amongst those who are victims (or potential victims) of this apparent serious crime, there must be lawyers willing to take the government to the International Criminal Court? At very least, doing this will execution stop the policy in its tracks and cause the perpetrators / government deep embarrassment!
This site has much useful info on how to go about it:
http://www.aegistrust.org/Crimes-against-humanity/what-are-crimes-against-humanity.html
It seems Japan has been party to the Rome Statute since 2007:
http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/index.php?id=7920
There are examples of attempts to bring the heads of state of 'developed' countries who commit crimes against humanity to justice in the nuclear arena, e.g…
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e.g. the Davies injunction against nuclear weapons:
http://www.worldservice.org/blog/2006/05/archive-of-recent-updates-injunction.html
Very relieved to see that people are doing something in law to stop this 'genocide for money'…
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Excellent post, evendine. Noticed far and wide.
Wait until the lawyers get accurate Infant Mortality Rate numbers. Then it will really hit the fan.
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@Time Is Short
August 2, 2012 at 1:43 am
I thoroughly agree.
There will be at least 25 million in India alone, I surmise scientifically.
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brilliant post evendine!!!
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After the revolution,the people of Japan should do what their old government did in World War 2, but instead of giving the pilots a shot of saki and putting them on a war plane and sending them off to ram an aircraft carrier,they should give the government leaders and Tepko big wigs who are involved in this mess a full glass of tuna fish puree and sent to clean up the hottest parts of the reactors, making sure their dosimeters are covered with a lead shield before entering of course.. BONZI !!!!
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they should also launch an investigation of Pearl Harbor and Roosevelts role in letting it happen, the JFK assasination (just for fun) and 911 (sounds like 311). if they can do that, they can get their Scout Merit Badge for Truth Telling and work on Fukushima.
ps could the good folk please rewrite the Bible and clean it up from Tribal infestations and revisionisms (going back to the middle ages).
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@rambojim
August 2, 2012 at 1:43 am
+Infinity
The Blue Angels-The blue fish tuna puree
Tuna was so tasty when I was a non veg in my last avatar.
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@Ramaswami Kumar..Sea Bass WAS my favorite…I no longer consume seafood nor anything grown in California…
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They will be allowed to come out when they begin to glow…Maybe..
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This investigation may give both sides, pro and anti nuke, a world stage to convince the public of their rightness. That is the jewel in this news. It gives us a tool that we didn't have before and may not have again for quite some time. Will justice be done? i don't know. It rarely is in any criminal hearing anywhere anytime. It's a good thing that we don't need the legal system to work for us to end nuclear power. We only need the ear of the people and an alternative energy they can use.
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Alternative energy: Their own. And I am not joking.
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The international legal system is the only thing that will stop any of this, VFO. We need it badly, since every other form of authority/leadership is totally corrupt.
It'll be hard to buy off/threaten all the world's judges. They will get to many, but they won't get all of them.
After all these centuries, it might be lawyers that save the world. Strange thought.
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@VicFromOregon
August 2, 2012 at 2:27 am
Indeed, this would be a great exercise in truth affirming/building.
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Prison sentences or even execution for those responsible for the disaster and the subsequent coverups (politicians, TEPCO execs, nuclear "experts, any complicit media) is NOT sufficient.
Those found guilty should be put on site at Fukushima Daiichi to do the clean up work until death. Also their immediate family members should all be sent with them. This would be true justice for all those affected by this.
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kintaman: Harsh!
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They do not seem to have any problems leaving the families that are there now.
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