OT: Japanese Politician Tried to Bribe with Rice

The Fukushima I Nuke Plant accident may be changing the long tradition of vote buying in Japanese politics.



Yomiuri Shinbun (9/1/2011) reports that an assemblyman in Nara City in Nara Prefecture was privately asked by the assembly chairman in June to vote in a certain way in the upcoming election of the new assembly chairman. He refused. Then the chairman said to him, "What if I gave you rice for 5 years?" He declined, but recorded the conversation with his smart phone.



Well, rice was used as a medium of exchange in Japan until the Meiji Restoration knocked out the Tokugawa Shogun government. Rice may have become more valuable, particularly if it is radionuclide-free, than the fiat money they have in Japan. (Personally I think the assemblyman should have taken up the offer...)

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Another #Radioactive Rice from Chiba, 46 Becquerels/Kg

The rice has been cleared for shipping, because the level of radioactive cesium is much below the national provisional safety limit of 500 becquerels/kg which will pose no threat to health, according to the authorities in Chiba.



It's "Koshihikari" brand rice, but since it's not from Niigata the rice may be blended and sold. If it's blended, there is no requirement to state where the rice was harvested.



Caveat emptor, except the buyers don't have all information available to them to decide on their own.



From Sankei Shinbun (8/27/2011):

千葉県は２７日、市川市で栽培された収穫後のコメの本検査で、国の暫定基準値（１キログラム当たり５００ベクレル）を大幅に下回る４６ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した。「健康に問題ないレベル」として、同日以降の出荷を認めた。



Chiba Prefecture announced on August 27 that 46 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected from the rice harvested in Ichikawa City. The prefectural government considers the level as "not affecting health", and has permitted the shipment of the rice as of August 27.



　東京電力福島第１原発の事故後、千葉県では白井市の収穫前のコメから微量のセシウムを検出しており、今回で２例目。全国では茨城県鉾田市、福島県二本松市に続いて４例目となった。



In Chiba Prefecture, a small amount of radioactive cesium was detected in the rice before the harvest in Shirai City. The detection of radioactive cesium in rice in Ishikawa City is the second in Chiba, the fourth in Japan. One location in Hokota City in Ibaraki Prefecture and one location in Nihonmatsu City in Fukushima Prefecture also had radioactive cesium in rice.



　千葉県によると、セシウムが検出されたのは、２４日に市川市の１カ所で採取したコシヒカリの玄米。千葉や野田、成田、銚子、旭の５市のコメからは検出されなかった。



According to Chiba Prefecture, radioactive cesium was detected from the brown rice of Koshihikari taken on August 24 in one location in Ichikawa City. No radioactive cesium was detected in rice in Chiba City, Noda City, Narita City, Choshi City and Asahi City.



　千葉県では、これで本検査を終えて基準値以下だった４２市町村でコメの流通が可能になった。



Rice can be sold and shipped in 42 municipalities in Chiba Prefecture now that the post-harvest testing has been complete and the level of radioactive cesium was below the provisional safety limit.

That's what the provisional "safety" limit is there for: to plant the idea in people's mind that anything below that limit is "safe". Clearly many producers and all of government bureaucrats from municipal level upward believe that, and excoriate consumers who still don't buy that argument (and don't buy the produce).

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#Radioactive Rice in Chiba and Ibaraki, but Not in Fukushima

Not to the extent that may cause "chaos" as Professor Kosako predicted, but the prefectural authorities have tested the early harvest and radioactive cesium has been found in Ibaraki and Chiba.



The first to find radioactive rice was Ibaraki Prefecture, but the governor vows to fight the "baseless rumor" to promote rice from his prefecture.



From Sankei Shinbun (8/19/2011):

　茨城県鉾田市で栽培された玄米から放射性セシウムが検出されたことを受け、同県の橋本昌知事は１９日、記者団の取材に応じ「安全性に問題はない。８月下旬の本検査の結果を踏まえた上で、茨城のコメは心配ないと、消費者に説明していきたい」と話し、風評被害の防止に全力を尽くす意向を示した。



As the brown rice grown in Hokota City in Ibaraki Prefecture was found with radioactive cesium, Governor of Ibaraki Masaru Hashimoto answered the reporters on August 19 and said "There is no problem with safety. After the formal testing is complete by the end of August, we will persuade the consumers that there's nothing to worry about consuming Ibaraki rice", and that he will do his best to counter the "baseless rumor".



　橋本知事は「１年間食べたとしても心配するレベルではない」と強調。一方で「ほかの野菜からも検出されているのでコメから出てもおかしくないと思っていた」とも述べた。



Governor Hashimoto emphasized safety by saying "It is not the level to worry, even if you eat [the rice] for one whole year". At the same time, he said "Since radioactive cesium has been detected in vegetables, I wouldn't have been surprised to see it detected in rice".



　今回、セシウムが検出されたのは予備検査として採取された玄米。１キログラム当たりセシウム１３４が２３ベクレル、セシウム１３７が２９ベクレルの計５２ベクレルで、国の暫定基準値（同５００ベクレル）を大幅に下回っていた。



Radioactive cesium was detected in the brown rice in the preliminary testing. Total 52 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found, with 23 becquerels/kg of cesium-134 and 29 becquerels/kg of cesium-137. The amount was far below the national provisional safety limit (500 becquerels/kg total radioactive cesium).

Governor Hashimoto is a former career bureaucrat and a graduate of Tokyo University.



Next to detect cesium in rice was Chiba.



From Mainichi Shinbun (8/26/2011):

千葉県は２５日、福島第１原発事故による放射性物質の影響を調べる収穫前のコメの予備調査で、同県白井市で栽培されたもち米「こがねもち」から、１キロ当たり４７ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した。国の暫定規制値（同５００ベクレル）を大幅に下回ったが、コメの検査で放射性セシウムが検出されたのは、茨城県鉾田市に次ぎ全国で２例目。



Chiba Prefecture announced on August 25 that 47 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found in the mochi-rice (glutinous rice) grown in Shirai City in Chiba Prefecture in the preliminary test before the harvest to survey the effect of radioactive materials from the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident. The amount of radioactive cesium was far below the national provisional safety limit (500 becquerels/kg). It is the second case of radioactive cesium detection in the country, the first one being in Hokota City in Ibaraki Prefecture.



　千葉県安全農業推進課によると、白井市内２地点で２２日に採取した玄米を検査。うち１地点で放射性セシウム１３４が２２ベクレル、同１３７が２５ベクレル検出され、計４７ベクレルだった。同県は８月末をめどに収穫後の玄米を本調査する方針で、規制値以下なら出荷が可能となる。



According to the division for safe agriculture promotion in Chiba prefectural government, the brown rice taken at two locations within Shirai City on August 22 was tested. From one location, 47 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected, with cesium 134 22 becquerels/kg and cesium-137 25 becquerels/kg. The prefectural government plans to conduct the full survey on the brown rice after the harvest by the end of August, and if the rice tests under the provisional safety limit it will be allowed to be shipped.

But in Fukushima, hardly any radioactive cesium was detected in the early harvest rice.



From Yomiuri Shinbun (8/26/2011):

福島県は２６日、二本松市の旧大平村、本宮市の旧和木沢村、旧荒井村、郡山市の旧喜久田村の田んぼで収穫された早場米の放射性物質の検査結果を発表した。



Fukushima Prefecture announced on August 26 the test results of the early-harvest rice harvested in a location in Nihonmatsu City, two locations in Motomiya City, and one location in Koriyama City.



　旧大平村のコメからは放射性セシウムが１キロ・グラム当たり２２ベクレル（暫定規制値５００ベクレル）、ほかは検出されなかった。県は同日、旧荒井村以外の３地区については、旧市町村単位のすべての田んぼの検査で問題がなかったとして、出荷を認めた。東京電力福島第一原発の事故後、同県のコメの出荷は初めてとなる。



From the location in Nihonmatsu City, 22 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found. No radioactive cesium was detected in all the other locations. Based on the results, the prefectural government has allowed the rice harvested in these locations, except for one in Motomiya City, to be shipped. It will be the first shipment of rice from Fukushima after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.



　県によると、検査したのは２５、２６日に収穫された早稲種の「五百川」と「瑞穂黄金」の玄米。旧大平村のコメも白米にして検査したところ、放射性物質は検出されなかった。旧荒井村については、すべての田んぼの検査が終わり、規制値を下回れば出荷が認められる。



According to Fukushima Prefecture, two types of early-harvest rice harvested on August 25 and 26 were tested. When the rice in the Nihonmatsu City location was milled, no radioactive materials were detected. As to the location in Motomiya City (Arai-mura), the testing was done on all rice fields. If the results show the level of radioactive cesium is less than the provisional safety limit, the rice will be allowed to be shipped.

These cities are located in "Naka-dori" (middle third) of Fukushima Prefecture where highly radioactive rice hay has been found. 500,000 becquerels/kg of cesium was found in rice hay in Koriyama City, and in Motomiya City, 57 kilometers west of Fukushima I Nuke Plant, the number was even higher at 690,000 becquerels/kg.



For your reference,

• Fukushima's radioactive cesium detection limit, according to the prefecture: 10 becquerels/kg

• Radioactive cesium (cesium-137) in rice in Fukushima before the accident: ND to 0.14 becquerels/kg, after milling
  
  

• Radioactive cesium (cesium-137) in rice in Chiba before the accident: ND, after milling

• Radioactive cesium (cesium-137) in rice in Ibaraki before the accident: ND to 0.045 becquerel/kg, after milling
  
  
  
  (source data for radioactive cesium in rice in Fukushima, Chiba, Ibaraki from Japan Chemical Analysis Center, from 2000 to 2009)

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#Radioactive Rice to Come? Rice Growing in a Rice Paddy with 35,000 Becquerels/kg of Radioactive Cesium?

No wonder the first trading of rice futures in Osaka fetched 40% premium over the exchange-suggested contract price.



If this number is correct, the harvest season in Japan will be indeed "chaos".



From the tweet of Ryuichi Kino, who has attended and reported on almost all TEPCO/government press conferences regarding the Fukushima accident since March, reporting on the TEPCO/government joint press conference on August 8:

【東電会見】ドイツZDFがきてる。作付けしている田んぼの土壌が35000Bq/kgだった。徹底したチェックはしないのか？。細野さん、なが〜く周囲の人に確認した後で、牛肉で抜けがあったので再確認してチェック。育っている稲もチェックすると。



Germany's ZDF Television is here. Said 35,000 becquerels/kg [of radioactive cesium, most likely] has been found in the soil of a rice paddy planted with rice, and asked if the government does any thorough check. Hosono [minister in charge of the nuclear accident] consulted with his staff for a very long time, and said they will confirm the number. He said the government will check the rice as they grow in the rice paddies.

The transfer factor from the soil to rice is considered to be about 0.1. 35,000 becquerels/kg in soil may result in 3,500 becquerels/kg of harvested rice, 7 times the provisional safety limit which is already far too loose for the staple like rice.



I've found the video clip for this part. It's the rice paddy in Fukushima City. Fukushima City was OUTSIDE the evacuation zone of any kind, so the soil was apparently never tested by the prefectural government. The reporter asks the question in English, with a Japanese interpreter.

Japanese people who watched the video or knew about it from Kino's tweets are thanking ZDF for having shown up and asked questions at the press conference. It's been a very long time any foreign media showed any interest in these conferences given by TEPCO/government on Fukushima I Nuke Plant and radiation contamination.

I hope more foreign media (not their Japanese bureaus) will come and ask hard questions.

35,000 becquerels/kg of cesium in soil would translate into 2,275,000 becquerels/square meter (35,000 x 65), which is way above the forced evacuation criterion in the Chernobyl accident (1,480,000 becquerels/square meter).

More about → #Radioactive Rice to Come? Rice Growing in a Rice Paddy with 35,000 Becquerels/kg of Radioactive Cesium?

Rice Futures Market Reopens in Japan in 72 Years: Limit Up in Tokyo on 1st Day Because of Radiation Scare

Japan is the birthplace of the candlestick chart analysis that the market technicians worldwide use. The candlestick patterns were first devised in Japan and used for rice futures trading in Osaka in the 18th century Japan, or so the legends say.



The rice futures trading was stopped during the World War II as the government rationed the rice supply, and the government control of distribution of rice continued after the war until 2004.



Now that the rice market is more or less "free" (the government is still heavily involved in growing the rice), Japan decided to re-open the rice futures market for the first time in 72 years, and Monday August 8 was the first day of trading. The rice futures started trading on the Tokyo Grain Exchange and the Kansai Commodities Exchange, but trading was almost immediately halted at the Tokyo Grains Exchange as traders bid too high, and the limit up circuit breaker was triggered.

Japan's rice futures market is the one and only market in the world that deals exclusively with short-grain rice.



From the photo (from Yomiuri; Kansai Commodity Exchange), it looks like the pit trading, not the electronic one. Like good old days 300 years ago. Or it could be just an enactment of good old days.



From Yomiuri Shinbun (1:27PM JST 8/8/2011):

７２年ぶりのコメ先物取引が８日、東京穀物商品取引所（東穀）と関西商品取引所で始まった。



The rice futures started trading on August 8 for the first time in 72 years at the Tokyo Grain Exchange and the Kansai Commodity Exchange.



　東穀では、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故の影響などで、コメの価格が上昇するとの観測から買いが集まり、午後１時現在で取引が成立しない状況となっている。東穀の関係者は、「放射能汚染によるコメの供給不安が、関係者に思った以上に広がっているようだ」と指摘している。



At the Tokyo Grain Exchange, buyers bid up the price of rice futures with the expectation that the price of rice will rise due to the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident. As of 1PM, no transaction has been settled. The officials at the Exchange say, "The supply concern due to radiation contamination is more wide-spread among traders than we thought."



　東穀では、４～６か月ものの関東産コシヒカリの取引を午前９時から始めたが、基準価格としていた６０キロ・グラムあたり１万３５００円より大幅に高い価格での買い注文が相次いだ。東穀はこの日の値幅制限を６００円としており、取引が一時中断されるなどして、価格が付かない状況となっている。



The Tokyo Grain Exchange started the trade of 4 to 6-month futures on "Koshihikari" rice grown in the Kanto region, but the buy orders vastly in excess of the equilibrium contract price of 13,500 yen per 60 kilograms flooded the market. The Exchange has set the limit on price movement at 600 yen, but the trading has been temporarily suspended as it triggered a circuit breaker . No transaction has yet to be settled.

According to Nikkei Shinbun, traders on the Tokyo Grain Exchange thought the equilibrium contract price indicated by the Exchange was too low, and they bid as high as 18,500 yen/60 kilograms, 5,000 yen above the contract price.



On the Kansai Commodities Exchange, the futures contract on "Koshihikari" grown in the Hokuriku region (considered better quality than Kanto's) settled at 19,210 yen for 2011 January delivery, according to Nikkei.



In the physical rice market, the old rice from last year is fetching a huge premium for the same reason - radiation contamination scare. People are afraid that this year's crop may be contaminated with radioactive cesium and a host of other nuclides that the government hasn't tested. I had told my friends and family members to buy old rice before it was news, and this time they listened.

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#Radioactive Rice: Chiba, Tochigi Prefectures to Test New Crop for Radiation

But just like in beef, the testing will be done by sampling. We know how that ended, in case of radioactive beef.

Or more like in vegetables, where they test one crop from one plot in one farm in one municipality, and if that passes the test, all farms in that municipality are good to ship.

The harvest season in Chiba is about to start, in early August.

Expect the triumphant declaration of safety by the governors, followed by ....

NHK World English (8/1/2011) reports:

The Chiba and Tochigi prefectural governments say they will test the rice harvested in their prefectures for radiation.

The decision comes after radioactive cesium was detected in rice straw, vegetables and compost following the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Farmers in Chiba and Tochigi planted rice seedlings in their fields after the accident and are voicing concerns over possible contamination due to fallout from the Fukushima plant.

Officials in Chiba, where harvesting is expected to begin as early as August, say they will sample unmilled rice from one to several farms in each rice-growing municipality to measure radiation levels.

They say they will not allow any farms in a municipality to ship their rice unless the tests show that the radiation readings of samples from the area are within the safety limit set by the central government.

Tochigi authorities plan to have each area submit a sample for testing. They say they will also purchase 2 special devices to detect radioactive cesium, although they are still discussing the details of the testing method with the government.

In Tochigi, rice harvesting will start in early September.

The 2 prefectures are the first in Japan to announce that they will test rice for radioactive cesium.

I am also a little worried about the rice currently in the market. It was harvested last fall, and is kept unmilled in warehouses until it's ready to be sold in the retail market. Remember the radioactive shiitake mushrooms that were grown indoors? The source of radioactive cesium in those mushrooms hasn't been identified, as far as I know. I sure hope it is not "air".

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High Level of Plutonium Rumored to Have Been Detected in Rice Paddies 50 Kilomters from Fukushima I Nuke Plant

An old "baseless rumor" (back in May) that no MSM mentioned (not even to refute it), although bloggers cited the passage. But as the rice grows in the rice paddies in Kanto and Tohoku and more and more cows are found radioactive because what they ate was highly radioactive (rice hay), it may be worth keeping it in mind, just in case.

As far as I've checked, the report has never been "proven", but never been "disproven" either.

Also, keep in mind the warning of Professor Toshiso Kosako, that there will be "a chaos" in the fall harvest season.

From the report that appeared on Japan Business Press on May 14 (the report was from their free subscription part of the site, written by Satoshi Kawashima, the former editor of Nikkei Business and the founder of Japan Business Press):

また、ある食品メーカーが独自に調査した結果では、福島第一原発から50キロ以上離れた水田の土から、政府が発表している数値よりケタ違いに高い放射線が検出されたという。

According to the private survey by a food company, an extremely high level of radiation, order of magnitude higher than what the government has been reporting, has been detected in the soil in the rice paddy more than 50 kilometers away from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

この食品メーカーによると、現時点でその結果を公表するのは影響が大きすぎるため発表は控えているとのことだが、その田んぼの土からは高い濃度のプルトニウムも検出されたそうだ。

The food company says it is withholding the information for now because it may cause panic, but it says the survey has also found a high level of plutonium in the same rice paddy soil.

There has been no follow-up to this report. Back in May, almost all tweets on the subject in Japan were from people who outright dismissed the report as "baseless rumor" and criticized Japan Business Press for fear-mongering. "There's no way plutonium can travel outside the Fukushima plant!" was one typical tweet. (Never mind it did.) "They are manufacturing the story" was another.

Ah. Trust your government.

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