Japan moves in on Fukushima

"Discarding the current, impromptu response, we will set up our basic policies for a fundamental resolution of the contaminated water problem," so spoke Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan.  He described Tepco's approach as "haphazard".  One of his ministers described Tepco as playing "whack-a-mole". 

Abe's plan is to freeze the soil around the stricken reactors to form an impenetrable wall they hope will direct groundwater away from the plant. The government hopes this ice wall will be operational by March 2015.  The cost will be about $500,000,000.  

The United States will escape with a very mild dosing of cesium-137 from ocean currents coming from Japan.  These currents will not reach us until next year and will peak in 2016.