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STORY: VIENNA / JAPAN NUCLEAR AMANO WRAP
TRT: 3:13
SOURCE: IAEA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGAUGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 MARCH 2011, VIENNA, AUSTRIA / FILE
RECENT – VIENNA, AUSTRIA
1. Wide shot, exterior IAEA headquarters
14 MARCH 2011, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
2. Med shot, cameraman
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Yukiya Amano, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency:
“This is not an accident by design or by human error. This is an accident caused by natural disaster that is unprecedented. And also the fact that we had this accident due to the tremendous national power does not change the fact we need the stable source of energy and we need to mitigate the negative impact of climate change.”
4. Cutaway, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Yukiya Amano, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency:
“After the nuclear power plant accident like this, we have to do three things: shutdown, contain and cool down. In this case, automatic shutdown was done as perceived. And the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere is limited, the amount is limited. But the Japanese operators have some problem in cooling down the reactors. And this is the main problem.
6. Cutaway, journalist
7. Wide shot, IAEA technical meeting
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Yukiya Amano, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency:
“My homeland has been struck by a tragedy of cataclysmic proportions. This has been one of the greatest natural disasters of modern times, the full extent of which is still becoming clear.”
9. Cutaway, audience
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Yukiya Amano, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency:
“The entire island of Honshu has been shifted 2-1/2 metres. The nuclear plants have been shaken, flooded and cut off from electricity. Operators have suffered personal tragedies. In the face of all of this, I pay tribute to their efforts to stabilize the reactors. The reactor vessels have held and radioactive release is limited.”
11. Cutaway, audience
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Yukiya Amano, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency:
“In situations such as this, it is extremely important that the general public, both in Japan and internationally, is kept fully and accurately informed about the situation. The Agency will continue to work around the clock to put out validated facts and to explain how the plants operate and what safety procedures are in place.”
13. Cutaway, audience
14. Med shot, IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) team
15. Close-up, screen shot of action taken by the IEC team in chronological order
16. Med shot, IEC team analysing information and coordinating emergency response
17. Close-up, member of IEC team validating information
18. Close-up, IEC Member examining reactor information
19. Med shot, Members of International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC) assessing information about Japan earthquake
20. Close-up, screen at ISSC showing the area affected by Japan earthquake
Head of the United Nations (UN) nuclear watchdog said that the nuclear power plant explosion in Japan is “not an accident by design or by human error” but “an accident caused by natural disaster that is unprecedented.”
Addressing the press today (14 Mar) in Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Director-General Yukiya Amano added that the accident “does not change the fact we need the stable source of energy and we need to mitigate the negative impact of climate change.”
Earlier today, Japanese authorities had reported to the IAEA that Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 has experienced decreasing coolant levels in the reactor core. Officials have begun to inject sea water into the reactor to maintain cooling of the reactor core.
The accident was caused by the twin natural disasters that struck Japan last Friday (11 Mar). Soon after the earthquake and tsunami struck, the Japanese Government ordered the evacuation of residents living within 10 kilometres of the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant and within 20 kilometres of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Amano confirmed that the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere due to the accident is “limited” adding that the “Japanese operators have some problem in cooling down the reactors.”
Since Friday, the IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) and Department of Nuclear Safety and Security (DNSS) have been working around clock to assist the Japanese Government. Recently, the Government had asked the Agency to provide expert missions.
Staff at the IEC is in close contact with their Japanese counterparts to monitor the situation, and the IAEA is ready to offer technical support in such areas as radiation surveys, environmental sampling and medical support.
Prior to the press conference, Amano held a technical briefing on the situation where he said “my homeland has been struck by a tragedy of cataclysmic proportions" adding that the full extent of Japan’s twin disaster “is still becoming clear."
Amano also spoke with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan to discuss the latest developments. He told Ban there should be minimal health consequences as a result of the release of radioactivity from the reactors so far.
Amano pointed out at the technical meeting that “it is extremely important that the general public, both in Japan and internationally, is kept fully and accurately informed about the situation” adding that IAEA will continue to put out “validated facts and to explain how the plants operate and what safety procedures are in place.”
A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has arrived in Japan today to support the Government in its emergency response operations. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested UNDAC assist the response effort by disseminating accurate and timely information to the international community on the emergency and ongoing Government response.
