This is not 'overhyping'. It seems actually it is just the opposite. I am going to do you a favor and tell you anybody on the long side of the Nikkei is probably going to get their ass handed to them. Seriously.
As has been pointed out in the most authoritative studies of the Chernobyl disaster one of the worst heath effects has been anxiety, fear and depression, where those who received some radiation dose, no matter how small, vastly over estimate any possible harm that may come to them. It seems this is a situation that you relish and would like to perpetuate. As far as we can tell, in Japan radiation exposure of the public thus far has been very small. That may or may not change but Chernobyl type event certainly has not happened so far and may very well not happen. The fact is that any dose that is less than a small multiple of the annual average natural background dose is highly unlikely to produce any adverse health effects. So far the only quantified report I have read is of a plant worker who received just over 100 mSv. While this is starting to get into the uncomfortable range it is still well below what is required to cause Acute Radiation Syndrome. If you have any hard quantified evidence of other exposure, then I would very much like to see it.
False Radiation Rumors Run Rampant "There is no doubt that what is happening at the Fukushima Nuclear plant in Japan is alarming. Iâve even seen reliable reports that one of the containment vessels may have been damaged in an explosion early Tuesday Japan time. Unfortunately, some people are taking advantage of most peopleâs lack of any rudimentary knowledge about nuclear power to spread fear." http://blogs.agu.org/wildwildscience/2011/03/15/false-radiation-rumors-run-rampant/
I agree with C. If and when the looming nuke disaster is confirmed averted, the Nikkei will rally hard. Then, JPY should fall against the dollar. Disagree with A. Any trader worth their salt can spot a trend when it happens.
B) It´s not about meltdowns. It´s about radiation. Do you want to contact somebody flying in from Japan contaminated and give him / her a hug? What do you think: why is the USS Reagan been loacted away from the downwinds of Fukushima and ordered to leave the area?
Lol,,,,,I am looking at the reports coming in. They are trying to figure out how to deal with this and have no answer or plan as of yet. So the situation is clearly dangerous. Check the news, there are multiple reports of radiation leakage and exposure.
A meltdown would, be preferable to an explosive rupture of the containment structure, I would think. Though the latter seems unlikely, this is a good test of the engineering design of the containment dome. There have been meltdowns in the US. The EBR-1 melted down in Idaho, for example. The molten core may sink into the ground, become diluted by molten rock, and spontaneously expand until the mass of fissionable material is no longer critical. In any case, much should be learned from this incident that will make nuclear energy even safer in the future. "Well that's a real dipsy doodle." -- Ronald Reagan -- 1982
Think TSA is going to do radiation scans of all travelers who have visited Japan after March 1, 2011. If they scan positive quarantine them and place them on our do not fly list? Looks like the Taliban now have access to 140,000 radioactive kamikazee's.
To the experts in this thread, is it more of a risk with the radiation leaking into the ocean? With a land locked plant the contamination area is fairly defined but right on the ocean, is that worse?