Fukushima Daiichi plant - radiation spread; faked records; progress on power; pressure in #3.

Radiation spread:

Forbes (from AP) reports that Taiwan has discovered small (far below safe levels) amounts of radiation contamination on a small shipment of fava beans from the Kagoshima Prefecture on Kyushu; suspects it was contaminated en route, not at the source in Kagoshima -- though it should be worrying, since Kagoshima is on the far southern end of Kyushu, over 700mi / 1100km from Fukushima.

Kyodo News is reporting that radioactive iodine is spreading downwind: 1300 megaBecquerels per square kilometer (MBq) in Tochigi (77mi / 125km south-southwest from Fukushima); 230 MBq in Gunma ( 125mi / 202 km southwest); 175 MBq in Yamanashi (178mi / 287km southwest); 64 MBq in Saitama (129mi / 208km south-southwest); 51 MBq in Tokyo (135mi / 217km south-southwest); and 21 MBq in Chiba (132mi / 212km), while officials consider a ban on exports and consumption of food from affected areas.

Plotted with data from NIH - Physical decay of radiation of Iodine-131

AFP describes the risks of the various radioactive elements, including the low risks of current readings in Japan.

Fake records:

AsiaOne via AFP has a story on a TEPCO report (issued 10 days before the earthquake) to Japanese nuclear regulators, where it found in an investigation that its Fukushima plant had been falsifying inspection and testing records of its equipment for years.

Progress on power:

Sunday was supposed to be the day TEPCO workers hooked up power to reactors #1 and #2, and right now, TEPCO is reporting partial power at reactor #2. Reactors #5 and #6 are hooked up to power and temperatures are now being normalized.

Pressure on #3:

Pressure inside of the containment vessel of reactor #3 had built up rapidly, and TEPCO was considering venting radioactive gases to prevent an explosion. Less than three hours later, TEPCO decided against venting radioactive gases, as the pressure stabilized even though it remained elevated. Instead, they will focus on spraying water once again, on reactor #3.

Also:

Daiichi plant to be decomissioned; expected quake death toll exceeds 20,000; many manufacturers shifting production away from Sendai, Fukushima and affected areas; people continue to be rescued from the rubble, including a grandmother with her grandson and a former comfort lady turned anti-war activist.