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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Japanese Government Equates Fukushima Disaster to Chernobyl

    The explosion at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986 set the standard as the worst accident in the history of nuclear power. Today, the government of Japan officially upgraded the Fukushima-Daiichi disaster to equal Chernobyl, giving it 7 on a scale of 7.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    The explosion at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986 set the standard as the worst accident in the history of nuclear power. Today, the government of Japan officially upgraded the Fukushima-Daiichi disaster to equal Chernobyl, giving it 7 on a scale of 7. But comparison of the two accidents involves not just the amount of radiation released but the way the disasters have developed over time. Geoff Brumfiel, senior reporter with Nature magazine, has been covering the nuclear accident in Japan.

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    Amid Stiff Budget Cuts, the Pentagon Gets a Raise
    1. 0:00Details of Budget Cuts Revealed
    2. 7:31Is the Pentagon Worth the Money?
    3. 45:31Japanese Government Equates Fukushima Disaster to ChernobylYou’re reading this
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Geoff Brumfiel

      Nature

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    Amid Stiff Budget Cuts, the Pentagon Gets a Raise
    1. 0:00Details of Budget Cuts Revealed
    2. 7:31Is the Pentagon Worth the Money?
    3. 45:31Japanese Government Equates Fukushima Disaster to ChernobylYou’re reading this
    Back to To the Point