Couple leaves radioactive mystery in wake of suicide

[kristopher]

Source: Mainichi Daily News

NIIGATA Japan -- Mystery was mixed with tragedy here on Nov. 29 with the discovery of a couple who had hanged themselves as well as a can holding radioactive materials in the husband's car.

The wife and husband, both in their 60s, were found hanged to death by a passer-by in a local forest at around 9:30 a.m. Police found what appears to be a will in the husband's car, along with a large can containing sand and seven small bottles of the radioactive element thorium. The will also made references to thorium.

According to sources close to the investigation into the deaths, the husband is a former employee at the prefecture's radiation monitoring center....

Read more: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111130p2a00m0na006000c.html

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Niigata is due west of Fukushima on the other side of a range of mountains.
Thorium is a mildy radioactive element that nuclear proponents claim (against the evidence) will solve all the problems associated with using nuclear fission to produce energy. Those problems are cost, safety, waste, and proliferation. While the "thorium fuel cycle" is better in some areas than the "uranium fuel cycle", it is worse in other areas and on balance is an inferior choice.


The forested area where the couple's bodies were discovered on Nov. 29. (Mainichi)

[MADem]

1. Wow, that's odd! nt

[firehorse]

2. I guess they'd rather check out now together than grow old with the consequences of radiation

[truedelphi]

4. People in Japan are being told that holding positive thoughts can protect them

Against radiation. (I'd like to put such officials into a raging fire and tell them their thoughts can protect them!)

This man worked with radiation - he knows better.

So it is not too mysterious why they choose to check out now rather than die a devastatingly miserable and prolonged death.

Though the bottles of radioactive material are mysterious.

[Gore1FL]

8. I prefer Duck and Cover

I have a hard time maintaining positive thoughts.

[DeSwiss]

3. K&R

Hmmmm, a new http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aokigahara#Visitors_and_suicides">Aokigahara?

[leftyohiolib]

5. what strangely constructed article

hanged themselves as well as a can holding radioactive materials in the husband's car.
this makes it sound like in the car was a can on the end of the rope along with the two people, both of whom were on the end of a rope.

"were found hanged to death by a passer-by in a local forest " did the passer-by do the hanging or not

and it's a good thing they said hanged to death cause we might think they're still alive on the end of the rope
weird structure

[kristopher]

6. Perhaps you should write a letter to point that out.

But since the Japanese author is such a klutz with English, be sure you write it in Japanese.

[leftyohiolib]

9. i dont think i will but youre free to

[firehorse]

7. maybe it was translated? the title is awkward too

[leftyohiolib]

10. imsure that's what happened and it made for some strange statements but

pointing that out is a sensitive issue for some here. wasnt trying to insult.