I have had many queries from both Japanese and foreigners about what is going on in Japan after the recent earthquake. There is a lot of misinformation particularly regarding the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, so I have collected some URLs that give reliable information and latest news updates.
The project is part of my personal initiative to help in the recovery of Japan and is titled “Recover Japan.” I am taking a break from introducing tourist sites on the Toyoko Inn Site to focus on presenting information on the earthquake that is correct, reliable, but also positive. If you have any positive or encouraging stories or valuable information that you would like to have included, please send it to me.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This is press release at press conference by Professor Yamashita at Tokyo
Foreigners Correspondents Club which a Japense friend of mine attended
today.
Prof Yamashita is currently the Radiation Health Risk Management advisor
at
Fukushima overlooking the area's medical facilities for radiation
exposure.
About the initial evacuation
During the first week, it was unfortunate that the quick succession of
unpredicted events had made it difficult for everyone to share
information. I first became aware of the seriousness of the situation
when the government issued an evacuation warning that didn't follow the
usual standards. Normally people living within 10km of the site would be
to evacuated in the case of an emergency. People would first be asked to
stay indoors, and then be given the order to evacuate if the radiation
levels wouldn't drop. In the current case, people living within 20km were
evacuated, and then people living within 30km were told to stay indoors.
It doesn't make sense that people who had been evacuated to a safer area
should be asked to stay indoors.
The series of troubles at the reactor were unprecedented. Radiation
continues to come out at an on-again, off-again basis. The type of
radiation coming out varies, so do the amounts. We need to continue
monitoring the area and find out whether the 30km indoor evacuation order
is necessary.
The effects of radioactive material as compared to the Chernobyl disaster
Radioactive material has spread across a number of places. In a way
though, radioactive materials emit what's called a tracer, which is very
easily detected and measured. The amounts that have been recorded so far
will not have an effect on people's health. If the extent of the
Chernobyl nuclear disaster could be represented by Mount Pinatubo's
eruption in the Philippines, the incident at Fukushima would be
represented by the Mount Unzen or Shinmoedake volcanic eruption. In
either case, there's a risk of getting burns or something more life
threatening from the volcanic ash or lava, but moving away from the area
lowers these chances. The only difference between the two is that Mt
Pinatubo's effect spread across the entire world, whereas Mt Unzen or
Shinmoedake only affected a small area.
Radioactive material coming out of Fukushima Daiichi is like ash spewing
out of an erupting volcano. Moving away 20km will significantly lower its
effects. The amount of radioactive material that has been released up to
now is getting smaller and smaller as is the area over which it is being
spread. A person who gets radioactive material on their skin can easily
wash it off. It's wrong to say that even a trace of exposure would be
dangerous.
Currently, the chances of getting cancer are not rising
Human bodies already contain about 1000 to 5000Bq of radioactive
potassium. Taking a radon bath will obviously result in your body
absorbing radon too. As long as the amount of these radioactive materials
are small (10 ? 500 ? Sv) then in there shouldn't be a problem over a
relatively short period of time.
Right now iodine-131 levels in spinach and milk have gone over the
standard limits, but it's safe to eat it once or twice. The other thing is
iodine-131 has a half-life of eight days so its effects will wear off
quickly.
Being exposed to 100mSv of radiation at once could raise the chances of
getting cancer, but if the levels can be kept below 50mSv it should be all
right. Radiation exposures considered safe for the nuclear power plant
workers has been set to a total of 50mSv per year, and this is secure.
People seem to be worried that radiation exposure will lead to cancer
later on in life. But if we exposed 100 people to a 100mSv dose of
radiation, only one or two people would have a chance of getting cancer
(one in three Japanese people die from cancer). Thus, it's unlikely more
people will get cancer as a result of these events.
No need to worry about radiation exposure for general public
In the area between 10km-20km from the nuclear plant, who are already
evacuated, might have been exposed to about lmSv of radiation. However,
there is no difference between several micro-SV and 100 mSV in terms of
their effect in causing cancer.
It should also be noted that the effect of radiation of exposure, 100
times of lmSv and 100mSv at a time, is very different. The people we
should be worry about with regard to radiation exposure are those working
at the site of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. We need to think how
to secure their health. Otherwise people do not need to worry about
radiation exposure.
It is argued that the effect of low-level radiation exposure on health
conditions cannot be demonstrated. However, "no evidence of no effect"
does not necessarily mean we should worry about the effect. It is
understandable that people fear the radiation exposure because it is
invisible, but radiation can be measured in scientific ways. That is, we
have a means to prevent harm from radiation. We should not get in panic.
I would ask you to behave in a rational manner as a member of the society.
What's next
Radiation has spread across a wide area so it would be a problem if food
is contaminated through the food chain and then sold at markets. We need
to collect data about what areas have been contaminated in what ways, and
be open with sharing this data. Using this information will help us to
calculate radiation levels absorbed into our body within a year, and if
the total annual intake is anywhere between a few tens of mSv to 100mSv,
then regulations need to be put in place. I do think this will toughen
Japan's already strict food safety standards, but we need to pay
particular attention to the prevention of negative rumours from spreading.
Given the scale of the impact of this earthquake and its consequent
tragedies, I argue that people in this nation should be prepared to help
relieve the burden the people of Fukushima now face. It is now that we
need to follow the example of the Japanese way and carry on in harmonious
and calm way as our ancestors have through history.
URL of Toyoko inn
http://www.toyoko-inn.com/
Peter MacMillan
http://peter-macmillan.com
