Over the last 10 days the Japanese government and TEPCO have changed their information policies. They inundate the media with information for the purpose of cloaking the important info.
Their admittance that pastures 60 kilometers north of Fukushima far outside the exclusion zone are contaminated with 1530 Bequerel while the legal limit for cows is 300 cloaks the fact that cows are not the only inhabitants of Japan. The way the news are presented gives the impression that only milk production is affected.
I’ve put together a few selected news releases from NHK out of hundreds:
Radioactive substances detected in tea leaves
Radioactive contamination has been found in tea leaves in Chiba and Gunma prefectures, about 200 kilometers from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Similar contamination has been found over a wide area around Tokyo including Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama and Shizuoka prefectures.
Chiba authorities say up to 763 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium were detected in tea leaves picked on Tuesday in Narita and 3 other cities.
The provisional state limit is 500 becquerels per kilogram.
The Chiba government on Wednesday requested tea growers in the 4 cities to voluntarily halt shipments, and asked dealers not to sell the tea produced in the areas.
But 2 tea growers in Narita City reportedly shipped their tea leaves, and dealers sold some processed tea to local consumers.
Radioactive materials in tea leaves exceeding the legal limit was earlier detected in other areas in the prefecture.
In Gunma Prefecture, 780 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium were detected in tea leaves picked on Tuesday in Shibukawa City.
The Gunma government on Wednesday asked farm cooperatives to halt shipment of tea leaves.
This is the first tea contamination case reported in Gunma Prefecture.
Thursday, May 26, 2011 07:45 +0900 (JST)
Note: while cows still have a limit of 300 Bequerel for grass, humans now have a “provisional limit of 500”. The distance is 200 kilometers. In directions from Fukushima where no outfall at all is claimed so far. Readings of 783 mean that the entire area is unfit for human inhabitation – unless cesium decides to settle on tea leaves only.
Radiation limits activities in school fields
More than 90 percent of elementary and junior high schools in Fukushima City disallow or limit outdoor activities for students in their athletic fields due to radiation-contaminated topsoil.
In Fukushima Prefecture at the grounds of some elementary and junior high schools in April radiation levels exceeded the government limit of 3.8 microsieverts per hour.
The level dropped to below the limit at all of the schools last week.
But NHK research has found that 69 out of 72 public elementary and junior high schools in the area were disallowing or limiting outdoor activities in the athletic fields as of Thursday.
The schools say that they cannot judge whether radiation levels are safe enough even though they have dropped. They also refer to the request by parents that students not be allowed to play outside.
These schools let students use gyms or play cards during the breaks.
Fukushima City is planning to start removing the contaminated topsoil at some schools as early as this month. But schools are still worried about radiation as the troubled nuclear plant remains unstable.
Friday, May 20, 2011 02:27 +0900 (JST)
Note: is radioactivity selective – schoolgrounds only? People seem to think that their gardens and entire environment are safe.
Trace of radioactive materials detected in Osaka
Traces of radioactive material blown far from the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have been detected in the western Japanese city of Osaka.
Osaka’s Institute of Public Health announced on Thursday that tiny amounts of cesium-134 and cesium-137 were found in samples collected from its rooftop between April 1st and May 2nd.
The institute has collected rain and dust samples for its monthly analysis for radiation.
It says it was the first-ever detection of cesium-134, and that levels of cesium-137 were 100 times higher than usual, concluding that the materials probably come from the Fukushima plant.
The institute says that a year’s exposure to those levels of radiation would be less than one 10-thousandth the amount found occurring naturally, and has no impact on human health.
Thursday, May 19, 2011 19:13 +0900 (JST)
Note: a new form of mathematics – 100 times higher = one 10-thousandth of natural background radiation. Take a look on the map, beyond Osaka is what?
What part of Japan is left for human habitation, for the raising of livestock and growing of crops?
And we are at the beginning only, radiation accumulates and reactor 1 to 3 have melted down. Outfall continues to rise and the entire northern globe gets its share.
Please read on below and send me those “count me in” emails.