Radioactive condition report from Tokyo

Overview

For those who are residents or visitors in Japan, or concerning for your families and friends in japan this website provides with the latest information and tips against exposure and contamination.

Please let us know if anything is missing or wrong so we will revise the contents for your better reference.

Life

Contamination of radioactive substance has been spread in northern-east Japan, especially in Fukushima, Iwate, Tochigi and greater Tokyo area which is 200km away from Fukushima. Higher level of radiation (*1) is detected in many places called “Hot spots” around in Tokyo.

As of summer 2011 no need to be too nervous for daily life in Tokyo or upper northern area unless you stay too long in hot spot without notice like outdoor camping overnight. Air is clean since leak of large amount of radioactive substance is over.

Children under teenage are more sensitive to radiation therefore you should help them to protect themselves. At least a year or two, Wearing masks is an option for children outdoor in dry windy condition not to breathe in radioactive dust.

People in the middle or western japan are not affected by this matter so nothing special for daily activities except food.

Food

It is difficult to find radioactive-free food until producers of meat, veggies and groceries get to know the way to minimize the radioactive substance from their products. Pay attention to the label on the package in super market and select the ones from western japan. In particular, be careful with meat, fish and rice you eat more portion than veggies. Wheat is relatively safe as most is imported.

For eating out you can reduce the risk by eating various menu in different restaurants. Junk gourmet such as McDonalds is radioactive free as they provide Aussie beaf and Chinese/Thai chicken. But their products contain too much grease and chemical stuff ;)

Urine test of exposure

Riken Analysis Centre (Yamagata)

JPY12,000 - 26,000 (Urine/Mothers milk)

Portion: 500 - 2000ml

Analyzing radioactive iodine and cesium detected by germanium semiconductor machine

Detecting level: 0.5 - 0.05 Bq/kg or above

*1 Hot spot is generally 0.5 micro Sv/h or higher level of radiation. Before the accident of fukushima nuke plant the average of radiation in the air was in range 0.03-0.07 micro Sv/h. 0.12 micro Sv/h reaches 1milli Sv/y which is the limit of Japanese standard and 0.3 micro Sv/h hit 2.4 milli Sv/y as the global limit.

Please let me know what else you are interested in most recent radiactive situation in eastern Japan. Also it would be appreciated if you find something is wrong in this website as I am not a specialist of radiation. tsoesoe@hotmail.com