Volume 9 | Issue 25 | Number 1 | Article ID 3549 | Jul 02, 2011

The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus

Protecting Children Against Radiation: Japanese Citizens Take
Radiation Protection into Their Own Hands 放射線被ばくから子どもを守るために •Japanese text available
Satoko Oka Norimatsu, SAY-Peace ProjectProtecting Children Against
Radiation: Japanese Citizens Take
Radiation Protection into Their Own
Hands
Say-Peace ProjectIntroduction (with Japanese translation) by
Norimatsu Satoko
Printable versions of this article areavailable: [PDF] [Google Docs]

Page 14 of the Japanese government's
guide for Fukushima educators andparents, which explains how anxiety (overradiation) can trigger stress reactions in
the brain, causing various physicalailments.

Robert Alvarez, a former senior policy adviser
at the U.S. Department of Energy said in a
Democracy Now! interview on June 10, “Thenuclear industry, particularly in the UnitedStates, and elsewhere—Russia and Japan—has
had a very long history of withholding
information and misleading the public about
the hazards of their activities.” Being no
exception to Alvarez’s generalization, theJapanese government, since the mutiple
meltdowns and explosions at the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant in mid-March, has
withheld or controlled information about healthrisks of radiation, expected dispersion of1
radioactive materials, and their actual
contamination measurements in areas
surrounding Fukushima Daiichi. 2 Instead ofproviding candid information to the public, thegovernment started campaigns in the opposite
direction—to lull the public into worrying lessabout radiation and its health risks.

For example, the Ministry of Health, Labourand Welfare’s pamphlet for pregnant womenand mothers, 3 of which three million copies
were distributed to preschools, nurseries andclinics across the country, emphasizes that
food, water, and breast milk are all safe within
the government’s provisional standards. It is a“Don’t Worry” pamphlet with little concrete
information to support their safety claims orabout how to minimize radiation risks for
infants, children and pregnant women. The
Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT)4 also
produced a guide for teachers and parents inFukushima, which stressed that “weak”
radiation doses such as 250 mSv(millisieverts)
over a number of years will have no healtheffects, 5 and increased cancer risk was not1

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

Internet and social media to exchange
information and organize networks. Francis
Boyle, an international law professor at the
University of Illinois and a nuclear policy
specialist, urged people in Japan “to protect
themselves from their own government andfrom the nuclear industry.” 8 Despite thegovernment’s and the mainstream media’s
massive campaigns to promote the idea thatthe affected areas are safe and to encourage
consumption of produce from those areas,
people are finally starting to take safety into
their own hands, where it belongs. This ispartly because more and more “hot spots,” or,irregularly-formed highly contaminated areas,
are being discovered, not only in relatively
populated areas within Fukushima Prefecturesuch as the cities of Fukushima and Koriyama,
but also throughout the Kanto region, including
Tokyo, with forty million people, one third of
the nation’s population. People can no longer
regard the nuclear crisis as being restricted to
Fukushima and its people only.

recognized with cumulative doses of under 100
mSv, while the existing exposure limit forordinary people is 1 mSv/year, and that for
6
nuclear workers is 20mSv in Japan. Yet
nuclear workers have been recognized ashaving radiation-caused sickness at an
exposure level averaging as low as 5.7
mSv/year.7 Again, the entire guide emphasized“Don’t worry too much,” including a large
section to describing the negative
psychological effects of worrying about
radiation.

Parents’ groups, being formed everywhere,9 are
conducting their own independent radiation
measurements and demanding that their cities
do more to protect residents, especiallychildren, who are more susceptible toradiation. In Fukushima, a university
professors’ group,10 town mayors,11 and evenprefectural assembly members have raised
doubts over the credibility of the government’s
official radiation guidelines. They aredemanding dismissal of Yamashita Shun-ichi,
the prefecture’s “expert radiation adviser,” whohas been teaching seminars and appearing
frequently in the media to convince people in
Fukushima not to worry and to stay where they
are.12A “Hot spot” map: Cesium 137
contamination in Fukushima andprefectures to the south (Ibaraki, partsof Tochigi, Chiba, Saitama) based on
measurements by the University ofTsukuba. (Map from Chunichi Shimbun)
These attempts by the government to downplay
radiation effects have been successful. Even in
Fukushima, life seems to go on as usual. Most
people are not wearing masks, and children are
at play on dusty playgrounds. But the tide ischanging now, as more revelations are madeabout the government’s and the electriccompany’s failure to disclose information in atimely manner, and as more people use the

One such citizen-initiated effort is “ProtectingChildren from Radiation Exposure” by SAYPeace, a Tokyo-based NGO, among the firstcomprehensive guides of its sort,13 published inlate May and immediately revised in June. We
at The Asia-Pacific Journal have felt the need2

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JFfor such a citizen-initiated radiation guide
being made available in English, especially now
that the Western media’s interest has declined,
and much of the latest information about
contamination and radiation risks are not as
readily accessible in languages other thanJapanese. The struggle continues between thegovernment, which wants to hide informationand minimize radiation fears in order to evade
responsibility and to minimize economic losses,
and citizens, who want to know and share thetruth in order to minimize radiation risks forthemselves, their children and theircommunities, by creating, using, and spreading
tools like this radiation protection guide.
The original Japanese version of the guide isdownloadable here.

Protecting Children from Radiation
Exposure
Produced by the SAY-Peace Project
The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
power plant that occurred after the Great East
Japan Earthquake on March 11 has released
large amounts of highly radioactive material
into the air, sea, and soil, and it continues toaffect our lives. Young children are particularly
susceptible to the effects of radiation. In orderto protect children from exposure to radiation,
pregnant women and parents of small children
are required to exercise caution in their daily
lives and to act on the basis of accurate
information.

Editorial Supervision by Dr. Matsui Eisuke,
Gifu Environmental Medicine ResearchInstituteTranslation by John Junkerman

Introduction: Our Basic StanceThe government has made announcements
such as “There is no immediate danger tohealth” and “We have established safe
standards.” But there has been little effort to
explain the mechanisms of radiation exposure(in particular, the internal exposure frombreathing, eating, or drinking contaminatedmatter), and no attention has been paid to thedanger of delayed effects that may appear in 10
3

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JFor 20 years.
Many specialists in radiation medicine havepointed out that the standards for exposurethat the government has set cannot be
considered “absolutely safe.” Nonetheless, apamphlet published on April 1 by the Ministryof Health, Labor, and Welfare assured pregnant
women and the mothers of small children that“there is no need to worry,” without providing
any scientific basis for the claim. This is theheight of irresponsibility. (The photo at theright is the cover of the pamphlet.)There are still many things we do not know
about the physical effects of radiation, but thislack of understanding should not lead us torelax. Rather, it is important to maintain thisstance: since we do not know, we should
exercise the utmost caution, and avoid
exposure to radiation to the furthest extent
possible.

“Half-life” refers to the time it takes for aradioactive substance to lose half of its original
strength. For example, the half-life of
iodine-131 is eight days, while cesium-137 has
a half-life of 30 years. It is often said thatradioactivity dissipates over time, but it isimportant to remember that a substanceretains half of its radioactive strength after its
half-life has passed; after another half-life, it
still retains one quarter of its original strength,
and so on. We must also remember that until
the Fukushima accident is fully under control,
the reactors will continue to discharge
radioactive substances into the environment.

We hope this pamphlet will be of use inprotecting children from exposure to radiation.
What is Radioactivity?
“Radioactivity” is the ability to emit radiation,and substances with that ability are called“radioactive substances.” Radiation takes theform of rays that are able to pass throughmatter. Through a process called “ionization,”they can damage the cells and DNA that makeup the human body, resulting in a variety ofphysical effects. One of the insidious features ofradiation is that it cannot be seen or smelled; it
is not perceptible to normal human senses.

What are the Effects of Radiation on the
Human Body?
When the physical effects of radiation are
discussed, it is common to hear the term
“threshold.” The threshold is the standard
value or permissible amount for the risk fromexposure to radiation, and it is often said thatbeing exposed to radiation below thresholdlevels has no effect on the human body.
However, it is not possible to assert that
exposure below the threshold is “safe” or that it“has no effect on one’s health.” No matter how
weak radiation is, it causes damage to humancells. Therefore, there is no such thing as a“safe level.” The more you are exposed toradiation, the greater the danger of damaging
4

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

one’s health.

Fetuses, babies, and young children are far
more susceptible to the effects of radiation
than adults. It has been estimated that babies
and infants are four times as vulnerable asadults in their 20s or 30s, so the risk of
exposure is much greater. This is because cell
division takes place much more vigorously insmall children, so cells that are damaged byradiation are reproduced before they can be
repaired.

In fact, a committee of the National Academiesof Science in the US issued a report in 2005
that concluded that there is no threshold: therisk of exposure exists in direct proportion to
the amount of exposure, beginning at low
levels. Minimal exposure represents a potential
danger to humans. Even the International
Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP),
which uses measurement techniques that
underestimate internal exposure and low-level
radiation exposure, supports this “linear nothreshold model” and acknowledges that dosesof radiation under the threshold of 100
millisieverts annually still increase the risk ofdeveloping cancer. In other words, it is now
accepted wisdom internationally that, even at
low levels, radiation affects the human body.

Based on data in J. W. Gofman, Radiation and
Human Health (Sierra Club Books, 1981).
“10,000 person-sieverts” means the collective
dose of 1,000,000 people exposed to 0.01
sievert of radiation in a year (also equivalent to
100,000 people being exposed to 0.1 sievert in ayear). “15,000” for age zero means the expected
number of deaths when 1,000,000 babies are
exposed to 0.01sievert (10 millisieverts) in ayear.

In Belarus, where the effects of the Chernobyl
nuclear accident were most severe, the rate ofthyroid cancer among children increased
rapidly 5 to 10 years after the accident. One
should not be reassured when the government
announces that “there is no immediate healthrisk.”As a consequence, the proper approach when
thinking about radiation is not to say, “It’s OK
to be exposed to this amount,” but rather, “Weshould exercise the utmost caution, and avoid
exposure to radiation to the furthest extent
possible.”
What are the Effects on Fetuses andBabies?

5

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

Commission on Radiological Protection ignores.
Pink + orange zones: Risk that the Japanese
governmnent and academic circles ignore.
Simply expressing radiation dose in sieverts is
insufficient, as we need to know which nuclides
are involved. Risk models are also affected byother variables, such as age, sex, genetic
makeup, immunity, and time period, so thestandard level is no more than an averaged-out,rough guideline. Matsui Eisuke, “Health Effects
on Children of Internal Radiation Exposure,”
Gekkan Hodanren, 6, No. 1067 (2011).

Radioactive substances that enter the body
accumulate in various organs and continue toemit radiation. The chemical composition of thesubstances determines how they are absorbedby the body’s organs and how long they remainin the body (biological half-life). Iodine-131
concentrates in the thyroid, where it causes
thyroid cancer. Cesium-137 is considereddangerous because it lodges throughout thebody, in the bones, liver, kidney, lungs, andmuscle tissue. Strontium-90 and plutonium-239
remain in the body for a long time, so once they
have entered the body, they continue to affectit over the course of many years.

Based on a lecture in Japan by M. Malko,“Assessment of Chernobyl Cancers in Belarus”(2003).

Why is “Internal Exposure” Dangerous?
Exposure to radioactive substances outside of
the body is referred to as “external exposure.”
On the other hand, when tiny particles ofradioactive substances are breathed into thelungs, or ingested through mother’s milk or
cow’s milk, water or food, the exposure to thisradiation is termed “internal exposure.”Internal exposure differs from the short-term
external exposure caused by X-rays and CT
scans, because the exposure is at a very close
distance and it continues over a long period oftime. This has led the European Committee on
Radiation Risk (ECRR) to conclude that even
low levels of radiation pose high risk.

This diagram depicts the inhalation of
plutonium, but the process is essentially thesame for other radioactive isotopes. Iodine
binds to thyroglobulin, the protein that forms
the base of the thyroid hormone, so it
concentrates in the thyroid and can cause

Pink zone: Risk that the International

6

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

thyroid cancer.

When the air and soil have been contaminated,the contamination first spreads to plants andagricultural products, and then to animals.
Through the food chain, the radiation is carried
from one animal to the next, until it reaches
human beings. In many cases, the radiation
becomes more concentrated through thisprocess. Even if the nuclear accident is brought
under control and radiation levels fall, highly
contaminated food products may continue toenter the market in the future because of thisprocess of biological concentration. It isestimated that iodine in the air becomes
concentrated up to ten million times in plants
and 620,000 times in milk. Cesium becomes
concentrated five times in mollusks, and twenty
times in other marine products.

The result of MEXT (Japanese Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology) and the US Department ofEnergy’s aerial monitoring (accumulation ofcesium-134 and cesium-137 within the 80
kilometer radius of the Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear power plant).

The Contamination Zone
“Hot spots” are areas where rain and snow
bring down radioactive substances from theclouds and where high concentrations of thesesubstances are then detected. This applies
particularly to the area downwind of a reactor;
in the case of the Chernobyl accident, areas
300 kilometers downwind of the plant were
contaminated. Because of this dispersal, it isnecessary to put into place detailed
countermeasures, utilizing the computer
system called SPEEDI (System for thePrediction of Environmental Emergency Dose
Information). Recently discovered “hot spots”
are in the cities of Fukushima, Koriyama,
Nihonmatsu, Date, and Iwaki.

In areas that are considered hot spots, nationaland regional governments must take measures
to evacuate people, particularly pregnant
women and young children. Government
authorities must take responsibility forproviding nursery schools, day care centers,
and other schools in areas that are freer fromcontamination.
In areas outside of these hot spots, it is often
suggested that parents need not be overly
concerned about allowing their children to playout of doors. However, in Tokyo’s Suginami
Ward, for example, the airborne radiation level
was 0.13 microsieverts/hour on April 20, but it
was as high as 6.39 microsieverts/hour on thesurface of the ground. In addition, radiationlevels rise during and after rainfall. In suchareas, children should avoid getting wet in therain. Since small children are especiallyvulnerable to radiation, great care should betaken; they should avoid going outside, andwhen they do, they should wear a facemask.

7

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

As for breast milk, we cannot simply generalizethat mothers should avoid breastfeeding,considering nutritional (immunity) and safety
benefits of breast milk, especially when babies
less than three-months old are concerned.
According to a survey by the Breast milk
Survey and Mother-Child Support Network,
there were cases in which no radioactivity was
detected in breast milk of mothers living in hot
spots, while radioactivity was detected inbreast milk of a mother in Mitaka, which is nota hot spot. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers
should avoid internal radiation as much as
possible, regardless of where they live. Also,
increased testing of breast milk must be donein order to take appropriate protection
measures.

Radiation in Tap Water and Breast Milk
The government insists that the water supply ismonitored to ensure its safety, but standards inJapan are dramatically higher than in othercountries. On March 17, the government raised
the standard for iodine-131 from 10 Bq/L
(becquerels per liter) to 300, and the standard
for cesium-137 from 10 Bq/L to 200. Further,under the Food Sanitation Law, the provisionalguideline for liquids given to infants is 100
Bq/L; this level “poses no health risk,” even to
infants under 1 year old.
However, standards for iodine-131 elsewhere in
the world range from the World HealthOrganization’s 10 Bq/L to German Technicaland Scientific Association for Gas and Water(DVGW)’s 0.5, with the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) maintaining a
guideline of 0.111. In other words, Japan’s
standard is 2,700 times higher than that of the
US EPA in the case of iodine-131.

Radiation in FoodFirst, since radioactive iodine is still being
detected, we must abstain from eating leafy
vegetables, herbs, and wild plants fromcontaminated areas. In particular, vegetables
with broad leaves (spinach, lettuce, etc.) carrya high risk because they have large surface
areas. The government is prohibiting theshipping of produce with radiation surpassing
the standards, but on April 26, for instance,
spinach produced in Chiba Prefecture wasshipped despite a government ban. Further, theFood Safety Commission has raised theprovisional standard for radioactive cesium invegetables from 370 Bq/kg (previously set by
the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare) to500 Bq/kg.

World Standards for Iodine-131 in Tap
Water (Bq/L)
Japan's
US
DVGW
Ukraine Belarus WHO Provisional
EPA (Germany)
Guideline

0.111 0.5

2

10

10

300
(200 forcesium-137)[100 forinfants]

In addition, there is the problem of inadequate
monitoring. The Bureau of Waterworks in theTokyo metropolitan government, for example,
publicly announced as “undetected” radiation
contamination at levels less than 20 Bq/L until
April 14. Until the government tightens safety
standards, pregnant women, nursing mothers,
and small children should use tap water only
for bathing and washing clothes and dishes, inareas surrounding Fukushima Daiichi plant
including the Kanto area. Avoid drinking tap
water as far as possible, to reduce the risk ofinternal exposure to radiation.

World Standards for Radiation in Food
IsotopeFood
Group
Baby food,drink

Milk, milkRadioactive
products
IodineMeat,eggs, fish,etc.

8

Ukraine Belarus US

Codex
Japan
Commission

100
100 (Total of
five nuclides:
300
170 Sr 90,
Ru106, I129,
I131, U236) 2000

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

individuals can take.

1000 (Totalof eight
200
nuclides:S35, Co60,
100
1200 Sr89, Ru103, 200
Cs134,
100 (40
Cs137,
for500
Ce144,
fruits)Ir192)

40 (food
Baby food,for small 37
drink
children)Radioactive Milk, milk
100
Cesiumproducts
40 (70Vegetables forfruits)

Air: This applies particularly to
areas that are contaminated hot
spots.
1. Remain indoors as far as
possible. Keep outside airfrom entering (It is difficult
not to use air conditioners,
fans, or to keep windows
closed in the summer time.
Some air conditioners allow
very little outside air tocome indoors. Please consult
with manufacturers).
2. When you go outdoors, wear
a facemask or cover yourmouth and nose with a
towel.
3. Wear a hat, do not expose
skin, and wear a jacket thatwill not collect dust.
4. Before entering the house,
with the facemask still on,
brush dust off your clothing.

Citing the uncertainty of the criteria for safety
testing and regulation, the German Society for
Radiation Protection recommends not giving
food or drink that contain more than 4 Bq/kg of
cesium-137 to infants, children, or young
people.
Again, even if the nuclear accident is brought
under control and radiation amounts return to
low levels, biological concentration may resultin highly contaminated food products still
entering the market after the passage of sometime. In order to prevent internal exposure toradiation, it is necessary to tighten the safety
standards, increase testing for radiation, andthoroughly enforce bans on shipping
contaminated produce. Of course, thegovernment and Tokyo Electric Power mustcompensate farmers and other producers forthe losses suffered by bans on the shipping ofcontaminated produce.

Even outside of hot spots, radiation
is highest during and after arainfall. In areas surrounding the
Fukushima Daiichi plant including
the Kanto area, avoid getting wet
in the rain. Avoid going out. Weara facemask.

Summary of Protection Measures
Here we summarize the protection measuresthat have been suggested. It is difficult even for
specialists to agree on such measures, andthese steps will not necessarily ensure one’s
safety. Rather, they are no more than someareas where we can exercise caution in ourdaily lives. In giving first priority to safety,
evacuation measures taken by the national andlocal governments are an indispensable
element of prevention, to protect the lives ofchildren. Evacuation must be seen as a right,
with the government bearing the burden ofmoving expenses and employment measures,
rather than something that is the responsibilityof the individual.

Breastfeeding: We cannot simply
generalize that mothers should
avoid breastfeeding, considering
nutritional (immunity) and safety
benefits of breast milk, especiallywhen babies less than threemonths old are concerned.
Regardlessofwhetherbreastfeeding mothers live in hot
spots or not, it is necessary tominimize internal radiation
exposure and to increase theBelow is a list of temporary measures that9

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

testing of mother’s milk in order todevelop appropriate protection
measures.

assign the highest priority to safety, then
exercising utmost caution and adopting thestrongest preventive measures is not out ofline. It is the obvious thing to do.

Tap water: Until the government
tightens safety standards,
pregnant women, nursing mothers,
and small children should use tap
water only for bathing and washingclothes and dishes. It should not be
used for mixing formula. Avoid
drinking tap water as far as
possible.

But it is also true that there are limits to thepreventive measures that individuals can adopt.
No matter what you do, if there are radioactive
materials present, you will be exposed. The
best possible route is to remove oneself as far
as possible. Those who can evacuate should do
so. It is very dangerous for those people inhighly contaminated areas of Fukushima toremain there. Policies and measures forevacuation should be implemented to thefurthest extent possible.

Food: For the time being, abstain
from eating leafy vegetables,
herbs, and wild plants fromcontaminated areas. Also avoid
milk, meat, and fish, which can behighly contaminated due tobioaccumulation. It is necessary
for municipalities and schools tothoroughly disclose where foodcomes from, and increasing thetesting of radioactivity in food isurgently required.

It is best not to worry over radiation in
isolation. There are many people living close by
who share your concerns. It is important to talkwith these people, to make connections, and toprovide mutual support.
The nuclear accident and the scheduled power
outages that followed have caused us to think agreat deal about our own lives and the
problems of electricity and energy. If we didn’t
have nuclear power plants, we wouldn’t have to
be concerned like this about the risks ofradiation.

In Conclusion
Since March 11, many people have found it
difficult to relax in their normal lives, out ofconcern for earthquakes and the nuclear
accident. At the same time, we are told
repeatedly, “There is no need for excessive
worry, which is actually bad for your health.”
Or, “There is absolutely no problem with foodon the market.” Or, “Misinformation andrumors are causing harm.” Some of us may feelthat we are the only ones who are worried, orthat those around us think that we are being
alarmist.

Japan is beginning to reconsider its nuclear
energy policy. The Hamaoka nuclear power
plant in Shizuoka, which is at risk of causing acatastrophic radiation disaster if the predicted
Tokai earthquake occurs, has already stopped
operation. The time has come to think about
how society could function without relying on
nuclear energy.
What is the SAY-Peace Project?

However, it is only natural to be concerned.
With radiation, it is not possible to say, “You’ll
be fine as long as you limit your exposure to
this level.” We do not understand with any
certainty the physical effects of radiation. If we10

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

Centre, a peace-education centre in Vancouver,
Canada, and Director of Vancouver Save Article
9. She leads youth and community members inpromoting and learning about Article 9,historical reconciliation in Asia,
Hiroshima/Nagasaki and nuclear disarmament,
and issues surrounding U.S. military bases in
Okinawa.
John Junkerman is an American documentary
filmmaker and Asia-Pacific Journal associate,living in Tokyo. His most recent film, Japan’s
Peace Constitution, won the Kinema Jumpo andJapan PEN Club best documentary awards. It isavailable in North America from First Run
Icarus Films.

SAY-Peace Project is a non-profit organization
run by young people in their teens and 20s,
who have come together under the slogan"Solidarity among the Asian Youth for Peace."
We provide a space for young people to learn
about, think, and act for peace. We engage in avariety of activities with the aim of bringing
about peace, from Asia, through dialogues
about disarmament and history.

For updates on the Fukshima nuclear crisis in
English, see Green Action’s blog Fukushima
Update, and follow Twitter accounts@FukushimaEng, @nonuke_jp (both inEnglish), and @PeacePhilosophy (Japanese andEnglish).

Contact information:
SAY-Peace Project
Coop Matsuo #103, Daizawa 5-7-8, Setagayaku, Tokyo 157-0032
Tel/Fax
03-4413-3929
E-mail:mail@saypeace.org Home page: SayPeace.org.

Recommended Citation: Say-Peace, ProtectingChildren Against Radiation: Japanese Citizens
Take Radiation Protection into Their Own
Hands, The Asia-Pacific Journal, Volume 9,
Issue 25, No. 1, June 20, 2011.

Dr. Matsui Eisuke, editorial supervisor
Born 1938. Director, Gifu Environmental
Medicine Research Institute. Previously taught
radiology at Gifu University School of Medicine.
Japanese Respiratory Society certified
specialist. A special member of the Japan Lung
Cancer Society and the Japan Society for
Respiratory Endoscopy. One of the few
specialists in Japan to address the problem ofinternal exposure to radiation. Matsui has been
involved for many years with class-action suits
over the certification of atomic-bomb victims,
and has also written extensively on the healtheffects of asbestos. His latest book is Mienai
kyôfu: Hôshasen naibu hibaku (Invisible Terror:
Internal Exposure to Radiation) (Junpôsha,2011).

Related articles• Peter Karamoskos, Fukushima Burning:
Anatomy of a Nuclear Disaster• Gavan McCormack, Hubris Punished: Japanas a Nuclear State• APJ Editors, Alternatives to the IAEA:
Greenpeace and Japanese Municipalities
Measure Radiation• Norimatsu Satoko, Worldwide Responses to
20 Millisieverts Controversy

NORIMATSU Satoko, an Asia-Pacific Journal
coordinator, is Director of the Peace Philosophy
119 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

• APJ Editors, 20 Millisieverts for Children
and Kosako Toshiso’s Resignationor highly contaminated areas outside thedesignated evacuation areas, to the eyes of thegeneral public. The cesium 134 and 137
disposition maps on both websites used blue
and light blue to colour the areas withcontamination levels of more or less than
300,000 Bq/m2, making “hot spots” widelydispersed over densely populated areas such as
the cities of Date, Fukushima , and Koriyama
indistinguishable.
Links: [MEXT] [DoE]

See other articles on Fukushima in the
What's Hot section on Asia-Pacific Journal:
Japan Focus.

1

The Japanese government has the advanced
SPEEDI (Realtime radiation data collected via
the System for Prediction of Environment
Emergency Dose Information) simulation
system, which allows them to calculate andestimate radioactive dispersion and radiation
exposure in a matter of minutes. The first
disclosure of any SPEEDI data by thegovernment was on March 23, twelve days
after the quake/tsunami, and the governmenthas been criticized for only disclosing parts ofthe thousands of calculation results belately,and not using the system for evacuating people
quickly enough. The SPEEDI data disclosed isavailable in these two links: [MEXT] [NSC].

3

Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare,“Ninshin chû no kata, chiisana okosan o motsu
okasan no hôshasen e no goshinpai ni okotae
shimasu” (We will respond to the questions
about radiation of pregnant women andmothers with small children).”
4

MEXT is a short for the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
5

MEXT, “Hôshanô o tadashiku rikai suru tameni” (To understand radiation correctly), April
20, 2011.
6

The exposure limit for workers who handle
radiation in Japan is the total of 100 mSv over
five years, not exceeding 50 mSv in any one
year, so the averaged per year allowable doseis 20 mSv. From the website of Department ofRadiation Protection, Japan Atomic Energy
Agency.

The Japanese government also has failed tohave their weather authorities inform thepublic about predicted wind directions.
Weather forecasts in the Japanese media
predict vigorously how pollen fly and whencherry blossoms bloom across the nation, butnever talk about radiation from Fukushima
Daiichi. Many of those who have access to theInternet rely on radiation dispersion
predictions provided by weather authorities inother countries, such as Germany, the UK, andAustria.

7

Shimabashi Nobuyuki, who worked at the
Hamaoka nuclear power plant, died in 1991
from leukemia. He had a total exposure of
50.65 mSv over 8 years and 10 months, fromMarch 1981 to December 1989. His illness wasrecognized as work-related. See No.5 in the listof confirmed cases of workers’radiation
illnesses recognized as work-related.

2

The US Department of Energy (DoE) andJapan’s MEXT conducted aerial measuring ofground level dose rate and cesium disposition
within a 100km radius of Fukushima Daiichi.
Although the results have been disclosed bothon the DoE and MEXT websites, they werehardly explained in the government’s press
conferences and media. This is perhaps
because these results would reveal “hot spots,”

8

Francis Boyle, “Genshiryoku sangyô ‘jindô notsumi,’” Ehime Shimbun, March 23, 2011.
9

See Mariko Sanchanta and Mitsuru Obe,
“Moms Turn Activists in Japanese Crisis,” Wall12

9 | 25 | 1

APJ | JF

Street Journal, June 17, 2011.

regret over having organized a seminar by
Yamashita Shun-ichi, after Yamashita told
citizens just to listen to the government without
providing scientific grounds for evacuation
guidelines.

10

Twelve associate professors at Fukushima
University submitted a letter of request to
Fukushima Governor Sato Yuhei on June 6,
asking for clarification of the process inchoosing Yamashita Shun-ichi as a leader oflong-term epidemiological study of Fukushimaresidents and for re-selection of experts whotake internal radiation into account andconsider risks of low dose radiation from a
preventative standpoint.
11

12“‘Fukushima genpatsu no risuku o keishi
shiteiru’ – ‘Anzen setsu’ Yamashita kyôju nik
ainin yôkyû shomei,” J-CAST News, June 14,
2011.
13

Also notable is graphic novelist Nishioka
Yuka’s manga “Hôshanô te nani? (What Is
Radiation?),” May 2011.

Nihonmatsu Mayor Miho Keiichi expressed13