nuclear-news

Japan stopping Greenpeace from monitoring seawater radiation

Greenpeace says Japan restricting its radiation , Straits Times, 29 April 11, TOKYO – GREENPEACE said on Thursday Japan had blocked it from testing seawater and marine life for radiation from a stricken nuclear plant in territorial waters that extend 20km offshore.

Its Rainbow Warrior flagship had arrived in Tokyo, ready to start the monitoring further to the northeast, but the environmental activist group was denied permission for testing in the waters close to shore.

‘It is critical that Greenpeace is allowed to test marine life and conduct monitoring in the coastal areas most at risk from sea water contamination from the Fukushima plant,’ said Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan executive director.

‘This is about providing independent and transparent information that will help people to protect both their health and livelihoods.’ Since the March 11 quake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Greenpeace has carried out monitoring on land outside the 30km evacuation zone and urged the government to move away more people who are living nearby.

‘We need to extend our research into the marine environment Japan relies upon so heavily to feed itself,’ said Ike Teuling, a Greenpeace radiation expert aboard the Rainbow Warrior, according to a statement. It has been almost two months since this crisis began, and there is still not enough information in the public domain, or enough safety measures in place to protect the health of the population,’ Teuling said. – AFP  http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_662323.htm

April 29, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | - Fukushima 2011