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Radiation exposure to US sailors far greater than Japan estimated

text-radiationUS sailors exposed to Fukushima radiation levels beyond Japan’s estimates Aljazeera 17 March 14, Crew members of the USS Ronald Reagan’s March 2011 Fukushima relief mission encountered radiation levels that far exceeded the Japanese government’s estimates, according to a report in the Asia-Pacific Journal.

The revelations contained in the report could have a bearing on the lawsuit against Tokyo Electric Power Company by more than 70 U.S. service members who say they suffer from long-term health effects from their participation in the U.S. navy’s response to the nuclear disaster. 

Kyle Cleveland, a Temple University professor based in Japan, obtained documents showing military officials aboard the carrier detected radiation levels that were 30 times greater than normal and significantly greater than what the Japanese government told them to expect.

Navy officials have maintained that the radiation levels service members were exposed to during Operation Tomodachi were not enough to cause health effects.

Below is a selection from a telephone conversation among federal government and embassy officials, nuclear authorities and military staff in the Pacific Command about the crisis that Cleveland obtained through the Freedom of Information Act:……..

  1. Cleveland’s report also sheds light on political considerations that prevented the U.S. military and other government agencies from more directly challenging TEPCO’s assessments of the disaster……….
    1. Despite concerns that TEPCO was misleading the public about the seriousness of the situation in Fukushima, the U.S. government actively pressured TEPCO to remain at the site rather than having the U.S. military take the technical lead……..
    2. Participants in the lawsuit have experienced a variety of severe ailments in the three years since the operation, including cancers, tumors, chronic headaches and internal bleeding. One servicewoman involved in the suit alleges that the radiation she was exposed to on the USS Ronald Reagan caused her child to be born with multiple birth defects seven months after her participation in the disaster relief efforts. http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/the-stream/the-stream-officialblog/2014/3/17/us-sailors-exposedtofukushimaradiationlevelsbeyondjapansestimate.html

March 18, 2014 - Posted by | Legal, USA

1 Comment »

  1. […] Radiation exposure to US sailors far greater than Japan estimated […]

    Unknown's avatar Pingback by Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Wednesday, March 19 | | March 19, 2014 | Reply


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