Japan Press Weekly

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2011 June 15 - 21 [TOKYO]

Tokyo to measure radiation doses at 100 locations

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on June 15 began measuring the radiation level at five centimeters and at one meter above the ground at 100 locations in response to public approval of the radiation monitoring results publicized on the Internet by the Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly members’ group.

The JCP group voluntarily measured radiation levels at one meter above the ground at 128 locations throughout the entire area of Tokyo, excluding mountainous areas, from May 6 to May 25.

Meanwhile, the monitoring the metropolitan office had conducted was at a height of 18 meters above the ground and this at only one location, causing public discontent.

Illustrating the monitoring results with the use of a “radiation hotspot map” on its website, the JCP group demanded that the metropolitan authorities increase the number of monitoring sites.

All the mayors of Tokyo’s 23 wards are also urging the Tokyo governor to request the national government to install more monitoring posts, establish safety standards for schools, and publicize the daily radiation levels.

Knowing that children are particularly vulnerable to radiation, 33-year-old Hirose Yumi asked the metropolitan office many times to check the radiation levels in Kita Ward. An official, however, kept telling her to visit Tokyo’s website showing the official measurements at 18 meters above ground in Shinjuku Ward. “The JCP assembly group’s information was just what I was looking for,” said Hirose.

Ishikawa Tomoko, 43, who lives in Bunkyo Ward said, “I didn’t feel at ease only knowing the radiation level in Shinjuku Ward. I had no idea what to believe because each radiation specialist was saying different things.” She said she finally found the “radiation hotspot map” on the JCP site and said, “Now, we need information on countermeasures.”