Japan Press Weekly

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2013 January 23 - 29 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

JCP Kasai blames gov’t for shoddy decontamination work

On January 25 at a House of Representatives Environment Committee meeting, Japanese Communist Party representative Kasai Akira criticized the government’s shoddy radiation decontamination procedures in Fukushima Prefecture.

Kasai reported that when he visited Fukushima to look into this matter, he heard about many sloppy procedures including one in which workers washed machines used for decontamination in a river.

The JCP lawmaker condemned the government for neglecting exercising close supervision over decontamination projects after contracting out the work to general construction contractors.

Environment Minister Ishihara Nobuteru replied, “I regret having to disappoint Fukushima residents. I’ll make efforts to regain their trust.”

Kasai also cited the fact that a special allowance from the Environment Ministry to workers engaged in public decontamination work is siphoned off in the multi-layered sub-contracting structure, and that front-line workers are not informed of their radiation exposure levels.

He urged the government to investigate workers’ actual situation and correct inappropriate practices if found.

The minister said, “We will take proper measures if improper practices are spreading.”


Related past article
> Half of workers at Fukushima plant left without receiving hazardous duty pay [December 21, 2012]