Radioactive contamination has been found in tea leaves in Chiba and Gunma prefectures,

Radioactive contamination has been found in tea leaves in Chiba and Gunma prefectures, about 200 kilometers from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Similar contamination has been found over a wide area around Tokyo including Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama and Shizuoka prefectures.

Chiba authorities say up to 763 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium were detected in tea leaves picked on Tuesday in Narita and 3 other cities.

The provisional state limit is 500 becquerels per kilogram.

The Chiba government on Wednesday requested tea growers in the 4 cities to voluntarily halt shipments, and asked dealers not to sell the tea produced in the areas.

But 2 tea growers in Narita City reportedly shipped their tea leaves, and dealers sold some processed tea to local consumers.

Radioactive materials in tea leaves exceeding the legal limit was earlier detected in other areas in the prefecture.

In Gunma Prefecture, 780 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium were detected in tea leaves picked on Tuesday in Shibukawa City.

The Gunma government on Wednesday asked farm cooperatives to halt shipment of tea leaves.

This is the first tea contamination case reported in Gunma Prefecture

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/26_06.html

Japan sets up independent panel probing Fukushima crisis

Originally published here http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/05/92946.html  

The Cabinet approved a plan Tuesday to create a third-party expert panel to investigate the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Yotaro Hatamura, a veteran researcher on human errors, will head the panel which has power to access accident-related documents and question people concerned including officials of the plant operator, Cabinet members and bureaucrats, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told a news conference.

Hatamura, 70, an emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo, and the other members, mostly academics, plan to compile a mid-term report on the matters in December and a final report will be due by summer 2012, government officials said.

Very useful information about radiation level

Find below some very useful information. Information in Japanese.

1.Radiation

Radiation level for all prefectures in Japan,  Unit = μGy/h

http://atmc.jp/

 

Radiation level in the Tokyo running water supply, Unit = Bq/kg

http://atmc.jp/water_tokyo/

 

Radiation level in the running water supply for all prefectures, Unit = Bq/kg

http://atmc.jp/water/

 

Radiation level in the rain for all prefectures, Unit = Bq/kg

Only when it rains, the value will be up.

http://atmc.jp/ame/

compiled list of fishery products which were inspected for radioactive materials

http://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/e/inspection/pdf/110517_data_en.pdf

This is a compiled list of fishery products which were inspected for radioactive materials by the prefectural governments posted in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website as of May 17, 2011.