Japanese People disagree over Radiation Limit for their Children

Parents rallied today in Tokyo against the revised nuclear safety standards in schools. They say they are putting the children’s safety at risk.

Japanese People disagree over Radiation Limit for their Children

Japanese children are now allowed to be exposed to 20 times the radiation that was permissible before the March 11 tsunami caused a catastrophe at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

There were 400 protesters went to the education and science ministry to demand a rethink on the new limit, which allow exposure of up to 20 millisieverts a year. Many of the protesters were from areas around the stricken plant. A group of Fukushima residents sent a letter demanding the education ministry to lower the radiation levels at schools and offer financial support. Protest organisers said the radiation limit for playgrounds was about six times as much as the 0.6 microsievert-per-hour legal maximum under which under-18s are allowed to work.

Ministers defended the increase of the safety level as a necessary measure to assure the education of the children in Fukushima prefecture.

Science minister Yoshiaki Takaki had earlier told a parliamentary session: "We are always thinking that we should never underestimate the risk of radiation.” "Efforts have to be made in order to avoid radiation as much as possible," he said.

But the demonstrators were not placated. "This is enough. I'm really furious to see the government has no intention of protecting its people," said Ruiko Muto, 57, who had journeyed from Miharu town, about 45 kilometres from the crippled plant. "We are making the demand in order to protect children, as Fukushima's education authorities are following the guidelines and saying outside activities can be safe."

The nuclear crisis still remains unresolved and thousands of people are unable to return to their homes, farms and businesses in a 20-kilometer zone around the radiation-spewing plant.

Yomiuri daily newspaper reported today that more than 20 elementary and junior schools within 30 kilometers have been forced to close since the accident which 5000 pupils were affected.

Posted by M.Ferrer on Tuesday May 24 2011, 1:03 AM EST. Ref: Herald Sun. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0