Small amounts of plutonium, believed to have escaped from Japan’s
tsunami-crippled nuclear plant, have been detected in soil more than
40km away, say government researchers.
The finding, which will fuel widespread fears about radiation risks, came as authorities lifted evacuation advisories on towns near the Fukushima Daiichi power station in the north-east prefecture of Fukushima, saying radiation readings showed they were safe for residents.
Government officials played down the health implications of the discovery of the first traces of plutonium from Fukushima Daiichi to be found outside the plant’s immediate environs, saying clean-up efforts should still concentrate
The finding, which will fuel widespread fears about radiation risks, came as authorities lifted evacuation advisories on towns near the Fukushima Daiichi power station in the north-east prefecture of Fukushima, saying radiation readings showed they were safe for residents.
Government officials played down the health implications of the discovery of the first traces of plutonium from Fukushima Daiichi to be found outside the plant’s immediate environs, saying clean-up efforts should still concentrate
on the far greater amounts of radioactive caesium contaminating the area.
The
plutonium was found at six sites, all of which are subject to
evacuation orders. Plutonium’s long half-life and the potential for
even small amounts to pose a health hazard if ingested are likely to
make it a focus of popular concern.Japanese authorities, which significantly underestimated radiation releases from the plant in the early days of the crisis, have struggled to convince the public they are able to guard against the threat to health from radiation.
Fierce debate among experts over the point at which radiation becomes dangerous enough to warrant evacuation is adding to the government’s difficulty in coming up with a coherent
policy.
The
failure of Fukushima Daiichi’s cooling systems, which prompted the
world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years, has thrown Japan’s atomic
energy sector into doubt.Yoshihiko Noda, Japan’s prime minister, reiterated on Friday that it would be “difficult” to build reactors in the country. Mr Noda has said he aims to restart nuclear plants currently closed for maintenance or repair once their safety can be assured, but their future is uncertain.
Kyodo news agency quoted the science ministry as saying on Friday that it would postpone a trial run of a troubled fast breeder reactor in Fukui prefecture because of public fears.
The
Monju prototype reactor, which burns plutonium refined from the
spent fuel of conventional reactors, was shut down in 1995 after a
coolant leak. Efforts to restart it have been repeatedly delayed.
Seiji Maehara, an influential member of the ruling Democratic party who is now its policy chief, told the Financial Times in July that the 280MW plant should be scrapped.
The government’s failure to ensure that the Fukushima Daiichi plant was protected against a tsunami has undermined claims that reactors elsewhere are safe, a problem exacerbated by revelations that even regulators used underhand methods to counter anti-nuclear critics.
An independent panel set up to investigate the backstage manipulation of public seminars and
Seiji Maehara, an influential member of the ruling Democratic party who is now its policy chief, told the Financial Times in July that the 280MW plant should be scrapped.
The government’s failure to ensure that the Fukushima Daiichi plant was protected against a tsunami has undermined claims that reactors elsewhere are safe, a problem exacerbated by revelations that even regulators used underhand methods to counter anti-nuclear critics.
An independent panel set up to investigate the backstage manipulation of public seminars and
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