logo

banner

Updates on Radiation Levels across Japan

It has been over a year since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and steady progress is made in rebuilding the nation as a whole. JRA continues to closely monitor radiation levels across Japan following the Fukushima nuclear incident based on information provided by the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT).

Compared with data from before the nuclear incident, the radiation dose in air measured since the incident showed normal levels across Japan except in areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Although a slight increase in Miyagi and Ibaraki has been recorded, the levels remain to be within the normal range recorded in other prefectures before the incident.

Given that no significant increase of radiation levels were observed throughout eight months since the incident, that no additional significant radioactive releases from the damaged reactors occurred, and that the radiation levels outside the areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant continued to be within normal background levels, MEXT has narrowed the area of airborne radiation monitoring survey to approximately 80km from the nuclear plant in November 2011; and further narrowed the area to approximately 30km in February 2012. Recent data reported in March 2012 confirmed normal radiation levels outside eastern Fukushima, which are lower than the normal radiation levels in many major world cities.

Based on available data reported by MEXT, it is reasonable to conclude that areas outside eastern Fukushima prefecture is safe in terms of radiation levels and that there is no cause for concern. JRA will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary.



The 4th Airborne Radiation Monitoring Survey in Japan

The Airborne Radiation Monitoring Survey in Eastern Fukushima

Radiation Levels in Eastern Japan

Radiation Levels in World Cities

References:

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan. (2012). Reading of environmental radioactivity level by prefecture: March 2012. Retrieved from
http://radioactivity.mext.go.jp/old/en/monitoring_by_prefecture/2012/03/index.html

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan. (2011, December 16). Result of the Fourth Airborne Monitoring Survey by MEXT. Retrieved from
http://radioactivity.mext.go.jp/old/en/1270/2011/12/1270_1216.pdf

Health Canada (2011). Health Canada’s Radiation Monitoring Data. Retrieved from
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/ed-ud/respond/nuclea/data-donnees-eng.php#ddrl_sept2011

Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire. (n.d). Portail de la mesure de la radioactivité dans l'environnement. Retrieved September 8, 2011, from
http://sws.irsn.fr/sws/mesure/index

Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China. (2011). Department of Nuclear Safety Management. Retrieved September 8, 2011, from
http://haq.mep.gov.cn/gzdt/

Buchanan, J. (2011, May 31). New York City Live Radioactivity monitoring online – Real Geiger Counter. Retrieved from
http://digistar.com/boston/

Hong Kong Observatory. (n.d.). Ambient Gamma Radiation level in Hong Kong (Updated hourly). Retrieved March 31, 2012, from
http://www.hko.gov.hk/radiation/ermp/rmn/applet/map/rmn_hourly_e.htm

National Environment Agency. (2011, March 18). Update On Natural Background Radiation in Singapore. Retrieved from
http://app2.nea.gov.sg/news_detail_2011.aspx?news_sid=20110318190986230276

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. (n.d.). Measuring radiation. Retrieved from
http://www.ansto.gov.au/nuclear_information/about_nuclear_science/measuring_radiation

Health Protection Agency. (n.d.). Dose comparisons for ionising radiation. Retrieved from
http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiation/UnderstandingRadiationTopics/DoseComparisonsForIonisingRadiation/