Food safety in Japan: Random sampling results and a trip to the supermarket

Food Safety in Japan: Post-Fukushima

Useful Japanese for shopping
(国産 "kokusan": domestic)
(原産国[名] - gensankuni[mei]: country of origin)
(原材料名 - genzairyoumei: ingredient list)

In this video I examine the published results of Japan's random food testing and visit a grocery store to examine food labeling and discuss staying safe in Japan.

The food situation in Japan is becoming more and more threatening to everyone's health. Radioactive contamination from the triple melt-down and subsequent explosions of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have contaminated a large swatch of agricultural land. The Japanese government's response was to raise the "safety" limit of allowable contamination in food more than 3x higher than the limit in the Ukrane (the home of Chernobyl.)

The government and industry have taken the firm position that if contamination in food is under the limit then it is "safe" and is sold without any special markings.

Additionally Strontium, Uranium, and other horrifically poisonous radionuclides are NOT being tested for. Only Cesium 134, 137, and Iodine 131 are being checked. The government has ignorantly and arrogantly claimed that heavier radionuclides wouldn't fly far from Fukushima. However, private tests seven months after the disaster have revealed radioactive Strontium 90 250km. away from Fukushima Daichi in Yokohama (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20111013a3.html)

The reality is continuing to deteriorate despite the government and media's reassurances of the progress made at the plant.

Links:
My video "Becquerels and Japan's changing safety limits":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc6FPIK1VaY

Japan's radiation information portal site (Japanese only)
http://atmc.jp




Daily food random testing results (Japanese only)
http://www.maff.go.jp/noutiku_eikyo/mhlw3.html

Sept 27, 2011 results featured in this video:
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r9852000001pqs7-att/2r9852000001pqw0.pdf

Sept 28, 2011 results features in this video:
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r9852000001py9u-att/2r9852000001pydl.pdf

Oct 8, 2011 results featured in this video:
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r9852000001r1k4-att/2r9852000001r1nv.pdf

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Japan
• Fukushima
• Daiichi
• nuclear
• radiation
• food
• safety
• contamination
• Cesium
• Iodine
• Becquerel
• Plutonium
• Yokohama
• Strontium
• cancer
• 福島第一
• 原発事故
• セシウム
• ベカレル
• Tokyo
• 東京
• 横浜
• food labeling

[HaggisMacfee]

If we're talking about caesium contamination in food,

(and I think caesium has a short half life) how long before

food items i.e. vegetables, tea, meat, etc. become 'safe'

to eat.....by European or American standards,

Are we talking about a year, 2 years, or more?

Or are there other radiocative contaminants other

than caesium which could keep food contaminated

for decades?

[AluminumStudios]

@HaggisMacfee There are two isotopes of Cesium:CS134 with a half life of 2 yrs, and CS137 with a half-life of 30 yrs.You typically need 10 half-lives for something to decay away to what is considered trace levels, so it will be 300 years until the Cesium is gone. In 30 years there will be 1/2 left, in 60 years 1/4, in 90 years 1/8. Waiting for levels to drop will exceed human lifespans. The uranium and other elements the gov. isn't testing for will be around for thousands of yrs.

[akathetruthteller]

Hi, thank you for your video. I am wondering what do you think about noodles coming from Gifu prefecture? I am a huge soba noodles fan, but i become kind of scared about food imported from japan ever since the disaster...

[AluminumStudios]

@akathetruthteller Given what Japan is expecting it's own people to eat and how radiation has been in everything from rice to beef to baby formula, my advice to everyone is to completely avoid Japanese food unless you live here and don't have a choice. The companies and government not remotely testing thoroughly nor being very honest. They NEVER test for strontium for example. Who radiation will strike with cancer in the future and who it won't is random. Don't gamble.

[chasingsunbunnies]

Your video is quite enlightening and honest, I've been looking for something like this for a while now; thank you for sharing. I have a question, though, as a college student thinking of studying abroad in Kyouto. Would you recommend such an endeavor? And do you also, as someone living in Japan, have concerns for your own health? Ground radiation doesn't seem to be a threat anymore (checking maps), but one can't escape eating the food of the country, where fish and meat are concerned.

[AluminumStudios]

@chasingsunbunnies Feel free to send me a message if you want to discuss this since comment space is are limited.But basically I AM afraid for my health because there is SO much contamination in a wide variety of food. Also, Osaka just agreed to burn radioactive tsunami debris as did Tokyo and other areas, so there is a serious threat of increasing airborne contamination all over Japan. I don't recommend anyone come here and those without roots here should consider leaving.

[AluminumStudios]

@stephentsang2000 Because life isn't that easy and there are people in my life who I am willing to take risks for.

[AluminumStudios]

@upsidedownfuji Yeah, I can't understand how or why it's like this, but NO ONE will talk about it and I even get eyes rolled at me and such from other foreigners for mentioning it or commenting if I avoid a particular food. If I believed in conspiracy stuff at all I'd be tempted to say say there are mind-control drugs in the water. Feel free to send me a message via youtube if you want to talk about it further.

[alidlid]

Actually in USA a lot of fruits are contaminated with 5-10 pesticides at least. :( no suprising

[akathetruthteller]

@marinabluesea

thanks man,i am not going to name a company, but there is a US company that imports 100% buckwheat soba from gifu japan, i want to buy them so bad but i guess i won't thanks to you suggestion. not just that, also those wild yam soba from japan that i can't buy....

[marinabluesea]

@akathetruthteller (Reply 2) Soba flour (buckwheat flour) is used to make Soba noodles. Buckwheat itself is cultivated in various places throughout Japan. there is no guarantee that the Soba made in Gifu used buckwheat grown in nearby prefectures. You would have to contact the soba manufacturer to find out.

[marinabluesea]

@akathetruthteller (Reply 1) Look at the map of Japan and find out where Gifu is. It is in central Japan next to Nagano Prefecture. I would say it is safe to eat food from there. However, there were vegetables in Nagano prefecture that were contaminated to some degree. At this moment, I would only eat products that were made in the Kyushu area, some parts of Shikoku, Kagoshima, and Okinawa. However, you also have to think of where the ingredients come from. (continues)

[is2pot1]

hey thanks for posting this video. Im going to tokyo on 8th for travel. may i ask you is it safe for me to go ? and if i get there wat stuff shouldnt i do? can i take shower or wash my face like seriously.. im am concerning...

[IbarakiStyle]

Thank you for this video!

[HaggisMacfee]

It's tragic that the Japanese government

is not protecting its people. A more responsible

government would immediately ban produce

from any region contaminated by radiation until

levels drop to a "safe" level (which will probably

take years and ensure farmers are compensated and

given financial aid to start new businesses elsewhere.

And most imortant, the Japanese government should

start importing food including fresh produce from

around the world, as we do in Europe.

[JewelDreamzKat]

Very informative video. Thankyou from Canada. Well done.