Fukushima schoolchildren's radiation exposure estimated at half of upper limit

[NNN0LHI]

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110513p2a00m0na016000c.html

May 13, 2011

Schoolchildren's cumulative radiation exposure a year in Fukushima Prefecture would be about half the limit for their outdoor activities, if calculated under the current standards, according to the education ministry.

The finding has prompted the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to convene a meeting to seek advice from experts on whether the outdoor activities of schoolchildren in the prefecture should be restricted.

University of Tokyo professor Toshiso Kosako has resigned as a nuclear adviser to Prime Minister Naoto Kan after criticizing the dose limit as too lax.

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. I wonder what the REAL numbers are..

Poor kids.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. The real numbers would depend where they are

Fukushima Prefecture is pretty big by Japanese standards (5500 square miles, about the size of Connecticut), and the radiation readings vary greatly by area. Some areas are relatively unaffected. There are also a lot of mountains in the prefecture, and from what I have been able to discern, the mountainous areas tend to show higher radiation readings than the more heavily populated valley areas.The highest readings are along a line stretching about 25-30 miles due northwest of the reactors.

[Generic Other]

3. What would it be under the old standards

before they raised the acceptable limits?

And what kind of repercussions will these children suffer? Will they face discrimination? Will other Japanese shun them as marriage partners? The long term effects are hard to predict. Poor kids.

I wonder if their parents will decide the risk is unacceptable? It is not easy to pick up roots and move, but the alternative is not so good either. They are a living laboratory experiment now.