JAPAN: Country halts shipments of spinach and milk from areas around stricken nuclear plant

Record ID: 464887

  • Title: JAPAN: Country halts shipments of spinach and milk from areas around stricken nuclear plant
  • Date: 22nd March 2011
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 21, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CUSTOMERS SHOPPING AT VEGETABLE STORE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 70-YEAR-OLD CHINESE RESTAURANT OWNER, AKIO BABA, SAYING: "I'm only buying Japanese Mustard Spinach from Saitama instead of spinach." SPINACH BEING DISPLAYED AT STORE FRONT
  • Embargoed: 6th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVADHXGHIPEW59B1SQOSG1DFAHRU
  • Story Text: The Japanese government ordered a halt to all shipments of spinach from four prefectures surrounding the country's tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant, and also banned milk shipments from the site's home province of Fukushima on Monday (March 21).
    Traces of radiation exceeding national safety standards were found in milk from a farm about 30 km (18 miles) from the plant and in spinach grown in neighbouring Ibaraki prefecture on Saturday (March 19).
    After further testing, the government decided to impose the restrictions amid increasing concerns over contamination of some foods and tap water with trace amounts of radioactivity.
    Cases of contaminated vegetables and milk have already stoked anxiety across the quake-torn country despite assurances from officials that the levels are not dangerous.
    A call center was set up in Tokyo on Monday by the metropolitan government and one of the country's vegetable wholesalers' associations to answer questions on food safety in light of radiation worries.
    "There were media reports that excessive radioactive substance was detected in spinach and other leaf vegetables, so many people called in to ask about food safety." said Hirofumi Watabe, manager of Tokyo citizen call center for nuclear fallout contaminated food.
    In the first few hours, more than a hundred phone calls were received since the centre started operation in the morning.
    "I know you're worried, but it should be fine if you wash them before eating," Shinji Tomonaga, one of the staff at the call center told a caller.
    The government has called on producers in the four prefectures to not ship their vegetables.
    Japan's health ministry has urged some residents near the plant to stop drinking tap water after high levels of radioactive iodine were detected.
    "The Prime Minister has ordered local governments halt shipments of certain products from certain regions," Edano told reporters. Raw milk produced in Fukushima prefecture was also on the list.
    There were no major reports of contaminated food in Tokyo, a city of about 13 million people. City officials however said higher-than-standard levels of iodine were found in an edible form of chrysanthemum With spinach marked off their shopping lists, residents in Tokyo went for other alternatives.
    "I'm only buying Japanese Mustard Spinach from Saitama instead of spinach," said Akio Baba, a 70-year-old Chinese restaurant owner. Saitama is a prefecture from which shipments have not been stopped.
    The World Health Organisation said on Monday that radiation in Japanese food was more serious than previously thought, eclipsing signs of progress in a battle to avert a catastrophic meltdown in the reactors but assured that current levels were still regarded as safe.
    Engineers managed to rig power cables to all six reactors at the Fukushima complex, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, and started a water pump at one of them to reverse the overheating that has triggered the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years.
    But amid the progress, smoke was reported above the reactors, causing more worry.
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