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Japan takes S Korea to WTO over Fukushima-related food import restrictions

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Made me laugh this one "additional testing requirements". Anyone remember Clyde Prestowitz and Von Wolfren back in the 80s and 90s complaining about "additional testing" because of the difference of Japanese snow, the length of Japanese bowels, and a whole host of other pap. Such BS was one reason why the WTO came to the fore.

Anyway, I don't like South Korea's chances in this day and age. They better have damn good science to back up these claims.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

"Details of Japan’s complaint were not immediately available, but Japan has repeatedly raised the issue in committee meetings at the WTO, where it has also voiced concerns about Fukushima-related trade restrictions imposed by Taiwan and China."

Japan is whining for absolutely no reason except for whining, and they REALLY don't like being subjected to the kind of scrutiny they put on imports to their own nations. It is the decision of the nations in questions on how they inspect imports, or demand imports be inspected, especially when the nation they are importing from has a history of lying about the origin of products, and lying about the levels of radiation coming from Fukushima since the disaster occurred. They threatened Taiwan the other day with the same action, until Taiwan PROVED that Japan had mislabeled the origin of some products that were from areas banned by Taiwan, and then Japan had to tone down the rhetoric to simply "refusing to recognize Taiwan's decision". Maybe the US should take Japan to court over it's demand that cattle be more thoroughly checked for BSE. No? Why not? Japan is fully within its own right to demand the US take such measures before importing beef, and they are in their rights to suspend imports when the US has been found to have failed safety inspections and bits of bone are found, etc. Likewise, sorry Japan, but when the shoe is on the other foot and you mislabel products, or the other nation simply does not wish to import them -- then TOUGH! It is within their right. Japan is just opening its doors to tit-for-tat action by other nations, and further suspensions of imports by Taiwan, South Korea, and China.

22 ( +25 / -3 )

Japan says Seoul has failed to justify its trade restrictions

There's a nuclear plant that's been contaminating the oceans for four years and various cases of food mislabeling in Japanese soil. So yeah, South Korea had enough reasons and the right to double check and protect their population.

18 ( +23 / -5 )

Hear, hear, smithinjapan and HongoTAFEinmate.

Japan can cry me a river for it's whiny complaints about being subject to exactly the same non-tariff trade barriers they've subjected the world to for decades. Except in this case, the concerns are actually deserved (Japan Inc. having incompetently blown up a nuclear reactor, poisoning half a prefecture and a good chunk of the ocean). You'll just have to expect the world has no reason to trust Japan's word on safety over this matter.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

So, Japan can refuse USA meat for decades for a reason that has already been corrected and deemed save, but another nation can not refuse food from Japan though there is a four year, under reported, kept out of the media problem in Japan?

21 ( +22 / -1 )

Who in the Earth can garantee that all imported food are 100% safe?

The news involving Japan and South Korea reminded of some things that happened in South America years and decades ago.

I lived in South America some years ago, and a scandal involving Milk and Lye took place in Brazil. Some Milk factories were mixing milk and lye at the same time, and then selling those goods to the consumers. Nobody was aware of such thing until then, and everyone was drinking it daily without suffering any problems with that.

Now, lets talk about radiation thing.

Back in 1987, an incident took place in the central part of Brazil(Goiania) where thousands were killed by Cesium.

Nobody were not aware of the consequences or effect that Cesium would give to the citizens.

As a result of the Radiation incident which took place at Goiania city many got sick or died from it.

Food as well as other goods got contaminated with Cesium.

Despite of those problems, some food companies delivered their goods to supermarkets of other cities and even other states causing people to buy and consumed it.

Since then, none in the nacional media reported some death because of those consuption.

Well... I'm not saying that Korea is wrong, however, we have to think about it too. Korea banned Japanese good made in Fukushima area with a excuse that such product are "contaminated", but how about other countries that also consume Japanese food? Can we guarantee that those countries didn't consumed those goods?

I live in Japan and I know people who have relatives in Fukushima area. They eat and drink goods from that area too. They didnt get sick because of that.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Mitsuo, I see your point but with all due repsect, can anyone tells us the long term effects of consuming foods from Fukushima and its surrounding area? Can you believe the government reports that they have everything under control?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Japan doesn't like it when the boot's on the other foot!

Actually it's not Japan, is it?

Most Japanese couldn't care less. I wouldn't mind betting that the source of this is the high and mighty Abe's friends and relations in high places. Those who think it's wrong when THEY do it, but it's OK when WE do it.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

There is nothing Japan can do about S Korea must buy Japan's food as long as S Korea doesn't want them whatever reasons are. Japan seems to show a little political arrogance about it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Actually it's not Japan, is it?

"Japan takes S Korea to WTO over Fukushima-related food import restrictions"

Notice the title of the article?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Food safety cannot afford grey areas, or facts being labelled over. Has to be back and white. No questions. Yes or No? No 'maybe'. Nations and individuals have the right to say, 'No, thanks'.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Mitsuo, I see your point but with all due repsect, can anyone tells us the long term effects of consuming foods from Fukushima and its surrounding area? Can you believe the government reports that they have everything under control?

I guess it depends on whether you believe all of the research by international media or not?

But of course South Korea should have the legal right to import whatever it wants to. Unscientific or not.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Seriously? And, just last week, Taiwan banned Japanese food imports for mislabelling of food stuffs from Fukushima. Do the Japanese actually think the WTO will support their case? The WTO is more likely to put the same restrictions on every exported food item from Japan.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Mitsuo, I see your point but with all due repsect, can anyone tells us the long term effects of consuming foods from Fukushima and its surrounding area? Can you believe the government reports that they have everything under control? I guess it depends on whether you believe all of the research by international scientists or not? But of course South Korea should have the legal right to import whatever it wants to. Unscientific or not.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Don't blame South Korea one bit. Japan is quick to ban imports and take their sweet time in relaxing restrictions (US beef) claiming the food isn't safe for their 'delicate' palates, but when the shoe is on the other foot they cry foul. Last I heard, that plant was still putting radiated seawater into the ocean

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Purely political nothing more nothing less, playing a tit-for-tat game and acting like two little babies fighting in a sand box over the same toy.

One day I am ever hopeful that politicians and these governments would grow up.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

WTO should also ask Japan for their restriction and ban on foods from other countries, see how Japan explains their own position on the same issue.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Mitsuo, I see your point but with all due repsect, can anyone tells us the long term effects of consuming foods from Fukushima and its surrounding area? Can you believe the government reports that they have everything under control?

Hello! As far as I can understand radiation has a huge effect from the time that it is launched to the place.

It stays for long period, but it doesn't rest forever in this particular place.

Case in point is the example that I gave about Goiania City where now everything is controlled in a way that people go there and can consume food from that city without worrying about radiation stuff. Another example is here in Japan concerning Hiroshima and Nagasaki where in the beginning thousand of people died victim of radiation launched from those atomic bombs. Now, Hiroshima and Nagasaki dont have more vestige of radiation compared to those days.

Now it is my opinion regarding those examples, I believe that radiation and its effect is strong in that moment, but with time it starts dispersing until the moment that this effect is almost "0". If this radiation rested forever, I think that the place would not be able to have human being anymore. In addition to that we have seen news about Sea pollution caused by Oil and people having fun in the beach, yet till now we dont have any report that such pollution(oil) caused those people deaths.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Mitsuo Matsuyama: "Well... I'm not saying that Korea is wrong, however, we have to think about it too. Korea banned Japanese good made in Fukushima area with a excuse that such product are "contaminated", but how about other countries that also consume Japanese food? Can we guarantee that those countries didn't consumed those goods?"

Your arguments don't seem to favour Japan by any means, but only provide further proof that more nations should ban the foods. What if other nations DID consume foods from that area? it is their choice. And in the future if the accumulative effects prove to be negative, they will realize they should have banned it. A better comparison would be, as I and others have mentioned, comparing nations banning Japan's food from prefectures surrounding the Fukushima plant to Japan banning beef based on fears of BSE, as well as not accepting blood donations from people who were in certain nations in the 80's or 90's because they may have eaten tainted beef and may develop the human variant in the future. Do you think a person will eat a hamburger and develop the human variant of BSE the next day? NO! Any picture of Abe eating a single strawberry grown outside the plant and saying, "It's delicious! and I'm fine!" has no meaning and more than the people of Minamata being told a few decades ago that the water was safe to drink and would cause no harm in the future.

So, yes, South Korea has EVERY right to ban such products, and Japan is only embarrassing itself and drawing more attention to potentially tainted products through this action. Just look at this thread alone! heaps of people are coming on and pointing out the hypocrisy and childishness of Japan's actions! Do you think the WTO is going to side with Japan -- a nation well known for its food scandals and playing down of Fukushima ("It is completely under control! There was no meltdown!")?? NO WAY! In fact, this is going to lead if anything to FURTHER testing by all parties on the food, and if ANYTHING out of the norm or not reported or mislabeled is found, perhaps MORE countries will join in the bans.

This sure was a stupid move by Japan, and I seriously hope the chickens come home to roost. I can see them backpedalling tomorrow and pretending it never happened.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

SmithJapan

I think there are certain differences here. What happened in Minamata was because of mercury incident launched in the water where thousand of fishes died imediatelly, but if you go there now, you will not see such problem anymore. What I wanna mean is radiation is strong when such chemical or radiation deject is launched in the water or land; however, for some reason that most of us don't know it is dispersed until it lose its effect or almost loose its effect.

If radiation were suppose to rest forever after being launched in the ocean, water or land, so the whole Earth planet would be unable to live in.

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

There is still new radiation coming out of the Fukushima nuclear power plants though.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Now, the question is "Should other countries ban imported food from Japan?"

It is up to them, but radiation should not be an excuse.

As I said before, I know people who have relatives in Fukushima area and they eat and drink Fukushima goods till now.

Many people with ignorant thoughts base their arguments on what international media says without considering scientific facts and explanation.

The thing is very simple, but some people love to make drama about Fukushima thing unfortunatelly.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

I seriously doubt that Japan would be worried about further testing of the food. But I'm sure that plenty on here would dispute the findings because it doesn't fall in with the standard view on here.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Japan, for multiple decades, constantly banned imports of South Korea's food goods at the flimsiest of excuses. The damages for South Korean company's trade with Japan are huge every year. Bans by China and Taiwan are even far more stricter than South Korea's. Yet Japan singles out South Korea for special treatment, I wonder why? I think South Korea should treat Japan, just like what China would have done, just ban all Japanese imports, South Korea's trade imbalance with Japan is obscene anyway. Japan fears China so they tread around China very carefully. Seriously I don't know why South Korean government don't do something seriously and just cut off all diplomatic relations with them! South Korea only loses huge money trading with Japan anyway! I don't want to see not one penny going towards Japan.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Hotmail

If it really happen, you can say bye-bye to Japanese financial help to Korea and Korean citizens. There are more Koreans living in Japan than Japanese living in Korea. Most of Koreans living in Japan are especial Permanent resident(Korean citizen prior and pós World War II) and permanent resident( the newcomers who came during the 1970s till now). Now in Korea, most Japanese are temporary resident for business, education and whatever other reasons. In other words, cutting of diplomatic relation with Japan will be harmful for Korea.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Japan launched a trade complaint at the World Trade Organization on Thursday to challenge South Korea’s import bans and additional testing requirements for Japanese food after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Oh, this is truly rich. Talk about a perfect example of "what goes around comes around". This from the country that kept American beef out for like three years due to one case of BSE there. Like smithinjapan says -- pure whining on Japan's part.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Mitsuo Matsuyama, what Japanese "financial help" for Korean people? Please stop with your imaginations, but I know that's the popular wishful thinking floating around in Japan. Are you talking about thousands of Japanese Yakuza mafia lenders in South Korea with 200% interest rates? Yes, I hope they get driven out. Most of the permanent residents are residents from WWII anyway, they don't effect South Korea. The amount of money that went out of Korean economy to Japan since 1965 due to trade losses, is estimated to be over $1 trillion. Time to put a stop to this and stop helping Japanese economy. Why should South Korea be forced to eat Fukushima fish, when Japanese won't eat them? Why does Japan try to dump their radiation garbage on South Korea?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Well, South Korea's ban on Japanese marine products only includes those from Fukushima and a few surrounding prefectures that borders Fukushima. So it's not as if they're banning all marine products, like what China and Taiwan has done. So why does Japan think South Korea is being unreasonable here? Who, here, would knowingly eat Fukushima products when we know that the radiation water leaking into the sea at Fukishima is still ongoing? Four years after the fact, does not mitigate the circumstances because this nuclear disaster is still ON-GOING! Just because Japanese government and the people have remained silent on this issue in their attempt to cover up the disaster, does not mean this disaster is over. It is still very much a disaster that continues to this day, and will still continue well into the next decades. In other words, Japan is F-ed. And yet, the Japanese government think other countries should be forced to eat the irradiated food. Unbelievable arrogance.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Well, here's another thing to muse on.

If they manage to force the TPP through, there won't be ANY labelling.

We won't have any idea where it's from, whether or not it's GMO or what's in it.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

klausdorthMAY. 22, 2015 - 08:51PM JST

You will be surprise to know that you already ate "contaminated" food without knowing that it was "contaminated".

If you think well, you have contact with radiation every year.

The sun has radiation

The wind is a product made by radiation.

The vegetables receive radiation from the sun.

The sun has radiation

The air has radiation.

The Coca-Cola, chocolate, Pepsi, mayonese, etc... contains chemicals that harm your organism.

And so on.

If such food described in this thread had caused deaths, I would understand your points. However, the food itself is eaten daily by Japanese people including foreigners living here in Japan. Now, the question is "Did someone died because of the food?" Nope.

South Korea is free to choose not to buy food from Japan, but they cannot use radiation as an excuse.

Just in case such person die, you will be sure that the death was caused by several facts and not about this one. You should really read my previous comments about Goiania city and Hiroshima in order to understand how radiation works in one organism.

Giving me thumbs down will not help you anyway.

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

Koreans have every right to restrict imported seafood out of japan's waters. It's no secret that radioactive contamination has been seeping into the soil and ocean.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Can you blame them i.e the Koreans?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Japan takes S Korea to WTO over Fukushima-related food import restrictions

Rich, Japan. Very rich

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"Did someone died because of the food?" Nope.

Just because it's being hushed up by Japanese government, doesn't mean it's not happening. Japan really has problems admitting to any forms of problems of their own doings. How about for once, tell the truth? It is not safe to eat produces coming from Fukushima, any 5 year old could understand.

6000% increase in cancer cases after the Fukushima disaster.

http://naturalsociety.com/6000-increase-cancer-rates-fukushima-site/

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

For years Japan has been banning food imports for various reasons.... that they complain about this, against S. Korea to boot, is just asking for trouble. This smells like the Right Wing trying to stir up trouble.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

6000% increase in cancer cases after the Fukushima disaster.

http://naturalsociety.com/6000-increase-cancer-rates-fukushima-site/

Well I can't speak for everyone else but when someone has this biography

Christina Sarich is a humanitarian and freelance writer helping you to Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World. Her latest book is Pharma Sutra: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga

You can't help but listen to their expertise.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

the plant is still leaking even if its not being reported

3 ( +5 / -2 )

There was a recent news article here about the mislabeling of Japanese products in Taiwan (fake labels that try to hide the fact that it came from the Fukushima area and what not). So that means, they actually allowed these products to be traded, but they had to have the proper labels, which is an extremely fair gesture (like, duh!). Now that some Japanese companies have been caught falsifying the labels, they put out more restrictions on these Japanese products, and rightfully so. At this point, I don't see how Japan can really complain about this. They were already given good opportunities to do things right, and they didn't. The customers should have the right to know where products truly come from. Period. But despite the facts above, isn't it only natural for countries (including Japan itself) to be a little bit more cautious of products that come from an area with radioactive leaks? I think Japan taking this to the WTO is quite embarrassing, to say the least.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

It seems to be the policy of the Abe government that it's OK to lie, cover up, rewrite history, falsely label, and censor the press and TV.

Surely food must be correctly labeled so that the buyer can see what it contains and where it comes from. Isn't that a basic requirement?

If mislabeled food is getting past the government officials, or they are turning a blind eye, some heads should roll. This is very serious. Apart from destroying trust in Japan, there is a potential danger to those who consume the foods.

There needs to be a thorough investigation of the situation in the Fukushima area and the agricultural and fishery products by some completely independent body. And that means a group of people NOT in the pay of Abe and his "friends and relatives."

1 ( +3 / -2 )

ThePBot, not just Fukushima fish, Japan also sells to other countries, secretly recycled construction materials from the Fukushima destruction, like rubber from tires, steel, cement, etc, instead of disposing them safely. There was a big scandal recently when Korean importers had imported recycled rubber from Japan which later turned out to be radiated. They turned them into artificial turfs at schools where kids played on them. It's a total nightmare with what Japan is doing, dumping their radiation garbage by fraudulently selling them to South Korea which in effect is getting rid of Japan's dangerous wastes and at the same time, getting paid handsomely for them. South Korean government should also demand from Japan, origin of all products, especially construction materials, not just the fish.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

South Korea has every right to do this, however, they must also face the consequences up to suspendion/revocation of their WTO membership.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

South Korea can do anything they want but mature countries should avoid this kind of conflicts.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

No Zichi

I was referring to all of the scientists who disagree. Now obviously you seem happier to believe a yoga teacher over the research from the science community.

Interesting that you would believe someone who claimed there was a 6000 percent increase in cancers without a shred of evidence to support it.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Well, japan stopped US Beef imports over Mad Cow for longer than ever needed. So, Korea should to be allowed to Japanese imports if it wants. The J-gov has done little to stop the contamination of the oceans so maybe the world should stop Japanese imports until J-gov takes responsibility and at least stop further contamination and Mitsuo yiou are talking crap if you thing radiation from the sun, which we need, is the same as the radioactive particles from Fukushima. If you think they are the same, then eat the pork from the wild bores in the forest of Fukushima.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Klaus,

Children already show higher thyroid problems in that area, it's a fact that even you cannot deny! I am talking about negative results that will most definitely show up in the years to come.

Actually, they are showing a normal rate of problems. This was confirmed by investigations in other parts of Japan.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

The concern of both the countries is understandable but the dictum ''customer is always right'' stands out here and South Korea is absolutely within its rights to decide on quality of its imports especially food items! Let us bear in mind that the first priority of any government is and must indeed be the health of the people! It is absolutely the prerogative of any government to protect the interests of its people and when it comes to food, local conditions and acceptability may differ from even international acceptable norms! As for Japan, it will be a while before memories of the tragic Fukushima nuclear disaster fade and disappear people's minds and instead of rushing the issue to WTO level where this complaint may not stand the test there ought to be better understanding, patience and perseverance ( Japanese are known for these qualities!) at source level! Time alone will heal the wounds of the natural-calamity-caused tragedy and restore normalcy in due course and this is bound to happen sooner or later!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The Japanese are being ultra whiny hypocrites on this issue. South Korea has every right to ban dishonest Japanese imports.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

As far as know Korea made the ban of Japanese food from Fukushima more than 2 years after the earthquake that devasted Fukushima region.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-09-06/south-korea-bans-imports-of-japanese-fish-over-radiation-concern

Well... if the major reason of such ban was because of radiation, so why she took 2 years for banning Japanese fish from Fukushima?

Dont you think guys that during 2011 till 2013 thousand of Koreans ate Japanese food made-in-Fukushima? Of course they end up eating it as well all of us ate it during this time.

If your argument is about " food should not be imported because food will give health problems to Koreans", so you dont need to worry about that anymore because most Koreans have already eaten it during these 2 years.

Will those Koreans die because of such consumption?So in your narrow mind people who get X-Ray will die because of X-Ray? Nope!!!

You should consider the mutation and resistance that our organism make in our body too. Deaths from radiation is instantaneous(Hiroshima case) or don't live for so long time.

I already gave examples of this, but people just decided to criticize without considering those facts.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Mitsuo: "I think there are certain differences here. What happened in Minamata was because of mercury incident launched in the water where thousand of fishes died imediatelly, but if you go there now, you will not see such problem anymore."

Maybe so, but how quick were the Japanese authorities in letting people know about the dangers, Mitsuo? And thanks to their insistence that things were safe, how many people developed the now well known, and named after the town, Minamata Disease? THAT is the point I was making -- so you go ahead and keep insisting that "people have been eating it for four years" while thyroid cancer cases under 18 years of age in the area have INCREASED but it's all okay. The rest of the world knows better, and South Korea is showing it. As for your 'Japan gives assistance to South Koreans', give me a break! The two nations benefit each other, with South Korea being the second largest donator and relief expert when the disasters of March 11 occurred... or have you forgotten how much they helped Japan in its time of need? So IF Japan were STUPID enough to sever ties, or let things get to the point where ties were severed, it would not just hurt South Korea it would hurt Japan -- and with the way things are going in the electronics world it would hurt Japan a whole lot more, given that Samsung dominates in the business. It won't get to that point, though -- it'll just be Japan back-stepping and saying "It's regrettable", etc. They can't do anything, and they know it.

South Korea, China, Taiwan, and any other nation who bans imports from the area has every right to do so, and is right in doing so. The plant is STILL spewing radiation, with no signs of stopping, and TEPCO wants constantly to dump water into the ocean. Now, tell us... why do the Japanese fisheries not want them to do that? if it's so safe and all that?

Mitsuo, if you're so insistent that the food is safe, feel free to import it to your own household and feed it to your family. That's your choice, and you can support the people that way. It's a real shame to use your family and put them at risk just so you can say "See?" out of pride in the short term while you worry about long term effects.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

if you're so insistent that the food is safe, feel free to import it to your own household and feed it to your family.

Care to provide any evidence that the food isn't safe? There's plenty of research from the international science community that seems to disagree with your view? I'd be interested to see something from someone credible (not a yoga instructor) that says that food from Fukushima isn't safe.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I've posted the Nature link numerous times. I believe that you've heard of the international magazine Nature?

Less than 80% of the people living in Fukushima prefecture buy any food grown in the area so the locals also continue to have some mistrust

Link?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Klaudsworth

Did you read the Guardian artice?

Williams and other experts have attributed the large number of cases to the use of hypersensitive ultrasound, which can detect the tiniest lesions, and the large number of children being tested.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I absolutely agree that it is Korea's decision. I strongly believe that any country can decide what food should and shouldn't be imported to their country.

What we'll probably disagree about is that in the case of Fukushima there is no scientific reason to ban the food.

However it should still be Korea's decision.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

SmithJapan

You want to talk about it, but I recommend you to reread my first comment about Goiania city.

As I said before nobody can guarantee that all food that we consume daily is totally safety.

Even the vegetable that we eat my contain chemical fertilizers.

If we think about details, we will not eat anything.

Case in point, I ate Gyoza during the time of Dumplings scandal in China; however, I m ok, I didnt get sick because of that.

Anyway, I will not come back to this topic because I realized that most of you dont wanna know about these things and all you want is to dramatize such thing by ignoring facts.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

You mean the nature article that lists the research of numerous different scientists? The one that shows that someone spending 6 weeks eating exclusively Fukushima food showed absolutely no radiation? The one that showed a different set of research that shows how the radiation in Fukushima? Which supports what other scientists have said previously?

Is that the one you read?

Speaking of backing up your claim, where's the link that shows 'Less than 80% of the people living in Fukushima prefecture buy any food grown in the area so the locals also continue to have some mistrust.'

Obviously you can't because it's not true. But still when you continue to throw out these claims it would be awfully nice if you provided some evidence. You expect it from others but frequently fail to provide it yourself.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

There is no 'safe' dose of consumption where radionuclides are concerned, notably with children, even more so girls. Even the most basic understanding of what hot particles do once sat in bone or tissue clearly demonstrates that there is no safe dose, those who espouse to 'know', simply don't, and need to equip themselves with the most basic and fundamental insights of science, for one, bioaccumulation.

A radioactive substance is not like an ordinary 'poison' that one can dilute to insignificant levels. The lowest dose of ionizing radiation is one nuclear track through one cell. You can't have a fraction of a dose of that sort. The "small" amount of radiation, claimed to be "safe" by authorities, added to our increasingly fragile environment will cause serious harm to the health of human beings and other living organisms all over the world. Radioactive particles, especially Plutonium, Strontium, and Cesium are bioaccumulative, extremely persistent and highly toxic. They travel long distances and will contaminate all regions on earth. Particularly devastating would be the inevitable damage to the genetic pool which will lead to an increase in the number of seriously defective offsprings who will be born in future generations. The number of children and grandchildren with birth defects, leukemia, cancer, immune disorders, endocrine disruption and other illnesses due to these officially "safe" levels of radioactivity might seem "statistically insignificant" to some in comparison with other known health hazards, but this is not just another health hazard and it is not just an issue of scientific debate. This is an issue of plain human decency and moral responsibility to our children and grandchildren who deserve to inherit a reasonably habitable earth as their forefathers have enjoyed, so South Korea, is and has and will protect its children and has a right to do so.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

So on the one hand we have the science community who suggest that there are safe limits and use research and historical facts to prove it and on the other hand we have listenthetruth.

tricky.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

The link you previously linked to on Nature was a news article and not a peer review science report like you claimed. Not all the posts on Nature are science reports. Nonetheless I did quite a bit of searching and reading.

Out of a possible 897 entries for "Fukushima" within the first 150 articles I only found two which were about food contaminations. There are actually more science reports on insects. The post by Elizabeth Gibney which you linked to is a news report, not a science paper.

Indeed it is a news report. A report which is based on findings in peer reviewed scientific papers. Which are cited at the bottom of the page. But then again there have been the reports from WHO, UNSCEAR etc who all show that for people to have health effects from Fukushima they would need to have consumed high levels of radioactive food. Which hasn't happened.

So perhaps Zichi, you could explain why people have eaten high levels of radioactive food, as you clearly disagree with the findings of these scientists. Perhaps you can provide peer reviewed data that disputes this information.

Because all I see from the science community is positivity. I'd like to see some of the negative articles that you must have read to dispute the findings of the science world.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Well, there are lots of references in this paper ... it bears repeating ... (from another thread) ...

turbotsat May. 28, 2015 - 06:00AM JST: ... if you breathe a radioactive particle or eat one on your lettuce wrap or rock cod or whatever, if you're lucky it leaves you when you breathe out or when you've finished the digestion process. If you're unlucky it stays with you longer, maybe after death. Merrily casting rays the whole while, through the DNA and various assorted proteins in the cells and tissues surrounding it.

http://www.intechopen.com/books/new-research-directions-in-dna-repair/aspects-of-dna-damage-from-internal-radionuclides

Ch. 22, Aspects of DNA Damage from Internal Radionuclides, By Christopher Busby, "New Research Directions in DNA Repair", book edited by Clark Chen, ISBN 978-953-51-1114-6, Published: May 22, 2013. ... (link to pdf of Ch. 22) ... This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

Introduction ... For example, those whose body contains 100 Bq of Strontium-90 are assessed, for the purposes of radiation protection, as having received a cumulative absorbed dose of ... if the person weighed 50 kg, then the mean activity concentration would be 2 Bq/kg. The resulting absorbed dose would then be 2 x 2.8 x 10-8 .... In other words, the committed dose is 5.6 x 10-8 Sv (0.056 μSv). But can this be safely compared with a dose from a chest X-ray (40 μSv ) or from natural background radiation (2500 μSv) or from a high dose acute exposure to gamma rays from an atomic bomb linearly scaled to zero dose (the current way of modelling radiation effects)? This chapter explores this question. It is one which has become increasingly necessary as serious health effects, including cancer and leukemia, have been reported in those exposed to internal radioactivity in areas contaminated by radionuclides released from nuclear sites, weapons testing fallout and accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima, at very low conventionally calculated “absorbed doses”. ...

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Article states: Last October, the Japanese representative at the WTO committee said contamination levels in more than 99 percent of food items were below standard limits, and strict measures prevented the sale or export of any food exceeding those limits.

Since measurement of food is so spotty, both from the importer and exporter, a statement like this is not only meaningless, but deceptive. Further, if every country’s contamination limits are different, in reality, there are no standard limits, no matter what the WTO or Japan contends. It means that the various country limits set for radioactive cesium in food may no longer protect from the increased health impact of the strontium 90 that may be lurking in imports from Japan.

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Not at all Zichi. It seems strange for someone to constantly target my responses if you agree with what I'm reporting. As you haven't said that you agree with the findings of the scientists, or that a yoga teacher shouldn't be deemed as an expert it only seems logical that you would have an alternative opinion.

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