Japan accidentally exports radioactive contaminated materials from Fukushima... "Health impact expected to be minimal"

A small container holding equipment used during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 was arbitrarily removed from a Self-Defense Forces unit and disposed of by civilians.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water Storage Tank
Photo by AP Yonhap News

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On the 2nd, Kyodo News reported that a container managed at the Air Self-Defense Force base in Omitama City, Ibaraki Prefecture, central Honshu, was accidentally disposed of. The approximately 1-meter-long container stored 51 contaminated items such as radiation-contaminated protective masks, filters, and gloves. These were items worn by Self-Defense Force personnel during the Fukushima nuclear accident.

The Ministry of Defense believes that between the 22nd and 25th of last month, a metal recycler who entered and exited the base removed the container while processing construction waste materials. It is known that this recycler had already crushed the container and handed over the debris to other companies.

Jiji Press reported that "during regular inspections conducted by the Air Self-Defense Force, the radiation level around the container was 15 μSv (microsieverts) per hour, which was not a high level." The Ministry of Defense considers that the disposal of the container has little impact on people's health.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Defense stated that "we will make thorough efforts to prevent recurrence."

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