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GREENPEACE has said its radiation experts have discovered high levels of radiation in seafood caught by fishermen off the coast of Japan, putting people in real danger. It has also accused the Japanese Government of a cover up, suggesting that it is long past time for urgent action to be taken by officials.
At a press conference in Japan yesterday Greenpeace explained how its radiation experts had visited ports in Iwaki prefecture between July 22nd and 24th and conducted sampling of seafood with the help from local fishermen.
Two French laboratories (ACRO and CRIIRAD) analysed the radioactive contamination and detected high levels of radioactivity in a number of samples. This means, said Greenpeace, that the contamination of the Fukushima coast is still very serious.
Greenpeace said: "We have therefore requested the Japanese government to make the labelling of seafood products mandatory and to indicate the radiation levels and fishing area, as supermarkets are not providing enough information to their customers. Radiation monitoring procedures should also be strengthened and food distribution regulations tightened.
"All this should be done as urgently as possible. Trawl fishing season is about to begin in Fukushima and Ibaraki. This is now a race against time – seafood is a huge part of the Japanese diet. Unlike for beef, laws are not in place to trace the origin of fish and seafood. Relying on the government’s inadequate monitoring does not guarantee people’s safety if contaminated seafood reaches the market."
Pulling few punches, Greenpeace claimed it seemed some government officials were more interested in saving their jobs than in the lives of the people they serve, a claim supported by claims in the New York Times.
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