Forest decontamination not sufficient

January 4, 2015

Fukushima asks govt. for forest decontamination

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html

Jan. 4, 2016 - Updated 11:47 UTC+1

Officials from Japan's Fukushima Prefecture and its municipalities have called on the central government to extend decontamination work deeper into forests.

They made the request to Environment Minister Tamayo Marukawa in Tokyo on Monday.

The government has placed an in-principle limit on the clean-up of radioactive substances from the 2011 nuclear accident to areas up to 20 meters of communities. It says it doesn't plan to go beyond that as it has no confirmation that hazardous radioactive matter has scattered further.

Toshiyuki Hata, deputy governor of Fukushima Prefecture, called on the government to review its plan and look at ways to clean up entire forests. He cited the concerns of residents who are eager to return home, and workers in the forestry industry.

Minister Marukawa said only that the government will continue to hear the opinions of local communities.

The deputy governor said after the meeting that many people are worried about the situation as their homes are surrounded by forests.