All safe

 September 9, 2013

Motegi explains Japan's food and water safe

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130909_27.html

Japan's trade minister Toshimitsu Motegi says Japanese water and food are safe despite leaks of radioactive water at the disabled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Motegi made the comment during a keynote speech in Tokyo on Monday. Attendees included governors from US Midwest states, and Japanese and US corporate executives.

He called the contaminated water leakage the government's most urgent issue. He said the government will spend 47 billion yen, or about 470 million dollars, to settle the problem. He emphasized the government will deal directly with the problem.

Motegi said the leakage is contained within 0.3 square kilometers in the bay off the nuclear plant.

He said radiation levels in water outside the area are lower than the upper limit guidelines for drinking water defined by the World Health Organization.

Motegi said Japan's water and food are safe as they follow one of the world's most stringent food safety standards following the 2011 nuclear accident.