Fukushima 4-year olds now to be checked for radiation

August 1, 2013

Fukushima begins radiation level checks on children

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130801_29.html

The Fukushima prefectural government has started internal radiation level checks on children under 4 years old who were previously too small to undergo the checks with a standard whole body counter.

The equipment for measuring internal radiation levels is designed for people with the height of adults. Fukushima officials have now fitted the equipment with a 90-centimeter high chair to allow smaller children to be tested.

The checks, which started on Thursday, cover children who lived in 5 municipalities designated as evacuation zones following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in March 2011.

A father who brought in his 3-year-old son said it is good that the checks have now become available for smaller children but they should have started much earlier.

A Fukushima official, Keiichi Sasa, said parents have been anxious and frustrated by their inability to check the internal radiation levels of their small children.

He said the prefecture plans to make the checks available for more children in Fukushima.