In-depth study of Fukushima workers

February 4, 2014

Radiation study planned for Fukushima workers

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140205_01.html 

Japan's government will conduct an in-depth study of workers at the Fukushima Daiichi plant to find out how they were affected by radiation from the 2011 nuclear accident.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will soon set up a panel of radiologists and other experts to determine specifically what and whom to study.

The ministry has already conducted medical checks of about 19,000 workers who entered the plant in the immediate aftermath. It recorded the results in a database. Some 30,000 workers have been engaged in decommissioning the damaged reactors.

The database does not include radiation exposure levels before the accident or details of lifestyle habits that could cause cancer, such as smoking.
This would make it difficult to separate the impact of exposure from the accident from other factors if workers develop cancer or cataracts.

The panel is expected to present a report to the ministry around May. Ministry officials say they hope to start a study based on the report some time during fiscal 2015, which starts in April next year.