Abe promises to dispel "groundless rumors"

May 17, 2014

Abe vows to provide true Fukushima information

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140517_18.html

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to provide accurate information to dispel what he calls "groundless rumors" about agricultural products from Fukushima Prefecture following the March 2011 nuclear disaster.

Abe spoke to reporters on Saturday after meeting a group of rice farmers in Fukushima. He has visited areas hit by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami almost every month since he took office in December 2012.

Abe operated a rice planting machine in a rice field in Matsukawa Town to plant young rice plants. He said the planting went well and that he hopes the rice will grow up to be delicious.

He told one of the farmers that the government will do everything possible to clear up groundless rumors about radiation in agricultural products from Fukushima.

He told reporters the rebuilding of the prefecture is his government's utmost priority. He said reconstruction has entered a new phase and steady progress has been made.

Earlier this week, the release of a manga comic book caused a stir when it depicted the health effects of the nuclear disaster. Its depiction of a main character suffering a nose bleed after visiting the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been criticized as baseless.

Abe said he will do all he can to provide people in Fukushima and around the country easy-to-understand and accurate information about products from the prefecture.