InsideJapan News Network
Monday,
18th
July
2011
In General Japan News,
In General Japan News,
Japan considering ban on cattle shipments
Japan is to ban cattle shipments from the area around Fukushima, as fears grow about the potential of radioactive meat.
The country's government is preparing to implement the ban after it discovered that meat from 136 cows contained high levels of a radioactive element called caesium.
Fukushima was rocked after a tsunami in March led to a core meltdown at the Fukishima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
It is believed that cattle had been fed contaminated rice straw harvested in the area following the incident.
Goshi Hosono, cabinet minister responsible for the nuclear cleanup, said: "The most likely outcome is t hat we will ban beef shipments.
"We are discussing the matter along these lines. We have to ensure food safety."
According to local reports, the risk of contamination may affect farms as far as 60 miles away from the power plant.
Earlier this month, the president of Kyushu Electric Power Company was criticised after it emerged that phony emails had been sent in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster to make it appear as if there was strong public support for reactivating the reactors.
Written by Susan Ballion
The country's government is preparing to implement the ban after it discovered that meat from 136 cows contained high levels of a radioactive element called caesium.
Fukushima was rocked after a tsunami in March led to a core meltdown at the Fukishima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
It is believed that cattle had been fed contaminated rice straw harvested in the area following the incident.
Goshi Hosono, cabinet minister responsible for the nuclear cleanup, said: "The most likely outcome is t hat we will ban beef shipments.
"We are discussing the matter along these lines. We have to ensure food safety."
According to local reports, the risk of contamination may affect farms as far as 60 miles away from the power plant.
Earlier this month, the president of Kyushu Electric Power Company was criticised after it emerged that phony emails had been sent in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster to make it appear as if there was strong public support for reactivating the reactors.
Written by Susan Ballion
InsideJapan Says:
This is not a great story for Japan and of course at InsideJapan Tours we are concerned by this. However, we would also like to reassure people travelling to Japan that this is a very low risk to visitors. The Japanese government has taken rapid steps to ensure that any distribution of contaminated beef is halted immediately. It is also very easy to avoid consumption of Japanese beef whilst in the country.
As far as we can gather from our sources in Japan, this is isolated to the cattle fed contaminated straw (sadly the farmers ignored the explicit advice of the Japanese government not to do this). There is no evidence of contamination of other food sources.
At InsideJapan Tours we take the safety of our customers very seriously indeed and would never recommend travelling if we felt there was any potential health risk to our clients.
Alastair Donnelly - Director
As far as we can gather from our sources in Japan, this is isolated to the cattle fed contaminated straw (sadly the farmers ignored the explicit advice of the Japanese government not to do this). There is no evidence of contamination of other food sources.
At InsideJapan Tours we take the safety of our customers very seriously indeed and would never recommend travelling if we felt there was any potential health risk to our clients.
Alastair Donnelly - Director
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