radiation
Anti-radiation garments in China may be "harmful"
Anti-radiation clothing, one of the must-haves for pregnant women in China, could be doing more harm than good, scientists have warned.
Such products came on to the market in the late 1990s and have now grown so dominant most mothers-to-be believe they are essential. They are convinced the garments are "effective" in blocking electromagnetic waves from the multiple electronic devices around them, especially from computers.
But along with the booming sales have been arguments from scientists who say that the clothing has no benefit.
Japan finds radiation in rice
Japan has detected high levels of radiation in rice growing near the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, a government official said on Saturday.
A preparatory test ahead of the official examination of the safety of rice in Nihonmatsu, a city about 30 miles west of the stricken power plant, found that a sample of unharvested rice contained 500 becquerels of cesium per kilogram, the maximum permissible level, the Fukushima Prefecture official said.
Japan to buy, burn radioactive beef
Japan has announced a plan to buy up and burn beef tainted with radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, in a move aimed at restoring consumer confidence.
Almost 3,000 head of cattle whose meat is feared to be contaminated with radioactive caesium has been shipped nationwide after being fed straw exposed to fallout during the four-month-old nuclear crisis.
Under the plan, meat industry groups are to purchase from member wholesalers and retailers all beef found to be contaminated with caesium above government-set limits.
Nuclear-contaminated beef "sold in and around Tokyo"
Japan's second biggest retailer said on Sunday it had sold beef from cattle that ate nuclear contaminated feed, the latest in a series of health scares from radiation leaking from a quake crippled nuclear power plant.
Cases of contaminated vegetables, tea, milk, seafood and water have already stoked anxiety after the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986, despite assurances from officials that the levels are not dangerous.
Japan food fears resonating at restaurants?
The ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan has brought the country's food supply under intense scrutiny, especially seafood – as fears of radiation contamination mount. Many countries, including the US and China, have banned certain agricultural products and seafood from areas surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi plant, as Japan's Nuclear Safety Agency admits radiation has been detected in nearby sea water and soil.
Japan food fears resonating at restaurants?
The ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan has brought the country's food supply under intense scrutiny, especially seafood – as fears of radiation contamination mount. Many countries, including the US and China, have banned certain agricultural products and seafood from areas surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi plant, as Japan's Nuclear Safety Agency admits radiation has been detected in nearby sea water and soil.
Thailand to require "radiation certificates" supplied for food from Japan
Thai authorities said on Thursday it will beef up inspections of fresh food imported from Japan by requiring "radiation certificates" for produce from 12 prefectures near the crisis-struck Fukushima number one nuclear plant.
Many tourists cancel trips to Japan
Japan's cherry blossoms are just starting to bloom, but fewer tourists will be around to admire the country's symbolic harbinger of spring, the nation's peak travel season.
The efforts to control damaged nuclear power plants – and fears of potential radiation leaks – are scaring potential travellers into cancelling their trips, even though business in Tokyo is back to normal. The fear could affect Japan's tourism industry for months, if not years.
Chinese port rejects Japanese ship over radiation concerns
China declined to harbourur a Japanese ship after "abnormal" amounts of radiation were detected on the deck and surface containers, Bloomberg reported. The MOL Presence had passed within 124 kilometres of Fukushima prefecture, site of the crippled Daiichi nuclear power station, and arrived in Xiamen on 21 March before being asked to depart. Concerns about radiation have disrupted shipping from Japan, with the country’s coast guard advising vessels to keep at least 30 km from the affected area, and many foreign ports scanning cargos.
HK's Japanese stores feel the pinch
Shops and restaurants in Hong Kong, one of Japan's key food export markets, have been hit badly by the radiation scare with shoppers and diners deserting Japanese produce en masse.
Local consumers are normally willing to pay a premium for food imported from Japan, deeming it less likely to be affected by food safety scandals that have rocked the mainland, for example, in recent years.
