The Japanese government is encouraging evacuees from Fukushima to return to the nuclear disaster site despite dangerous levels of radiation, according to a report released by Greenpeace.
The Fukushima prefecture is planning to cut housing support for evacuees starting 31 March, when the evacuation order for the 6,000 residents of the village of Iitate is due to be lifted. This is despite radiation levels comparable to Chernobyl’s exclusion zone, a report from Greenpeace Japan has found.
“The relatively high radiation values, both inside and outside houses, show an unacceptable radiation risk for citizens if they were to return to Iitate. For citizens returning to their irradiated homes they are at risk of receiving radiation equivalent to one chest X-ray every week. This is not normal or acceptable,” energy campaigner Ai Kashiwagi said in a press release published by Greenpeace on Tuesday.
Greenpeace Japan’s survey found levels of radiation well above government targets. Their team took measurements of houses around the area, which was used to calculate an average annual exposure rate. Soil samples were also taken as well as retrieving personal dose badges that were installed in two houses in February 2016.
The average radiation exposure in Iitate was found to be between 39 millisieverts (mSv) and 183mSv over the course of 70 years (excluding natural radiation), which exceeds yearly guidelines set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).
