Chief Cabinet Sectretary Yukio Edano announced Apr 13 that the government has instructed municipalities to place shiitake mushrooms grown outdoors from some regions in the Fukushima Prefecture under shipping restriction for the time being. The restriction was imposed based on the Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness after radioactive substances exceeding the provisional limit were detected.
The 16 regions placed under the restriction are Date City, Souma City, Minami-souma City, Tamura City, Iwaki City, Shinchi town, Namie town, Tomioka town, Kawamata town, Ookuma town, Naraha town, Hirono town, Futaba town, Iitate village, Katsurao village and Kawauchi village. Residents have also been advised to refrain from eating the fresh shiitake from Iitate village. On the other hand, the shiitake mushroom cultivated indoors was not included in the shipping ban as the radiation level detected was below the provisional limit. Most of the fresh shiitake mushrooms cultivated in Fuskuhima Prefecture are grown indoors, and only 2% are grown outdoors.
The mushrooms from Iwaki City, Date City, Shinchi town and Iitate village were above the limit and the Prefecture has asked them to stop shipment voluntarily. The remaining municipalities were included in the shipping ban due to their close proximity to the 4 affected areas and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Source: Asahi Shinbun, Apr 13, 13:05
Translated by I. Salim
Editedy by English native speaker
Link to original article: http://www.asahi.com/special/10005/TKY201104130142.html
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