The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
September 4, 2013

Fukushima Radiation at Record High 
-----------------------------------


 
Radiation levels at Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant have hit a
new high. The latest figures show radiation levels of 2,200
millisieverts, an increase of more than 20 percent and the worst level
in the plant's holding tanks since an earthquake and tsunami caused a
triple-reactor meltdown at Fukushima in March 2011. The plant's
operators say the higher levels are explained by improved detection
equipment, not new leaks. The news comes one day after Japan pledged to
spend around $500 million to stop the leaking of radioactive water. That
announcement came in advance of the International Olympic Committee's
pending decision on whether to hold the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he will assure the IOC that Fukushima
would not threaten the Olympics' safety.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: "We understand that there have been
people voicing concerns over the contaminated water issue in Fukushima.
What I can say is the government is taking the lead here to completely
solve the issue. And to do that, we are implementing drastic measures
with firm resolve. I will be explaining to the International Olympic
Committee that in seven years' time it will not be a problem at all."

 

.