'High level' of radiation detected in Tokyo park

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: BBC


Japanese authorities have detected an unusually high level of radiation around playground equipment in a Tokyo park, report local media.

The park, in the Toshima ward in central Tokyo, has been fenced off.

Authorities recorded up to 480 microsieverts per hour at one spot - nearly half the recommended annual limit of exposure for a person.

The incident comes days after a drone with traces of radiation landed on top of the prime minister's office.


Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32443450

[C Moon]

1. I looked up "Toshima ward" on Google street view...and saw this gentleman with a mask:

I've looked at Japan in "street view" a couple times before for other articles, and saw the same thing: people wearing masks. Is this typical in Japan?
I'm almost wondering if it's something we'll all be doing soon.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. Yes, wearing a mask like that is very typical here in Japan

People will even wear those masks while they are driving. There are some big allergy seasons here due to massive releases of cedar, cypress and ragweed pollen, and in some places so-called "yellow sand" blowing in from China can cause respiratory problems. Wearing a mask like that is also viewed as a way to prevent the spread of colds, flu, etc.

[C Moon]

3. Ah. Thanks so much for the answer!

[Jesus Malverde]

7. What do you think?

The PM radiation attack and now this? I'm guessing we've got one pissed off former fukushiman on the loose.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. They could well be unrelated

One act may very well have been political, but the other act seems to have been targeted at little kids. There was an incident 4 years ago in Tokyo where someone had illegally disposed of radioactive medical waste under a house, so there is a possibility of something similar here.

[Jesus Malverde]

9. Interesting

Have you heard how they found the playground radiated? I assume the perp called it in. Mamasans don't go to the park with Geiger counters, do they?

[Art_from_Ark]

10. Well, according to this article, it was a local resident who reported the high radiation level

http://www.asyura2.com/15/genpatu42/msg/633.html

I have no idea who it was or why they happened to know of the high radiation level.

But given that this is Japan, it could be someone in the community who was put in charge of monitoring local radiation levels.

[Jesus Malverde]

11. Arigato thx...nt

[Demeter]

13. I'm wondering if they didn't use contaminated metal to build the equipment

It's not like they haven't tried to export radioactive car parts, for example...

Fukushima Radiation Contaminated Cars And Steel From Japan Being Refused And Shipped Back By Multiple Countries

All major nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl, Fukushima and TMI create a serious problem concerning radioactively contaminated vehicles, vehicle parts and scrap metals. Anything metal that is exposed to high radiation and/or neutrons essentially become high level nuclear waste. If exposed to high neutrons, the very metal of the vehicle becomes radioactive, and it cannot be 'washed off'. The question is; what does the nuclear industry and government do about this? What happens to these radiation contaminated vehicles? Who is responsible for this radioactively contaminated toxic waste item on wheels? And is anyone responsible for testing vehicles like this before sale, to make sure they are safe for human health?

Who is going to pay for the losses, damages and/or consequences to health suffered by those using products that are radioactively contaminated and damaging health? Remember that radiation is invisible and undetectable, so a vehicle can look fine and pass all of the normal 'tests', but still cause people to become sick and/or die from driving around in it.

That radiation does not just go away, so when the radiation contaminated vehicle is turned into scrap and melted down, that same radiation goes into new vehicles, and so on..

http://agreenroad.blogspot.com/2014/01/fukushima-radiation-contaminated-cars.html[div]

[Art_from_Ark]

16. Update

You may be interested to know that the radiation came from a Radium 266 pellet that was buried just beneath the ground surface in the park. When the pellet was removed, radiation levels in the vicinity came down to normal levels.

[Demeter]

17. VERY Interesting!

They've got a sicko out planting pellets?

[Demeter]

12. I once got a floral arrangement with cedar in full pollen bloom

Thought I was going to die...had to throw out all the cedar cuttings. I don't have allergies, but with cedar, you don't need to.

[Lochloosa]

14. It's called "Ceder Fever". I was sure I was going to die from it. Comatose for two days.

[Art_from_Ark]

15. Imagine having this blow into your town

[Jesus Malverde]

4. Its very common.

Not for radiation but obstensively to avoid the flu or avoid passing it and hay fever. There is a time of year here when the air turns yellow from desert sand from china.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Dust

Girls wear masks when they are having bad face days, acne, bad teeth or some say to keep people from talking to them or showing emotion. There are huge sections in drug stores selling them.


http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/02/21/why-do-japanese-people-wear-surgical-masks-its-not-always-for-health-reasons/

[nikto]

5. Where are all the folks who insist radiation is GOOD for you?

I expect them to arrive at this thread any minute.


Don't ever forget that the Fukushima multiple-meltdown disaster was made possible by GE.



GE Brings Death To Life.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. It's kind of doubtful this has anything to do with Fukushima

It sounds more like some malicious act, or maybe someone was illegally disposing of radioactive medical waste, like what happened in another part of Tokyo shortly after the Fukushima explosions.