http://japandailypress.com/human-rights-experts-call-for-revisions-to-un-report-on-fukushima-radiation-2538523/

Human rights experts call for revisions to UN report on Fukushima radiation

Oct 25, 2013 Ida Torres

Several human rights experts are disagreeing with the report set to be released by the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) after their investigation into the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The criticism stems from the report’s seeming lack of concern over the effects of radiation on the general public in Japan, saying that “no discernible increased incidence of radiation-related health effects are expected.”

U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to health Anand Grover says that he strongly disagrees with the report’s conclusion that “there is nothing to worry about” in terms of those who were exposed to radiation after three of Fukushima’s nuclear reactors suffered a meltdown at the height of the disasters of March 2011. Grover visited Japan last year and made his own report on the human rights perspective of the disaster. He says there is no adequate data on radioactive exposure to say that there will be no long-term harmful effects even in low dose cases. He emphasized that the affected communities, most of whom have still not been able to return to their hometowns, have to be involved in the decision-making process and that this is a “core obligation” of the government.

Mari Inoue, representing human rights group Human Rights Now also called for the UNSCEAR report to be revised as she believes the areas that exceed one millisievert of radiation per year should also be evacuated. The current standard being followed by the government is just at 20 millisieverts. The Tokyo-based group released a statement signed by 64 community organizations that are also calling for revisions to the report. Inoue also called for further study on workers that are still being exposed to radiation as well as an acknowledgement that it is still far too early to rule out future health complications due to exposure. The UNSCEAR report, called “the most comprehensive scientific analysis of the information available to date,” will be published later this year.