Japan Censors Tests Showing Radiation In Tea Above Legal Limits Over 300 Miles From Fukushima

Japan orders tea manufacturer to withhold radiation test results from the public because it “may spread unnecessary fear” after nuclear radiation is detected in tea above legal limits 300 miles from Fukushima.

It has been revealed that the Shizuoka prefectural government requested the online food grocer in Tokyo that the grocer not publish on the grocer’s home page the result of the test for radioactive materials in Shizuoka tea that exceeded the national provisional limit.

http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/06/radioactive-tea-shizuoka-government.html
...................

#Radioactive Tea: Shizuoka Government Told Online Food Grocer Not to Publish the Test Result for Tea on Their Website

.............

It was the proverbial “fly in the ointment” when an online food grocer (home delivery of fresh produce) alerted the Shizuoka prefectural government that one of Shizuoka’s teas tested high in radioactive cesium according to the grocer’s test. For Shizuoka, it was going to be a “clean bill of health” for all teas in Shizuoka when they started testing the final products, “seicha”. 8 tea-growing regions tested below the limit on June 8, and 11 more regions were going to do the same on June 9.

But this grocer came forward with the information that one of the teas were radioactive, exceeding the national limit. So the government was forced to test that particular tea, and it was indeed exceeding the limit.

But it was not before the prefecture told the grocer not to publish the data, because the prefectural government was already doing the minimum necessary to alert the consumer. Their words.
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0610/TKY201106090710.html

From Asahi Shinbun (4:15AM JST 6/10/2011):

(When they declare “safe”, flee.)

When the paper questioned the validity of the 500 becquerels/kg standard, it cited, of all things, the minutes of the Nuclear Safety Commission’s meeting, in which several commissioners expressed their opinion that the standard should be “flexible” (as I posted on June 2). Shizuoka Shinbun took it to mean that the opinion of the nuclear experts at the Nuclear Safety Commission was not reflected in the policy, which is too severe to the tea-growers and tea-merchants in the prefecture.

MORE:
http://www.at-s.com/news/detail/100035401.html
http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2011/06/10/japan-orders-tea-company-post-radiation-results-online-25111/

According to the minutes of the decision for talks was held on 2nd opinion, imported food safety chief ministry, "Ara tea could be consumed as is," he said. Both the chief raw tea leaves and wild tea, the idea of ​​showing respect to shipping restrictions 500 becquerels per kilogram of the interim regulations, consulted.
http://www.at-s.com/news/detail/100035623.html
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110519p2a00m0na002000c.html


NOTE: i do not speak Japanese, so i can't vouch for all the translations, kpete

Because business should never be regulated!

A moment of lightness in the midst of real tragedy.

God, I'd like to see it.

No Japanese tea for me.

drinking tea, but doubt about the government as well.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.