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Letters & Opinions

Contaminated Japanese food for Africa

Kaori Izumi

2012-03-22, Issue 578

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/letters/80962

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I just got information that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan has agreed with the World Food Programme to export canned fish, including that produced in disaster-affected areas to the following countries: Ghana, Congo, Senegal, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

It is reported only in Japanese so far. We are trying to find out if there is any data on the level of radiation contamination. The total budget is 10 billion yen. Green Peace Japan has already found some cesium from mackerel canned fish sold in some super markets in Japan.

In many parts of Japan, including Tokyo, it is becoming hard to find radiation-free food. A cooperative we buy food from started with measuring radiation and disclosing the level of contamination so people can decide whether to buy it or not. As the Japanese government is thoroughly contaminating the whole of Japan through sending out nuclear contaminated waste from the disaster, we have no choice but to take up an additional struggle to stop it. Tokyo has already started receiving nuclear contaminated waste from disaster affected areas and is experiencing increasing level of contamination through burning the waste, from which a high level of radiation is measured. This is absolutely insane, but highly related to a business society closely related to the mafia.

Anyway, my point is that we do not want contaminated food sent to feed people -who are already in poor health with low immunity - as food aid. Imagine HIV affected people with low immunity receiving even a small dose of cesium, which would kill them. And nobody can prove the cause.

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