FUKUSHIMA – A radiation measurement station in the city of
Fukushima is drawing people skeptical about government
information on the nuclear crisis and keen to find out quickly
if their food is safe. The station, set up by a citizens’ group,
boasts a German device to check radiation. It is one of the
projects in this city about 50 km from the Fukushima No. 1
nuclear plant aimed at helping people get their own scientific
information. Takenori Chiba, a machinery company employee from
Miharu, around 40 km from the stricken plant, brought 500 grams
of potatoes and 500 grams of onions to the station asking the
staff to test them for radioactivity. “I can’t sit around
waiting for the government or the municipal authority to do
something for us. I wanted to act on my own,” Chiba, 37, said.
“The station is very helpful because even though I was concerned
about the contamination around my house I didn’t know what to
do.” After an hour, Chiba was told his vegetables measured
between 28 and 32 becquerels per kilogram, w