Frequently Asked Questions

Reconstruction efforts are making steady progress in various areas including safety, infrastructure, tourism, exports, and so on.

As reconstruction efforts continue, an increasing number of people from Japan and abroad are visiting Fukushima.

Fukushima Prefecture stands out for its breathtaking nature. It also boasts a rich history, soothing hot springs, delicious food, and more—there’s too much to mention to fit into this answer.

Dose levels in the major cities of Fukushima Prefecture are no different than in Tokyo or other major cities around the world.

Ambient dose rates are measured by portable monitoring posts and real-time dosimetry systems. The measurement results are published on a government agency's website every 10 minutes.

The removal of radioactive materials has been completed in the areas marked for decontamination, excluding the Difficult-to-Return Zones.

Although certain areas have comparatively high dose levels, those have entry restrictions in place.

Approximately 97.8% of Fukushima Prefecture is safe for habitation, with around 1.75 million people currently living there, leading normal lives.

Entry restrictions remain in place for certain areas, though these zones are significantly fewer in number compared to the period immediately after the disaster.

The IAEA has assessed that the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station has moved to a stabilized situation. Findings by the WHO and UNSCEAR suggest that future health effects caused by radiation are unlikely to be discernible.

At this point, radiation exposure has not been found to have caused any adverse health effects. Considering the exposure levels following the accident, it is deemed unlikely that it will cause any in the future

Considering the exposure levels following the accident, it is deemed unlikely that there will be an increase in the incidence of cancer.

Japan’s food safety standards are among the most rigorous in the world and apply to food products throughout the country, including Fukushima. The food products undergo inspections before being distributed on the market.

Inspections are implemented appropriately based on national guidelines. Agricultural products are also assessed by international organizations.

Yes. It is safe and suitable for drinking.

In recent years, there have been almost no items that exceed the world’s most stringent levels of standards.

There are major differences between the two accidents. In particular, the atmospheric release of radioactivity from the Fukushima Daiichi accident was lower, and at this stage, exposure has not been found to have had any health effects.

Fuel debris remains at the power station, but cooling water is being continuously injected into the reactors, keeping the debris stable.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has conducted inspections (reviews) five times in the past.

We are working towards decommissioning it, which will take around 30-40 years.

Contaminated water is water that has come into contact with fuel debris in a reactor building and contains radioactive materials. This water is converted into ALPS treated water by treating it using an advanced liquid processing system (multi-nuclide removal system) and other equipment to remove radioactive materials other than tritium to levels below the regulatory standards.

Discharging the ALPS treated water is essential to fully utilize the site, including the area where the tanks are installed, to ensure that decommissioning work proceeds safely and without delay.

It has been technologically possible to discharge the water safely, but the decision to store the water on-site was made in order to fully consider social impacts, such as reputational damage.

Approximately 70% of the water stored in the tanks contains radioactive materials other than tritium at concentrations that exceed regulatory standards. However, before any discharge, this water is repeatedly treated to reduce the concentration of these materials to levels below the regulatory standards.

Tritium (hydrogen-3) is a form of hydrogen that exists naturally all around us.

Radiation emitted by tritium is extremely weak and is not dangerous, provided it is in a concentration below regulatory standards.

No, tritium does not become concentrated in organisms.

When discharging ALPS treated water into the sea, the relevant agencies conduct monitoring of seawater and fishery products taken from near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to investigate levels of tritium and other radioactive materials, and the findings are disclosed online.

If the monitoring of the local sea area indicates that the discharged water hasn't sufficiently dispersed or another issue is found, the discharge will be immediately suspended.