Hello,
I am looking at the possibility of moving to Japan for a little less than a year. I have a job lined up, but it’s located in Tochigi Prefecture which happens to neighbor Fukushima Prefecture. Specifically, I would be in either Utsunomiya City or, more likely, Nikko. I’ve been asking around with people who understand nuclear energy, and they’ve said not to go, but they’ve given me negative opinions, but no facts behind it.
Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to do as much research on it as I can. I’ve checked information on the IAEA’s site, the WHO, the site of the American Embassy in Japan (Tokyo), that of the Japanese embassy in America, and asked the job what they think. All of this has led me to conclude that if I watch what I eat, and avoid travelling north, I should be fine.
(Specifically, drinking water restrictions were lifted in April I think, or May, and the last report of food grown in that prefecture that was contaminated was from last July, it was spinach. Apparently many people are just buying from other parts of the country anyway. Lastly, background radiation is, at max, 1uSv/hr, and it’s at 3.8mSv/hr that they recommend keeping toddlers indoors, who are much more susceptible to the effects of radiation than I, a 26 y/o male, would be).
I have to decide tonight before they go with someone else. Anyone have an opinion? It looks like a lovely place, and I’ve always wanted to go.