Radiation limit for children will be lowered (Japan)

[FBaggins]

The Japanese government says the yearly radiation limit for school children will be lowered as early as this month. The government has set the limit for accumulated external radiation for children involved in outdoor activities at 20 millisieverts per year, in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident.

But many parents and teachers want the figure to be lowered. Some schools are restricting outdoor activities by their pupils even if radiation levels are below the government-set standard.

...snip...

The ministry says it will make a final decision based on the outcome of the minister's tour and results of radiation monitoring in the areas near the troubled Fukushima plant. The limit will be most likely lowered in late August, when the ongoing summer recess is over.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/04_14.html

[PoliticAverse]

1. 20 millisieverts/year is about 5 times the annual exposure from normal background radiation in Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Background_radiation

[FBaggins]

2. More than that

Part of the figure you found isn't really "background". Roughly half of it is the average expected exposure to medical-use radiation.

[wtmusic]

3. Recced to zero. I love it.

Some troglodyte here apparently thinks the limit is too low already. :crazy:

[SpoonFed]

4. Well... I would certainly believe wholesale anything that...

the METI, TEPCO or the Japanese government says as being truthful and concerned with citizens welfare. :sarcasm:

Seriously, you have prominent Japanese academics (very recently like Prof. Kodama in Japanese gov committee) strongly condeming the government for their current and past actions and inaction. Do you really expect anyone to believe this weak spin doctoring at this point?