Fukushima prefecture assures no radiation threat to Olympic torch relay

Japan's Fukushima prefecture in a statement on Tuesday reassured that participants and spectators at the Olympic torch relay this year need not worry about radiation exposure. Fukushima is home to the wrecked Daiichi nuclear plant that was destroyed during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The four-month torch relay will begin on March 26 at J-Village football stadium in Fukushima and more than 260 people will carry the flame. 

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According to reports, authorities have set-up more than 24,000 monitoring spots along the relay route in Fukushima and only one in Iitate village had the highest reading at 0.77 microsieverts per hour. Litate village is 240 km northeast of Tokyo and falls along the route of the relay. International media reports suggest that a four-hour stay in the village would bring radiation exposure to 3.08 microsieverts, or 0.003 millisieverts, which is well below the target set by the government at 1 millisievert. 

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Worst nuclear accident

The worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986, occurred on 11 March 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture. On that fateful Friday, the Tohuku area was hit by an earthquake and 14-meter high Tsunami which resulted in three nuclear meltdowns, three hydrogen explosions, and the release of radioactive contamination in Units 1, 2 and 3 in the consequent days between March 12 and 15. All of Japan’s 54 reactors were shut down and the government declared a 20 km-wide evacuation zone - with almost 1,54,000  residents being relocated. Currently, only 9 reactors are functional in Japan after passing stringent tests.

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The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics is scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 9. Reports suggest that around 11,000 athletes are expected to participate from 206 different nations across 339 events in 33 sports and over 50 disciplines. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 125th IOC Session held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in September 2013. This will be the second time Japan will be hosting the Summer Olympics, first being in 1964. 

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