Govt to gather,release nationwide radiation data

[abqmufc]

Source: NHK World English

The Japanese government has instructed all 47 prefectures to report the results of their environmental radiation observations every day.

Education and science minister Yoshiaki Takaki said on Tuesday that this follows the detection of unusually high-level radiation at nuclear power plants in Fukushima prefecture after Friday's massive earthquake and tsunami.

The prefectures are now asked to report their radiation data from monitoring posts at least twice a day and swiftly inform the central government if higher-than-usual readings are recorded.

Takaki said his ministry is to release the nationwide data at least twice a day, starting possibly on Tuesday.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 14:32 +0900 (JST)

Read more: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_34.html

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While this is some good news, based on 15 years of dealing with air quality issues and running air quality monitoring networks, I have to comment twice a day sampling during an environmental event is not acceptable. Hourly rates would be ideal and I feel necessary. (I base this on the American premise of only doing what is required when it comes to public and environmental health)

[Auntie Bush]

1. People could be exposed to radiation for more than 5 hours before being notified.

One could be outside cleaning up all afternoon or morning and not know they were being radiated! Yes, they need hourly reports...but that's too expensive.

[truthisfreedom]

2. Expense could be curtailed if hourly reports were only done in areas where radiation increased

by a significant amount.

[nebenaube]

3. How expensive?

Like about $800/station to report to a website in real-time... Then there's the economy of scale. Sounds like bs to me.