Biological monitoring in Tokyo (February 18, 2014)

Biological monitoring at The Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan

I visited The Imperial Palace in Tokyo to see biological impacts of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant accident. Though I have visited various places in Japan to see the health consequences of the accident, I have never found any effect against creatures in Japan.
The Imperial Palace with its grounds is located on the site of the former residential palace of the successive Tokugawa Shoguns in the Edo Period. Following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Emperor Meiji moved here from Kyoto which had been the imperial capital for more than a thousand years. Since then, there are the Imperial Residence where Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress reside Imperial Palace, where the various ceremonies and functions are held, the Imperial Household Agency Building, the Momijiyama Imperial Cocoonery and the East Gardens including the Tokagakudo Concert Hall etc. are located. The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace are open to the general public and we can see various creatures living there too.
Generally speaking, animal's growth is so fast than human beings that they are more sensitive to radioactive materials of the environment than us. So I visited The Imperial Palace to see effects of the accident against creatures which are grown up by Japanese food and water. Fortunately, I could see them grown up safely and I couldn't find any impact of the accident. It seems that there is no problem for childbirth and child-rearing in Tokyo Japan.
Posted by Yoshitaka Kiriake from Japan on February 18, 2014.

皇居お堀周辺には様々な生物が生息している。お堀に沿って歩いてみるとメジロ、ユリカモメ、カワウ、ヒヨドリ、シジュウカラ、ダイサギ、ハクチョウ、アオサギ等数多くの野鳥を観察することが出来た。撮影日は平成26年1月27日から2月3日です。

Japanese white-eye

Black-headed Gull

Great Cormorant

About The Imperial Palace

http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/

Google map

http://goo.gl/maps/P0Bxf

Nijubashi : Main Gate Stone Bridge, Imperial Palace

We can see various animals at The Imperial Palace

Brown-eared bulbul

Japanese Tit

Great Egret

Crow

Swan

White wagtail

Grey Heron

Black-headed Gull

Sparrow

Northern Shoveler

Tufted Duck

Feral pigeon

Carp

Trachemys scripta

Japanese foods are good and safe.

Because of stricter food safety law by Japanese government, we have no worry about foods.

Pizza

Ice cream

Cake

About 3 years have passed since Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. I have visited various places of Japan to see the health consequence of the accident.

Fortunately I have never found any impacts by the accident among Japanese creatures. As far as I know, nobody has health problem which is caused by the accident in Japan.

Our Prime Minister Abe assures that "The situation is under control. The influence of the contaminated water is completely blocked within Fukushima. There are no health-related problems until now and there will never be health problems." He also said that "Tokyo is 250 kilometers away from Fukushima, and the kind of danger that you imagine does not exist in Tokyo. Tokyo is a very safe city."

As PM Abe said, Tokyo is very far away from Fukushima, people in Tokyo have no concern about the nuclear power plant accident. People in Tokyo have already forgotten the accident, because they think radioactive materials cannot reach there.
We know there is no problem for child birth and child rearing in Tokyo. So people in Tokyo are living without any concern about the accident.
I continue to visit various places in Japan to see the effects of the accident, because I can meet various creatures which are more sensitive to radioactive materials from the environment. It is important to see their health for our safety.

公衆衛生ネットワーク

Public Health Network in Japan

http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/phnet/