Japanese authorities have confirmed they have detected radioactive contamination of food near the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
They have now ordered a halt to the sale of such products from the area.
In what it called another ‘critical’ measure to counter the contamination of food products, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Japanese authorities recommended on Wednesday that people leaving the area should ingest stable iodine.
Taken as pills or syrup, stable iodine can be used to help protect against thyroid cancer in the case of radioactive exposure in a nuclear accident.
It was the first known case of contamination since the 11 March earthquake and tsunami which instigated the crisis.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said radiation levels in milk from a Fukushima farm about 30km from the plant, and spinach grown in Ibaraki, a neighbouring prefecture, exceeded limits set by the government.
He said these higher radiation levels still posed no risk to human health.
But the IAEA said radioactive iodine if ingested ‘can accumulate in and cause damage to the thyroid. Children and young people are particularly at risk of thyroid damage due to the ingestion of radioactive iodine.’
Power cable attached to Fukushima reactor
Earlier, engineers successfully attached a power cable to a reactor at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant and are working to restore power for its cooling system.
The cable has been linked to reactor number two at the plant, whose operator has been battling to prevent a full-blown meltdown which could lead to a major radiation leak.
There are six reactors at the plant.
'If no problem is found at the facility today, the power will resume as early as tomorrow (Sunday),' said a spokesman for the nuclear safety agency, Fumiaki Hayakawa.
The United Nations Atomic Agency says conditions at the plant are serious.
The facility was badly damaged in the earthquake and tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan eight days ago.
The authorities have named more than 7,000 people who died in the disasters. 11,000 more people are missing.
Many people living in the devastated areas are without water, electricity, fuel or enough food. Hundreds of thousands of people are homeless.
More than 800 patients from hospitals close to the crippled Fukushima plant are to be moved.
Japanese health ministry official Yasunori Wada said the patients were being transported out of facilities in the area that is between 20km and 30km from the quake-hit plant.
‘The operation needs to be carried out particularly carefully when they transfer many patients at the same time, including people who are severely suffering,’ Mr Wada told AFP.
‘The operation is likely to be completed within one or two days.’
The Japanese government is planning to dedicate up to 10 trillion yen, around €87bn, in crisis lending to businesses to help them finance day-to-day operations and repair damage from the disaster.
The government can provide special financing in the form of low-interest loans or interest payment subsidies backed by public funds when a natural disaster or other events triggers major economic instability, the Nikkei newspaper reported today.
Earthquake hits Ibaraki Prefecture
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of Fukushima today, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued.
The quake shook buildings in Tokyo, but no damage was immediately reported, public broadcaster NHK said.
Flights at the capital's Narita Airport were briefly suspended for safety checks before resuming.
The USGS said the quake struck at 6.56pm (9.56am Irish time) and was centred 98km south of Fukushima and 142km from Tokyo.
The quake struck at a depth of 24.7km.
Japan's meteorological agency measured the quake at a magnitude of 6.1.
Remarkable rescue story withdrawn
Meanwhile, Japanese news agency Kyodo News withdrew a startling story today of a young man pulled alive from the rubble.
Doubts have been raised about the story, which has been broadcast widely by international media.
Kyodo said the man in fact had been to an evacuation centre already and returned to his ruined home when he was discovered by rescue workers.
Book of Condolences in Cork
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Michael O' Connell, will open a Book of Condolences for victims and survivors on the Japanese disaster on Monday morning.
The book will be opened at 10am in the foyer of the Civic Offices of the City Hall.
In a letter to the Japanese Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Toshinao Urabe, in advance of the opening of the book of condolences the Lord Mayor stated: ‘On behalf of the people of Cork I would like to express sincere sympathy to the Japanese Government and people as they come to terms with this terrible event and mourn their loss.
‘As the recovery and reconstruction period begins I would like to offer any assistance that you consider appropriate to help the people affected.’
The Book of Condolences will be available for signing during regular office hours.
