Protect children from radiation
Parents of children attending schools in Fukushima Prefecture still feel anxious about radioactive substances leaked from the crippled nuclear power plant in the prefecture.
Even if the amount of radiation in schoolyards is now within the guidelines set by the government, many schools in the prefecture still refrain from holding outdoor activities such as athletic meets. Also, some school swimming pools will be closed this summer.
Every possible measure should be implemented to reduce radiation exposure so that schools can again be considered places of safety and security.
Last month, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry announced guidelines on the use of schoolyards for outdoor activities, restricting their use if the amount of radiation exceeds 3.8 microsieverts per hour. This figure was worked out after setting the annual radiation limit for children at 20 millisieverts.
But exposure of 1 to 20 millisieverts per year is the milestone recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for declaring that a nuclear accident has ended. In other words, the 20-millisievert limit is the yardstick for annual irradiation for nuclear plant workers at normal times.
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Kids more vulnerable
But many parents and school authorities worry that the state radiation guidelines for use of school grounds are not strict enough, saying children are more susceptible to radiation than adults.
An expert on radiation safety resigned his post as an adviser to the prime minister to protest the application of the 20-millisievert annual limit to children. This apparently reinforced parents' concern about radiation's effect on their children's health.
To win public understanding, the education ministry must explain what factors were discussed within the government in the process of setting the radiation limit. In addition, it is imperative for the ministry to implement measures to reduce children's actual radiation exposure.
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Scrape away schoolyard dirt
The removal of surface soil from schoolyards is one measure in the spotlight now. According to the ministry, it has been confirmed that radiation exposure decreases if surface soil is scraped away and then is either buried in a hole or covered with soil from a deeper layer.
Fukushima and five other municipalities plan to remove surface soil at more than 200 schoolyards. The central government should provide financial assistance to help them carry out the operations smoothly.
It is advisable to increase the number of schools where radiation is regularly measured and to share the data with parents, thereby allaying their worries about radiation. The impact of radiation on students' health should be examined continuously through checkups.
Of course, children's exposure to radioactive materials is not limited to when they are at school.
Their radiation exposure can be lowered if they refrain from outdoor activities, but keeping kids cooped up at home would not be good for their psychological well-being.
It is necessary to map out sensible guidelines on how to lead family and community life after gathering opinions from experts.
Disaster cooperation can build better relations
Steady progress must be made in facilitating fresh cooperation among Japan, China and South Korea in disaster preparedness and nuclear power safety, based on lessons from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Naoto Kan held talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak in Tokyo. Shortly after their summit, the three leaders issued a joint declaration stating their nations had agreed to exchange information essential for smooth cross-border acceptance of emergency rescue teams and relief supplies in times of disaster.
The joint statement included a trilateral agreement to conduct joint drills for such purposes. The three leaders also agreed to promote cooperation in nuclear power safety by, for example, sharing information about nuclear accidents and holding meetings among experts from their nations.
Both China and South Korea were quick to come to Japan's aid after the Great East Japan Earthquake. However, both nations were chagrined by the apparent inadequacy of Japan's handling of issues involving other nations in the wake of the March 11 catastrophe, such as the methods adopted by the government for receiving overseas relief supplies and its failure to give other nations timely advance notice about the discharge of radiation-contaminated water from the disabled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
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Put a framework in place
In ensuring that emergency aid is smoothly received by any disaster-stricken nation, it is important to lay down a set of international rules. It is also indispensable for a nation hit by a nuclear disaster to swiftly provide other countries with precise information about the event.
Given this, it is important for Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul to bring their latest accord into full play so their relevant specialists and government officials can routinely hold exchanges, keeping each other well informed about the status of their respective nuclear power generation.
The two-day trilateral summit meeting addressed issues regarding the excessive import restrictions imposed by China and South Korea on Japanese products in reaction to the nuclear crisis. The three leaders agreed to make "necessary responses...based upon scientific evidence" about the safety of products.
China has pledged to ease some import restrictions--a move that would, for instance, remove Yamanashi and Yamagata prefectures from the list of 12 areas whose products are subject to its import ban. The list currently names Tokyo and 11 prefectures.
Admittedly, these moves cannot be seen as satisfactory. Still, the new policies mark a certain measure of progress in this respect. The Japanese government needs to persistently urge its trade partners to further relax their import restrictions while also continuing to impart to them information about the ongoing nuclear crisis and the spread of nuclear substances.
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Reassure world on food safety
Seen in that light, the three leaders deserve praise for their visits to disaster-stricken areas, where they tasted fruits and other food from Fukushima Prefecture.
We hope the Japanese government will seize every opportunity to actively disseminate necessary information worldwide. This task will be essential for surmounting problems arising from damage caused by rumors about the nuclear accidents, thus helping revive the Japanese economy.
The Japan Disaster Relief Team was highly appreciated for its disciplined conduct during rescue operations at the time of the devastating earthquake that hit China's Sichuan Province in 2008. The Chinese were favorably impressed by the contribution of JDRT personnel.
Disaster damage reduction is one area in which Japan, China and South Korea would find mutual cooperation most beneficial.
The three nations still face various unresolved problems peculiar to their relationship as neighbors, including disparities in their perceptions of historical issues and territorial disputes. Increased disaster management cooperation will be an important part of adopting a way of thinking conducive to improving overall relations among the three nations.
The joint declaration stated the three leaders had expressed "concern" about North Korea's uranium enrichment program. It also said their governments would conclude a government-industry-university joint study this year on a trilateral free trade agreement, adding they would try to start follow-up negotiations.
Making headway in advancing these tasks will require even closer dialogue and cooperation among the three nations.
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