August 23, 2018
Japan’s nuclear regulatory body has reversed a plan to remove some of the radiation monitoring posts in Fukushima Prefecture.
Shoji Takeyama, a section chief of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, revealed this at a meeting of residents of Miharu Town in Fukushima Prefecture on Wednesday.
He also said the body will demand the same budget for the monitoring posts in the fiscal year that begins next April.
About 3,000 monitoring posts were set up across the prefecture after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March 2011.
About 600 million yen, or roughly 5.4 million dollars, has been earmarked annually to maintain the posts.
The authority said in March that it would remove 2,400 monitoring posts over the next 3 years from locations where radiation levels have dropped, except for areas where evacuation orders remain in place.
But local residents protested the plan, and none of the monitoring posts have been removed so far.
If the budget demand is approved, all the posts are expected to be retained through the next fiscal year.
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