Moscow, May 1 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Japanese government has lifted restrictions on milk supplies from areas near the quake-stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant imposed earlier over radiation contamination concerns, Kyodo news agency reported Sunday citing government spokesman Yukio Edano.
Restrictions have been lifted for milk producers in the towns of Minamisoma and Kawamata in the Fukushima prefecture, the agency reported.
The Japanese government has, therefore, lifted restrictions on milk supplies from all the areas in the country’s northeast, except the area around the damaged nuclear power plant, the agency said.
The government had previously halted shipments of milk and many vegetables from Fukushima and other neighbouring prefectures after detecting radiation levels above the allowable limit in some produce.
A magnitude-9 earthquake and ensuing tsunami hit northeastern Japan March 11 leaving over 27,000 people dead or missing and disabling the Fukushima reactors’ cooling systems.
Radioactive elements were later found in the water, air and food products in some parts of Japan.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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