My name is Aki Gormezano and I am an ALT in Iwaki city, Fukushima Prefecture. There are many things that make Fukushima prefecture unique. On the tour, we stopped to eat Kitakata Ramen (famous throughout Japan), visited a local sake brewery, stopped and toured traditional store houses, and even painted our own Okiagarikoboshi - little white and red cow shaped dolls that are thought to bring good luck. In spite of the prefecture's many treasures, many of the questions I get from my friends in America are about the ongoing nuclear situation. The questions aren't malicious; they want to know if I'm safe. While I still don't know all of the answers, the prefectural tour gave me valuable information that I can use to help explain things to my friends and family. At the Fukushima Agricultural Technology Center, we toured the facilities where the radiation level of food from all over the prefecture is tested before being approved for commercial sale. Now that I know how the process works, I can rationally explain to my friends and family why it is okay to eat food from this area. For instance, Japan allows a maximum of 100 becquerels of radiation in its produce. Europe, by contrast, allows 1000 becquerels; that's 10 times as much radiation. I feel comfortable knowing that Japan's laws concerning radiation levels in food are so strict. |  |
| Summary |
