EXPAT1

Be Careful all Air Japan Pilots. Best of Luck!
Local authorities in China's northeastern province of Liaoning detected higher than normal radiation levels on a Japanese cargo plane that arrived in the port city of Dalian a week ago, state news agency Xinhua reported.
The Dalian Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau measured a radiation level of 2.2 microsieverts per hour, or 22 times higher than normal, from the plane's cargo, Xinhua said, citing a spokesman from the agency.
Despite the higher radiation levels authorities said they did not turn the plane away.
The plane left after it landed "because of a tight schedule," Xinhua quoted a spokesman with Liaoning Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau as saying.
Media reported earlier that an All Nippon Airways cargo plane arrived at Dalian on March 16 from an airport near Tokyo but was denied entry due to excessive radiation detected from its cargo, according to Xinhua.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said the overall situation at the quake-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant 250 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo remained serious despite some positive developments.
Some countries have started blocking imports of produce from Japan, fearful of radiation contamination
China Detects Japan Plane Radiation - Report

MeLu

I spoke with my aunt official we are inviting Dominican to Europe EU if this mass panic will not end lets him guide for real. He will show that one may fly even in radiation area and my capt brother can learn all three of us we will find each others at a cockpit. In my case just for 1.5 h the longest time I can be but still I can be. For what to suffer so much? One can say many things at current like to be careful, it is basically too late, the panic had rosed to the highest extents just reading the news and etc.... It is a catastrophe, but it is everywhere now not even in some china. They just do not want anyone from a place a catastrophe took place at because of Fukushima. If they do not want them, then one should say we also dont want to stop at other airports.

The Dominican

CURRENT RADIATION LEVELS IN JAPAN AND TRAVEL ADVICE
MONTRÉAL, 01 April 2011 – Radioactive material from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant is gradually spreading outside Japan into the global atmosphere but at extremely low concentrations that do not present health or transportation safety hazards, according to the United Nations organizations closely monitoring the situation.
Japanese authorities confirm that all airports in the country, with the exception of Sendai which was affected by the tsunami of 11 March, continue to operate normally for both international and domestic operations. Continuous monitoring around these airports confirms that radiation levels are well within safe limits from a health perspective.
For updates, travelers visiting Japan by air are advised to consult a dedicated website established by the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau:
Japanese Air Transport after the 2011 Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake.
Japanese authorities also confirm that all international seaports not damaged by the earthquake and tsunami are operating normally and that no health risk has been detected around the ports, based on the results of measurements of radiation levels by local governments.
Further information covering all aspects of the response of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, as well as information regarding the radiation dose in Tokyo Bay can be found on the following websites:
2011 Tohoku district �| off the Pacific Ocean Earthquake - MLIT Japan
�`˜p�FMeasurement of radiation doses - �‘“yŒð’Ê�È
Screening for radiation of passengers arriving from Japan is currently considered unnecessary at airports or seaports around the world.
The UN agencies involved in the monitoring process are the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Tourism Organization.
Further information is available on the website of the World Health Organization - www.who.int
ICAO Newsroom: Home - Newsroom

From the IAEA website

2. Radiation Monitoring
On 2 April, deposition of iodine-131 was detected in 7 prefectures ranging from 4 to 95 becquerel per square metre. Deposition of cesium-137 in 6 prefectures was reported on 2 April ranging from 15 to 47 becquerel per square metre. Reported gamma dose rates in the 45 prefectures showed no significant changes compared to yesterday.
Most of the previously imposed recommendations for restrictions on drinking water have been lifted. As of 2 April, one recommendation for the restriction based on iodine-131 concentration was in place in one village in the Fukushima prefecture, which applied for infants only. Meanwhile, also in this village, the iodine-131 level in drinking water has dropped below 100 becquerel per litre, which is the recommended restriction level for intake by infants. The restriction is still in place as a precautionary measure of the local authority.
Currently, one IAEA monitoring team is working in the Fukushima region. On 2 April, measurements were made at 7 locations at distances of 32 to 62 km, North and Northwest to the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The dose rates ranged from 0.6 to 4.5 microsievert per hour. At the same locations, results of beta-gamma contamination measurements ranged from 0.09 to 0.46 megabecquerel per square metre.

The Dominican

IAEA Briefing on Fukushima Nuclear Accident (5 April 2011, 14:00 UT)

2. Radiation monitoring
On 3rd April, deposition of both iodine-131 and cesium-137 was detected in 7 prefectures. The values for iodine-131 ranged from 2.4 to 82, for cesium-137 from 5.2 to 57 becquerel per square metre. On 4th April, deposition of iodine-131 was detected in 7 prefectures ranging from 3.1 to 75 becquerel per square metre. Deposition of cesium-137 in 6 prefectures ranging from 7.4 to 46 becquerel per square metre. Reported gamma dose rates in the 46 prefectures showed no significant changes compared to yesterday.
As of 3rd April, iodine-131 and cesium-134/137 was detectable in 8 and 5 prefectures respectively. All values were well below levels that would trigger recommendations for restrictions of drinking water. As of 3rd April, restrictions for infants related to I-131 (100 Bq/l) are in place in only one village of the Fukushima prefecture. The restriction is still in place as a precautionary measure.
Currently, the IAEA monitoring team is working in the Fukushima region. On 5th April, measurements were made at 7 locations at distances of 16 to 41 km, South and South West to the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The dose rates ranged from 0.3 to 31 microsievert per hour. At the same locations, results of beta-gamma contamination measurements ranged from 0.01 to 3.2 megabecquerel per square metre. The highest dose rates and beta gamma contaminations were measured at the location closest to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.
Since our written briefing of yesterday, data related to food contamination was reported on 4 April by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. These reported analytical results covered a total of 24 samples taken on 31 March (4 samples) and 1st, 3rd and 4th April (20 samples). Analytical results for all of the 24 samples for various vegetables, fruit (strawberry) and seafood in five prefectures (Gunma, Ibaraki, Niigata, Saitama and Tochigi) indicated that iodine-131, caesium-134 and/or caesium-137 were either not detected or were below the regulation values set by the Japanese authorities.
The IAEA/FAO Food Safety Assessment Team has completed its tasks and returned to Vienna. The team met with relevant local government officials and stakeholders in the agriculture sector in the four prefectures (Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma) most affected by the nuclear emergency in Fukushima. The team were appraised on the local situation and provided relevant technical information.
On 31st March, the team reported to the Japanese Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Tokyo. The team returned from their mission on 1 April.
Seawater is collected daily close to the discharge areas of Units 1 - 4 and of Units 5 and 6 at the Dai-ichi NPP. The data show a decreasing trend from 1 to 3 April from about 66 kBq/l to 24 kBq/l for I-131 and 21 kBq/l to 10 kBq/l for both Cs-134 and Cs-137 at Units 1-4. The concentrations at Units 5 and 6 also showed a decreasing trend until 3 April. These values were measured before the discharge of low level contaminated water authorised by the Japanese Government on the 4th April.
New data were provided for the off-shore survey on 8 sampling points about 30 km east of the NPPs. Concentrations are between 5 and 18 Bq/l for I-131 and between roughly 1 and 11 Bq/l for Cs-137. For the new coverage of the coastal transect in the south, about 35 km south of Fukushima Daiini, the highest concentrations were detected at the sampling point closest to the coast in the south with about 38 Bq/l for I-131 and 4.5 Bq/l for Cs-137. The concentrations at all sampling points have decreased over time.

Date: 1 April 2011

UN Confirms Safety of Japan Operations - No Recommendation for Passenger Screening
Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed confirmation from six United Nations (UN) agencies monitoring Japan’s damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant that there is no health or transportation safety hazard. The UN statement also confirmed that screening for radiation of passengers arriving from Japan is currently considered unnecessary at airports or seaports around the world.

The joint statement was prepared by the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Tourism Organization.

According to the UN statement, continuous monitoring around Japan’s airports confirms that radiation levels are well within safe limits from a health perspective. For updates, travelers visiting Japan by air are advised to consult a dedicated website established by the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau: http://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/flyjapan_en/.

“Safety is always the top priority. The transparent and continuous monitoring of the situation has allowed Japanese and international authorities to confirm that Japan’s airports remain open and safe for travelers and transport workers. It is important that governments and industry respond to the challenges of this crisis with best practices supported by expert advice. We are reassured that the UN is not recommending screening measures for passengers coming from Japan,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

MeLu

Had read it all and managed to explain it to an aunt and and told my capt brother.They do not panic since its a catastrophe in whole its sense, the worries covers the other field whether others understand at EU what is written above. There were cases at which others worldwide refused to to talk with their relatives coming from the devastated area. Kenny was right once by stating I remember that some should stop coming to US. The ones who panic really I told it to my aunt except for UK or other Eu areas really or SAfrica or Zimb. I guess that the ones who remind flying in Japanese area, should get the other status at current a better one allowing them to stay with their families since it is really tough. Yes, the grass is never " green", but sometimes just sometimes it is. The radiation reminds and no one will change this fact. I can be at a cockpit for 1.5h with my capt brother and it is enough for me. Whatever will happen Dominican will return to EU with a wife, and will teach all about the " safety" and " responsibility" while new boeings are at a process of a purchase spoke with an official aunt. One clever one except for a small argument like the flight attendants really have nothing to do with a cockpit and will never have so if a cocpit is willing to work then the others must follow, not organizing their own strikes.

Puppet Master

MeLu

Fukushima had heard is already at Level 7. Its good to hear that others continue flying, in an area considered as the most dangerous now. Puppet Muppet, if I would be a Dominican I would ask for the better job condition considering the factors affecting health. I will tell you now in a shortest way as I may. When you apply to the airlines in Europe ( except for UK), and you are considering in a serious way flying not even for financial benefits, through friends and etc,,,,which factors are playing the main role???? The religion, whatever to say. Whether or not certain happenings will not take place just because once it was disturbing. I asked then how will I protect my mate???That what I felt.Following the radiation news a little bit so far and earthquakes and etc....One must check whether the insurance is still working since some of the airlines were not being covered with the insurance heading for Japan. If it will get worst then we will think further on later with my capt brother.