Although the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant is no longer front page news, facts on the ground reveal an expanding crisis. On Dec. 6, the Meichi Holdings Company, Inc. recalled 400,000 cans of “Meiji Step” powdered milk for children over nine months. The powder, contaminated with radioactive cesium, was packaged in April and distributed in May. There are no estimates on how much milk has already been consumed.
The contamination has been widespread. Radiation has been found in green tea harvested 250 miles from the stricken plant, and in November high levels of cesium were found in rice from 154 farms. The rice was banned but not before many tons had been sold.
In a stunning legal argument, attorneys for plant owner Tepco, sued Oct. 31 by owners of a contaminated golf course, claimed the firm was not liable because it no longer “owned” the radioactive poison dispersed in the catastrophe. The court rejected their argument.
