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Monday, July 18, 2011

Panic / Chow Japan's New Normal

Posted by Goldy on Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 10:42 AM

For a nation that boasts the most expensive beef in the world ($368 for a Kobe steak at Tokyo's Aragawa restaurant), the growing concerns over radioactive beef can't be sitting well with consumers. Last week we learned that meat from six Fukushima cows, some of it with radioactive cesium at seven times permitted levels, had made its way to market, and was presumably eaten. And now we learn that the government may soon suspend the shipment of all Fukushima beef cows, due to their widespread consumption of radioactive straw.

Senior Vice Health Minister Kohei Otsuka said Sunday that the government may consider expanding the expected cattle restriction beyond Fukushima.

"We may need to increase our response by checking the distribution of contaminated straw," he said on a national television talk show.

Ya think? With the latest revelations, 143 head of cattle are now known to have eaten radioactive straw at six Fukushima farms. Radioactive cesium in straw at one farm in Koriyama City was measured at 500,000 becquerels per kilogram, roughly 378 times the legal limit. Yum.

Comments (3) RSS

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Japan's beef gives your skin that healthy glow in the dark sorta glow!!

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on July 18, 2011 at 10:46 AM

I can feel my Taurean super powers already ...

Posted by Will in Seattle

on July 18, 2011 at 12:50 PM

Even though I'm vegetarian, I'd like to point out that beef from Hyogo prefecture (aka Kobe beef) is totally safe. Meanwhile, the Japanese government is halting all exports of Fukushima beef outside the prefecture. Eat Kobe beef, not Fukushima beef!

Posted by ridia on July 18, 2011 at 6:29 PM