Fukushima nuclear accident

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<p>It's nearly a year (11 March 2011) since Japan was struck by a huge earthquake and Tsunami. </p><p>Clouds of radioactive fall out from damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power station spread across heavily populated areas - many kilometres from the plant. </p><p>The government and power company TEPCO have been heavily criticised for not telling the local population soon enough about what was going on - in many cases people evacuated to areas with higher radiation levels than those they fled. </p><p>As a result, deep mistrust developed towards government or TEPCO pronouncements on the nuclear incident. </p><p>In this special one hour edition of Discovery Mariko Oi, visits the Fukushima prefecture to find out what has happened since. </p><p>She meets scientists working to piece together an accurate picture of the effects of the radioactive fall out, both on the environment and human health. </p><p>She hears from local community grassroots organisations, many people living in fear of radiation, they argue for a mass clean up operation to reduce radiation levels to zero and further evacuations, especially of children. </p><p>Mariko examines the current decontamination efforts, which involve removing and disposing of huge quantities of soil and concrete contaminated with caesium 137 – a radioactive isotope which can persist in the environment for 30 years or more. </p><p>The programme questions whether attempting to remove such contamination is really effective - or even necessary, and contrasts the fears of radiation with the scientific reality.</p><p>(Image: A journalist watching stricken Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant at Okuma town in Fukushima prefecture. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)</p>