Shizuoka governor snubs central gov't request to check steam

[a.serrao]

So even though most of my companies Shizuoka tea is not really affected by the "numbers", it's going to be affected nevertheless. Mainly, by 風評被害, which means "wind blown reputation damage", or "guilt by association". Most consumers are not going to care if their tea came from Kakegawa, Shizuoka or Shimizu, Shizuoka....it's just "Shizuoka."

Could be a good idea to publish tests results on your site, for every tea, and then comparing them against the public limits?
This way the consumer can do an educated choice.

[Chip]

I am not even sure what the actual source of this article is since the link and "credit" was omitted by the OP.

It's easy: cut and paste a portion of my post and you'll find the source.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp

Thank you for the link. You mentioned "click here" in your OP, but there was just a blank space. I thought you forgot to include the link? Members should not have to do a cut and paste search for the source of the article.

When quoting a published news article, it is important to be crystal clear on the source and be sure to provide proper credit and links, preferably directly to the page of the article.

[tortoise]

Some people will never be satisfied...even if they have all the information right in front of them.

What can you do?

Thanks, Kevin, for your participation in this thread. Best of luck this year dealing with the alarmists on top of all the other stuff going on in your country.

I'll be ordering sencha/gyo all summer long.

[JBaymore]

We are basing our comments upon one sentence by the governor. It is typical reporting to print only what is sensational ... same thing we have been dealing with since day one.

Show me the facts, the test results. This is where the rubber hits the road (thanks Kevin).

I am not even sure what the actual source of this article is since the link and "credit" was omitted by the OP.

I am certainly not going to make any judgements yet based upon this little information. But I will most certainly be watching ... as I am sure we all have. I am confident in the end, there will be a set standard that all prefectures potentially affected will comply 100%.

And I am certain there will be more to this saga in the days, weeks to come.

And ultimately my confidence is still so much higher in Japanese tea products than Chinese tea products. China has for years been dumping suspect tea on Western brokers/wholesalers.

+1

Here we go again!!!!!

The hysteria that the word "radiation" induces is amazing. And the unfortunate lack of scientific knowledge amongst the general populace is such that the sensationalist headlines work wonders in causing untold additional damage.

Japanese "standards for concern" on radiation in food are generally LOWER than the World Health Organization's.

I'm leaving to go TO Japan in 3 days.

best,

.............john

[Drax]

We are basing our comments upon one sentence by the governor. It is typical reporting to print only what is sensational ... same thing we have been dealing with since day one.

Show me the facts, the test results. This is where the rubber hits the road (thanks Kevin).

I am not even sure what the actual source of this article is since the link and "credit" was omitted by the OP.

I am certainly not going to make any judgements yet based upon this little information. But I will most certainly be watching ... as I am sure we all have. I am confident in the end, there will be a set standard that all prefectures potentially affected will comply 100%.

And I am certain there will be more to this saga in the days, weeks to come.

And ultimately my confidence is still so much higher in Japanese tea products than Chinese tea products. China has for years been dumping suspect tea on Western brokers/wholesalers.

+1

Here we go again!!!!!

The hysteria that the word "radiation" induces is amazing. And the unfortunate lack of scientific knowledge amongst the general populace is such that the sensationalist headlines work wonders in causing untold additional damage.

Japanese "standards for concern" on radiation in food are generally LOWER than the World Health Organization's.

I'm leaving to go TO Japan in 3 days.

best,

.............john

+2

Of course, being a chemist and having taken many biochemistry courses gives me a solid foundational knowledge about the constant assault that happens to our bodies under normal Earth conditions.

John -- have fun in Japan, and don't forget your lead underwear!!!

[Xell]

In traffic from google that i receive radiation is second most popular keyword Wonder, how long this nuclear disaster will continue to haunt Japan.

[JBaymore]

In talking to my friends there ....... the lack of westerners in even the Kyoto area apparently is unbelieveable. A gaijin sticks out like a sore thumb in most of the typical foreign tourist destinations now. Sad.

It was bad enough all the death and destruction from the earthquake and tsunami. And the awful impact on so many people living close to the nuclear reactor issues with likely forever losing their homes.

But now good ole' humans add to the negative impact on Japan by zapping their economy.

best,

.............john

PS: Crap....... The lead lined underwear would put my bags over the new 50 lb. limit that JAL has on checked luggage .

[Cole]

Well, looks like no one knows so far. Guess I'll just roll my dice on this one? I did my (small) part to help Japan's economy, but I wasn't sure if earlier picked Shincha is going to be better/worse in relation to radiation. I just hope this doesn't effect future crops too much -- I know new plants take years to reach maturity.

Sorry for seeming like such a worrywart, but the whole "there is no acceptable amount of radiation" argument is the thing that spooks most newcomers to irradiated food

[a.serrao]

Thank you for the link. You mentioned "click here" in your OP, but there was just a blank space. I thought you forgot to include the link? Members should not have to do a cut and paste search for the source of the article.

When quoting a published news article, it is important to be crystal clear on the source and be sure to provide proper credit and links, preferably directly to the page of the article.

The click here thing is part of the article I've cut and pasted on my original post.
I though it was sufficient the "Mainichi, Japan" at the bottom of the post, that's it.

It's not the lack of scientific knowledge that causes the problem, the customers aren't supposed to know about science to drink tea, isn't it?
I really don't see any problems when actual facts are told: people make up their mind accordingly and take a decision whether buy or not japanese tea. It's up to sellers and producers to inform the public. If a seller/producer doesn't want to disclose actual radiation tests results or doesn't want his tea to be tested as per government suggestion I think the customer is not stupid at all.

[entropyembrace]

I know Den got some sort of certification for the tea when it was shipped here, but I'm not sure if the leaves themselves were tested. Should I hold off on it for now? And (bonus points!) would there be any risk of radiation getting absorbed into my (steel) tea tin or (glazed) tea ware? I'm not familiar with the science of radioactive decay, but I'm betting everyone in California is probably getting similar doses when it rains.

Thanks to anyone who reads through all this!

Given what Kevin has said I am fairly sure that the fresh leaves were tested for radioactive isotopes. Japan´s limits are quite strict so even they tested the fresh rather than the dry leaves the levels still aren´t that high. So worst case they´re borderline of what Japan considers acceptable and Japans standards are stricter than the international standards. All standards for public radiation exposure are set orders of magnitude lower than harmful levels.

As to your tea tins or teaware becoming radioactive that´s not possible. It takes a lot of high energy neutrons to make stable isotopes become radioactive...a tiny trace of radioactive Cs in the tea isn´t going to release anywhere near enough of a neutron flux to do that.

As to the "no acceptable radiation" thing...radioactive isotopes are part of nature and you will always be exposed to some level of radiation every moment of your life...your own body is even naturally radioactive to some degree.

It´s really just a matter of how much avoidable exposure is acceptable....and it´s really hard to draw that line.

[beecrofter]

The solution to pollution is dilution.

All the same I am not buying anything from Japan until they fix their veracity deficit.

[Cole]

Given what Kevin has said I am fairly sure that the fresh leaves were tested for radioactive isotopes. Japan´s limits are quite strict so even they tested the fresh rather than the dry leaves the levels still aren´t that high. So worst case they´re borderline of what Japan considers acceptable and Japans standards are stricter than the international standards. All standards for public radiation exposure are set orders of magnitude lower than harmful levels.

As to your tea tins or teaware becoming radioactive that´s not possible. It takes a lot of high energy neutrons to make stable isotopes become radioactive...a tiny trace of radioactive Cs in the tea isn´t going to release anywhere near enough of a neutron flux to do that.

As to the "no acceptable radiation" thing...radioactive isotopes are part of nature and you will always be exposed to some level of radiation every moment of your life...your own body is even naturally radioactive to some degree.

It´s really just a matter of how much avoidable exposure is acceptable....and it´s really hard to draw that line.

Very well said.

I checked and the leaves were tested and guaranteed before shipment, so I'm not worried about anything becoming radioactive. I was just being a bit paranoid at the time, but I realized it's not worth the trouble. I'm only drinking 50g of the stuff, and even if I drank a pound, it would still give me "less radiation" than some fruits and vegetables cleared for distribution in the US.

I'm just going to enjoy my tea, and hope that Shizuoka isn't hit too hard by all of this

[Kevangogh]

So, when a tea is "Uji", the question then becomes: "How much of the leaf is actually Uji and where does the rest of the leaf originate?"

By law, more than 50% of the leaf must be from Uji to call it Uji tea.

[Flonihoncha]

If you have between 50 and 99% of leaves from "Uji", it is OK to call it Uji tea at the condition that somewhere on the package there is the mention "blend". The point is what is Uji. Uji doesn't mean the Uji city, all the tea of Kyoto prefecture, and the tea from a part of Mie, Nara, Shiga prefectures.

[skilfautdire]

PS: Crap....... The lead lined underwear would put my bags over the new 50 lb. limit that JAL has on checked luggage .

Not only that. They would turn out in the scan as a dense object. A dense object cannot be seen through. That means extra time to open the lugguage and check it out. In the ol' times some people used to wrap guns and explosive devices in lead in the hope that scans won't show them. Now they are simply flagged as dense objects (if the airport has paid for the extra software costs to do this) and requires manual check.

Anyhow, I'm thinking about next time I'll buy konbu. Konbu-growing water areas in Japan are seemingly all in the north. Would Chinese konbu be better ? Or maybe it's time I try again that one that grows on the east cost of the USA which is sold with a analysis run-down.