Japan Radiation Levels...Important?

Question:

Hi guys. I was supposed to go to Japan this Summer but the March earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster, I canceled the trip a long time ago. However, I'm hoping to go to Japan during Summer 2012. First of all, what's the status of Japan's radiation now? Also, how will it be luje a year from now?? I have many more questions, but these are my main ones

Answer:

"Radiation" is a scary word for many but lets look at the facts:

Radiation levels in Tokyo and the vast majority of Japan are well within safety levels.
In fact the radiation level in Tokyo is lower then the radiation levels in New York City!

Today's radiation level in TOKYO was 0.056 (uSv/h)
New York City was 0.094 (uSv/h)
Berlin Germany was 0.075-0.084 (uSv/h)

What does this mean? Being exposed to radiation in most parts of Japan is no more dangerous then eating a banana. BTW you get more radiation eating a banana from Mexico then you do standing on the streets of Tokyo or any other major city in Japan.

Cellphones, the computer you are standing in front of right now, standing next to your friend all give out radiation.

Radiation dose chart:
http://xkcd.com/radiation/

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Poster, let me ask you a question.
Do you plan on taking a field trip to inside the nuclear reactor at Fukushima in Japan?
If not, then there isn't anything you should worry about. I have just given you the facts about the radiation levels in the major cities.

If you still think it is scary, let me ask you this question then. If it is "that bad" in Japan, and everyone is being exposed to radiation at massive levels. Why isn't it on the news? Why isn't CNN in Japan making a sensation of it like they did back in March?

Because it's a non issue. Radiation levels for the most part of Japan is perfectly within safety levels.

People are not glowing in the dark, people are not sporting superpowers like superman or spider-man in Japan.

Again radiation levels are perfectly within safety limits:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eq/img/eng/04_radi…

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No problem, there are people who go ape crazy when they hear about "radiation", no other event I have experienced in recent history have I seen so many people hysterically go out of their minds without logically thinking it through, and I blame it on media-sensationalism. Japan took a lot of damage not from the quake or tsunami but from the international news media itself. Remember all those "doomsday" reports in the news back in March?? There was a guy on American TV saying Mt. Fuji was going to blow it's top and rain ashes down on Tokyo.
Well none of that happened, and the news-media left Japan.

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I'm not sure if I got through to you, radiation levels in the vast majority of Japan are perfectly fine, and comparable to many world cities. It's lower then New York City for pete sake. If that's not good enough, then I really suggest you visit Disney Land in Florida...ps, you'll get more radiation flying on an airplane form LA to Florida then you would standing on the streets of Tokyo.

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Radiation in the affected area will be there for a very long time. However the affected area is an area most tourist never visited to begin with. All the major cities have levels of radiation lower then many other world cities. Food and drink are safe to eat in most parts of Japan. Again no stories about mutated Big Macs attacking people yet. If they start, CNN will be the first to sensationalize it.

Relax and enjoy your trip.