Dangers Grow in Tokyo

The tsunami that struck earlier this month seems to be the attack that will not cease. Besides structural damage, the waves devastated the nuclear power plant. After further testing conducted earlier this week, Japan has discovered that radioactive iodine has been found in the water supply. This discovery can be potentially lethal to infants and small children who do not have the immune systems to properly dispose of the lethal doses of iodine.

The announcement added to the growing anxiety about public safety posed by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which was severely damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and it prompted a run on bottled water at stores in Tokyo. Prime Minister Naoto Kan said earlier Wednesday that the public should avoid additional farm produce from areas near the power station because of contamination, according to the Japanese news media.The Health Ministry said in a statement that it was unlikely that there would be negative consequences to infants who did drink the water, but that it should be avoided if possible and not be used to make infant formula. The warning applied to the 23 wards of Tokyo, as well as the towns of Mitaka, Tama, Musashino, Machida and Inagi to the west of the city.  

Not only does this effect children, but even those who have not been born yet:

Pregnant women also take up more iodine-131 in the thyroid, especially during the first trimester. The iodine also crosses the placenta and reaches the fetus, and the fetal thyroid takes up more and more iodine as pregnancy progresses. During the first week after birth a baby’s thyroid activity increases up to fourfold and stays at that level for a few days so newborns are especially vulnerable. Women who are breastfeeding will secrete about a quarter of the iodine they ingest into their milk.

The complete devastation that has impacted the nation of Japan cannot be completely quantified, but it is definite that these trying times will resonate throughout several generations. It is our hope that as human beings, we can huddle together, instead of trying to tear each other apart. The nations of the world are co-dependent, and we must do all that we can to re-establish stability.