Decontamination work reduces radiation by over 60 percent in nuclear plant town, Japan

Test decontamination work in the Fukushima Prefecture town of Okuma, where part of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant is located, has reduced radiation dosages by over 60 percent, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has announced.

The results of model decontamination work in 12 municipalities in the prefecture were announced by the central government and the JAEA on March 26. In Okuma, the level of radiation was decreased to around 20 millisieverts per year in some areas -- the government threshold for ordering evacuations.

The work covered roughly 209 hectares of land, while the amount of contaminated soil and other materials totaled some 16,000 tons.

"Decontamination is the first step toward people returning home, but this result covers only part of an expansive area, so we want to continue these efforts," an agency representative said. Read More