ABSTRACT
Introduction Radionuclides released as a result of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) were deposited across a wide area of Fukushima Prefecture, resulting not only in concerns about the health effects for residents from radiation exposure but a string of interrelated and equally complex issues, including contamination and stigmatization of the agricultural and marine products of the region, restrictions on residence and entry in areas around the plant, and the division of families and communities over the difficulties of evacuation and compensation. In comparison with other prefectures severely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster, recovery in Fukushima Prefecture has been delayed due to the major obstacles presented by the NPP accident-the invisible but highly destructive, complex, and challenging consequences of radiation contamination. In order to understand the socio-economic and cultural consequences of radiation contamination, and to gain insight into the prospects for recovery, it is imperative to first solidify our understanding of the “invisible” processes at work, as well as the extent and magnitude of radioactive contamination on the ground. Accordingly, the present chapter aims to provide a basic overview of the physical properties and dynamics of radionuclides and radiation, and the types and amount of radioactive substances released as a result of the accident. It also discusses the atmospheric transport and deposition of radionuclides and their terrestrial movement and transfer to crops, the effects of radiation on the human body, and countermeasures to respond to the NPP accident such as safety limits for radiation in food.
