A US-based non-profit organization has criticized Japan's radiation safety standards for school children in Fukushima prefecture, one of the hardest hit areas during the 11 March calamity.
The Japanese government's radiation limit of less than 20 millisieverts for one year for kids was challenged by the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), The Japan Times said.
The PSR said on Friday, "Any exposure, including exposure to naturally occurring background radiation, creates an increased risk of cancer.
"Children are much more vulnerable than adults to the effects of radiation, and fetuses are even more vulnerable.
"There is no way that this level of exposure can be considered 'safe' for children."
The medical experts group said if children were exposed to that level of radiation, there is a half percent chance of developing cancer. The risk increases to one percent if the kids were exposed to the same level of radioactive particles in two years.
Winner of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize, the PSR agree with University of Tokyo professor Toshiso Kosako who warned to resign as adviser of the prime minister on nuclear crisis. Kosako wanted the government to toughen its radiation upper limits for children.
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