IMO: Current Situation for Travel and Transport to and from Japan

?The United Nations organizations closely monitoring the effects of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant remain confident that current radiation levels do not present health or transportation safety hazards to passengers and crew.

On 18 March, based on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry assessed the significance rating of the accident at the plant as Level 5. On 12 April, this assessment was revised to Level 7 following information obtained from estimations of the amount of radioactive material discharged to the atmosphere.

Radiation monitoring around airports and seaports in Japan continues to confirm that levels remain well within safe limits from a health perspective. In addition, monitoring of passengers, crew and cargo from Japan carried out to date in other countries, in accordance with their national policy, does not suggest any health or safety risk. Therefore, screening of radiation for health and safety purposes is currently considered unnecessary at airports and seaports around the world.

Information concerning travel and transport to and from Japan by air or sea is not dependent on the INES rating.

Further information covering all aspects of the response of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, as well as information regarding the radiation dose in Tokyo Bay and at sea in the region can be found on the following websites:

http://www.mlit.go.jp/page/kanbo01_hy_001411.html

http://www.mlit.go.jp/kowan/kowan_fr1_000041.html

http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/maritime/maritime_fr1_000007.html

IMO has issued Circular letter No.3175/Rev.2 on the situation.

For updates, travellers visiting Japan by air are advised to consult a dedicated website established by the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau:

http://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/flyjapan_en/.

The UN agencies involved in the monitoring process are the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the World Tourism Organization and the International Labour Organization.

Further information concerning health aspects is available on the website of the World Health Organization - www.who.int
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IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. www.imo.org