#Radioactive Tea in France Was Made in Shizuoka

The producer says it can't be that radioactive. When he had it measured, it was 400 becquerels per kilogram at most.

From Asahi Shinbun (6/20/2011):

フランス政府が、静岡の茶から欧州連合（ＥＵ）の基準の２倍にあたる１キロ当たり１０３８ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した問題で、静 岡県は２０日、輸出時に発行した証明書から、この茶葉は同県御前崎市の茶商工業者が製造した玄米茶だと発表した。ただ、業者は、茶葉の自主検査では基準 （１キロ当たり５００ベクレル）を下回っていたとしている。

Shizuoka Prefecture announced on June 20 that the tea from which the French authorities detected 1,038 becquerels/kg cesium, twice the EU limit, has been traced to the "Genmai-cha" (tea mixed with roasted brown rice) produced by a tea merchant in Omaezaki City in Shizuoka, based on the export license record. However, the merchant insists that it was less than the safety limit (500 becquerels/kg) when he had the tea leaves tested on his own.

　同県経済産業部によると、この商品はフランスへの輸出用で、国内での流通は無いという。重量比で約４５％を占める玄米は昨年以前に収穫したもので、残り が今年の一番茶。茶葉は、県内の複数の産地にある自社茶園で栽培したものを交ぜており、県外産はブレンドしていないという。

According to the Economy and Industry Division of the Shizuoka prefectural government, this product is for export only to France, and is not sold in Japan. The tea is a combination of 45% (by weight) roasted brown rice (the rice was harvested last year or prior) and the "ichiban-cha" ("first pick of the season" tea, or new tea). The tea leaves came from the tea plantation that the merchant has in several growing regions in Shizuoka, and no out-of-Shizuoka tea leaves were blended.

...一方、この業者は朝日新聞の取材に対し、検査結果に疑問を呈した。茶葉の６回の自主検査では、最も高い数値でも１キロ当たり約４００ベクレルだったとい う。業者は「玄米が半分近く交ざっているのに、この検査結果は納得できない。基準を上回ったことは一度もない」と強調した。

...Responding to the Asahi Shinbun's inquiry, the merchant expressed doubt over the test result. He said he had the tea leaves tested 6 times, and the highest radiation detected was 400 becquerels per kilogram. He said, "The test result is impossible, because the tea is mixed with roasted brown rice. [In my tests] it never exceeded the limit."

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