Official Department Of State Memo On Situation In Japan

[DieHardBrownsFan]

United States Department of State

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Washington, DC 20520

 

JAPAN

 

April 14, 2011

 

This Travel Alert replaces the Travel Warning for Japan dated March 31, 2011.

This Travel Alert expires on June 15, 2011.

 

The assessment of technical and subject matter experts across United States

Government agencies is that while the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi plant

remains serious and dynamic, the health and safety risks to areas beyond the 50

mile evacuation zone, and particularly to Tokyo, Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture),

Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture) nearby U.S. military facilities and the

prefectures of Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Gunma, Iwate, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama,

Shizuoka, Tochigi, and Yamanashi, and those portions of Fukushima, Ibaraki,

Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures which are outside a 50 mile radius of the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are low and do not pose significant risks

to U.S. citizens.

 

This analysis takes into consideration both various age groups and the

classification of the severity of the situation at Fukushima Daiichi as a Level

7 event by the Government of Japan, which reflects what has transpired since the

initial incident and the potential long-term effects in the area surrounding the

plant.

 

This assessment reflects inputs from our national laboratories as well as the

unanimous opinion of the U.S. scientific experts on the ground in Japan.

Furthermore, they are consistent with practices that would be taken in the

United States in such a situation. Based on the much reduced rate of heat

generation in the reactor fuel after one month of cooling and the corresponding

decay of short-lived radioactive isotopes, even in the event of an unexpected

disruption at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, harmful exposures to people beyond

the 50 mile evacuation zone are highly unlikely, and there would be a

significant amount of time to best assess any steps that might have to be taken.

 

The situation at the plant is dramatically different today than it was on March

16, when we saw significant ongoing releases of radioactivity, the loss of

effective means to cool the reactor cores and spent fuel, the absence of outside

power or fresh water supply for emergency management, and considerable

uncertainty about the condition of the site. Today, while the situation remains

serious, and there is still a possibility of unanticipated developments, cooling

efforts are ongoing and successful, power, water supply, and back-up services

have been partially or fully restored, and planning has begun to control

radioactive contamination and mitigate future dangers. Our coordination with

the Japanese is regular and productive, and we have a greatly increased capacity

to measure and analyze risks.

 

The Department of State has lifted Voluntary Authorized Departure, allowing

dependents of the U.S. government employees to return to Japan.

 

We continue to recommend that U.S. citizens avoid travel within the 50-mile

radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. U.S. citizens who are still

within this radius should evacuate or shelter in place.

 

Japan is one of the most seismically active places in the world. Tokyo and

areas to the Northeast continue to experience strong aftershocks related to the

March 11 earthquake. Aftershocks following an earthquake of this magnitude can

be expected to continue for more than a year. Identifying potential hazards

ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or

loss of life from an earthquake. See the Embassy Website for detailed

information on earthquake safety:

http://japan.usembassy.gov .

 

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American Citizen Services

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U.S. citizens in Japan are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment

Program (STEP) https://travelregist...te.gov/ibrs/ui/ . U.S. citizens

without internet access may enroll directly at the U.S. Embassy or U.S.

Consulates. By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the

Embassy/Consulates to contact them in case of emergency.

 

For the latest U.S. Government information on the situation in Japan, please

visit the Embassy website at http://japan.usembassy.gov . Updated information

on travel and security in Japan may also be obtained from the Department of

State by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or,

for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1

-202-501-4444. For further information, please consult the Country Specific

Information for Japan, as well as the Worldwide Caution.

 

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens, please contact the American

Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of either the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo or one of the

U.S. Consulates in Japan listed below:

 

U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

American Citizen Services

1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420

Tel: 03-3224-5000

After Hours: 03-3224-5000

Fax: 03-3224-5856

http://japan.usembassy.gov

 

The U.S. Embassy serves U.S. citizens in Tokyo, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma,

Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Yamagata and

Yamanashi.

 

Consulates:

 

Osaka-Kobe: 11-5, Nishitenma 2-chome, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8543; Tel: 06-

6315-5912, Fax: 06-6315-5914; serving Americans in Osaka, Tel: 06-6315-5912,

Fax: 06- 6315-5914; serving U.S. citizens in Osaka, Aichi, Ehime, Fukui, Gifu,

Hiroshima, Hyogo, Ishikawa, Kagawa, Kochi, Kyoto, Mie, Nara, Okayama, Shimane,

Shiga, Tokushima, Tottori, Toyama, and Wakayama prefectures.

http://osaka.usconsulate.gov

 

Nagoya: Nagoya International Center Bldg. 6th floor, 1-47-1 Nagano, Nakamura-ku,

Nagoya 450-0001; Tel (052) 581-4501, Fax: (052) 581-3190; providing emergency

consular services only (including death and arrest cases) for Americans living

in Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures.

http://nagoya.usconsulate.gov

 

Fukuoka: 5-26, Ohori 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0052; Tel: 092-751-9331, Fax:

092-713-9222; serving U.S. citizens in Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki,

Nagasaki, Oita, Saga and Yamaguchi prefectures.

http://fukuoka.usconsulate.gov

 

Sapporo: Kita 1-jo, Nishi 28-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0821; Tel: 011-

641-1115, Fax: 011-643-1283; serving U.S. citizens in Akita, Aomori, Hokkaido,

Iwate and Miyagi prefectures.

http://sapporo.usconsulate.gov

 

Naha: 2-1-1 Toyama, Urasoe City, Okinawa 901-2104; Phone: 098.876.4211, Fax:

098.876.4243, DSN: 645-7323; serving U.S. citizens in Okinawa and the Amami

Oshima Island group

http://naha.usconsulate.gov