6/1/2011 | Most Japanese Worried About Radiation Poisoning, Poll Shows

Source: Bloomberg
Date: Jun 1, 2011 3:33 PM CT 

Fifty-nine percent of Japanese adults worry that they or a family member have been contaminated by radiation from a nuclear reactor meltdown triggered by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, a survey found.
The Pew Research Center, based in Washington D.C., surveyed 700 Japanese adults between April 8 and April 27 about their concerns about the economy, health, and nuclear safety. None favored increasing Japan’s reliance on nuclear energy, 46 percent favored maintaining it and 44 said nuclear power should play a smaller role, according to the report, posted today on Pew’s website.
About 52 percent of those surveyed expect economic conditions to worsen over the next 12 months, up from 33 percent among those polled a year earlier, the center said. About 58 percent said Japan will emerge a stronger nation from the disasters.
Tokyo Electric Power Co., owner of the leaking Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, drew the harshest criticism with 86 percent of respondents judging its response to the crisis poor. Almost 80 percent said the national government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan responded poorly. The criticism didn’t extend to the National Defense Force, as 95 judged its response favorably.
Editors: Charles Siler, Susan Warren
To contact the reporter on this story: Jim Polson in New York at +1-212-617-5293 or jpolson@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Susan Warren at +1-214-954-9455 or susanwarren@bloomberg.net