Introduction.

During the 21st. International Epidemiology Association (IEA) World Congress of Epidemiology at Saitama (Japan), celebrated in August 2017, an invitation from its organizers to visit Fukushima Nuclear Plant # 1 was accepted. Objective: To explore operational and public health situation at the area of the Fukushima Prefecture and its nuclear plant #1, place affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Methods.

Inspection tour and appointment with representatives of TEPCO (Tokyo Energy Power Company) at the control area; explanation on background and actual situation, and briefing before access. Guided visit to areas dedicated to healthcare and workers’ attention, and work done. Tour by specially adapted autobus to the perimeter of each reactor, using individual dosimeter. Final meeting to solve questions and lessons of this case.

Results.

Visit and meetings were executed; individual exposure = 0,01 mSv. Radioactivity by reactor zones: central (inside) =230 mSv/h; walls =40 mSv/h; plant =0,26 mSv/h, perimeter =0,26 mSv/h. Exclusion zone =20 km. Public Health policies in place based upon cleansing and removal of sources of contamination; water isolation and subterranean sources pumping; prevention and containment of leaks.

Conclusion.

About industrial issues, prevention is everything, whether they be nuclear or not; interpersonal / interagencies’ cooperation is paramount when dealing with similar disasters at a very long term; unknown or poorly understood industrial techniques or technologies should be avoided before a proper evaluation of their risk/benefit balance, scope and possible health risks to subjects, communities or environment.

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