Four years after the onset of the nuclear accident, the ratio of consumers who are reluctant to purchase food products produced in Fukushima Prefecture declined, a Consumer Affairs Agency survey showed on March 10.
Four years after the onset of the nuclear accident, the ratio of consumers who are reluctant to purchase food products produced in Fukushima Prefecture declined, a Consumer Affairs Agency survey showed on March 10.
The number stood at 17.4 percent in February, a decrease of 2.2 points from 19.6 percent in August 2014, it said.
The agency conducted the online survey to gauge the public's concern about food that could be contaminated by radioactive materials. About 5,000 people ranging in age from their 20s to the 60s responded.
The respondents included not only people in urban areas, but also those in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011.
The survey asked participants, “When you purchase food items, are you concerned about where they were produced?” A total of 66.9 percent replied, “I care” or “I care to some degree.” The percentage was a decrease of 3.1 points from the August survey.
They were also asked about the production sites from where they hesitate to purchase food products and were allowed to give multiple replies. In response, 17.4 percent cited Fukushima Prefecture.
In addition, 12.6 percent of all the respondents chose, “Tohoku region centering on affected areas (Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures).” The percentage was a decrease of 0.3 points from the August survey.