For Japan Farmers, Radiation Fears Mean Economic Pain

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。

Japan's nuclear crisis may mean greater demand for imported food and less competition from Japanese products on world markets. But it also means that Japanese farmers and others who make and sell food have to worry about their future.

日本核危机可能意味着日本对食品的进口需求增大，以及日本产品在国际市场上的竞争力减弱。但这也意味着日本农民和制造和销售食品的其他人不得不为他们的未来感到担忧。

Yasumichi Tanaka sells fish at one of Japan's busiest fish markets. But now there are fewer fish to sell.

田中恭通（Yasumichi Tanaka）在日本一个最繁忙的鱼市卖鱼。但现在少有鱼出售。

YASUMICHI TANAKA: "Fish supplies from the radiation-contaminated regions have been totally halted."

田中恭通：“来自受辐射污染地区的鱼类供应已完全停止。”

The radiation is from the Fukushima nuclear power station that was damaged by the March eleventh earthquake and tsunami 1. The extent of the problems are still not clear.

辐射来自3月11日地震和海啸中受损的福岛核电站。辐射问题的严重程度尚不明朗。

Last Friday, China joined a number of other countries that have banned imports of food from the affected 2 areas. Chinese media said the banned items include milk products, fruit, vegetables and seafood 3.

上周五，中国加入到其它几个国家行列，禁止从日本受影响地区进口食品。中国媒体称，被禁止进口的食品包括奶制品、水果、蔬菜和海鲜。

Singapore also has a ban in place. Restaurant manager Connie Hon says some people are worried about eating Japanese food.

新加坡也出台了一条禁令。餐馆经理康尼·汉（Connie Hon）表示，部分人现在对食用日本食品感觉担忧。

CONNIE HON: "Consumer confidence is yes, somewhat shaken I would say amongst some of the Singapore populace, but that can't be helped, I think."

康尼·汉：“我认为部分新加坡消费者的信心肯定会受到某种程度上的动摇。但这也没辙。”

The United States has also banned foods from radiation-affected areas, and so has the Japanese government itself.

美国也已经禁止受辐射影响地区的食品，日本政府自身也是如此。

Radioactive particles travel in the wind and get absorbed into soil with the help of rain and snow. Then plant roots take up the material and the plants become contaminated. Animals eat the plants and their products become contaminated.

放射性颗粒随风飘散，在雨雪的作用下被土壤吸收。植物的根系吸收这些放射性物质后会被污染。食用这些植物的动物及其产品也会被污染。

Some kinds of radiation stay in the environment longer than others.

其中一些辐射在环境中留存的时间更长。

Medical physicist 4 Jerrold Bushberg is a radiation expert at the University of California, Davis. Professor Bushberg says removing the topsoil might make the land safe for use. But it depends on the depth of the radioactive material. And for now, he says, it is too early to take any measures.

医学物理学家杰罗尔德·布希柏格（Jerrold Bushberg）是在加州大学戴维斯分校的辐射问题专家。 布希柏格教授说，移除表层土壤可以保证土地的使用安全，但这取决于放射性物质渗入的深度。就目前来说，采取任何措施尚为时过早。

Experts say the ocean will help dilute 5 radiation in seawater. But the tsunami also destroyed seafood, sank fishing boats and leveled processing plants.

专家表示，海洋将有助于稀释海水中的辐射。但是海啸同时也使海产品遭受破坏，渔船沉没，加工场被夷为平地。

Charles Ebinger studies the politics of energy at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Mr. Ebinger says the danger to adults from radiation-contaminated food is overstated. Still, the affected areas of northeastern Japan are deeply dependent on agriculture and fish, he says. So their economy could suffer the most.

查尔斯·艾宾格尔在华盛顿特区布鲁金斯学会研究能源政策。艾宾格尔表示，受辐射污染食物对成年人的危害被夸大了。他表示，受影响的日本东北部地区严重依赖农业和渔业。因此，该地区经济受影响将最严重。