Toxicity levels 100 times safety limit detected again at new fish market site

What I would like to know, and maybe it has been stated before, but is there anything they can do, other than tearing the whole place down, decontaminating the soil and start over, that can be done to get rid of this benzene?

Of course I would like to blame Ishihara, and his cronies, but for the time being, try to get something done now to fix the problem, then go after who is guilty.

A foul market is no place for the bounty of the sea.

Funny, I thought the reason we paid politicians so much money was so that they could foresee this kind of thing.

Must have got it wrong!

Every time I read something about this 'nightmare' one word pops into my head "Ishihara"....

That slippery and slimey git should be forced to explain how this happened. Along with a full audit of his personal, business and secret finances and assets (you know what you're looking for, wink, wink)...

His was the governor and therefore should be 100% responsible. He will duck, dive, wriggle and scream declaring his innocence. I say lock him up in isolation until this matter is resolved.

i see the only way out of this is for the developers to find another site(very expensive) or modernise the existing site. As they already have massive plans for the existing site next to Ginza and its very very valuable land, that leaves only, finding a new site.

of course it will be really expensive, but with their govt relationship, they could get Abe to compensate them with taxpayers money, and even sell then govt land cheap.

They should worry more about the toxicity levels of the fish themselves.

Funny, I thought the reason we paid politicians so much money was so that they could foresee this kind of thing.

Exactly. They did foresee it. And then government officials and construction firms took matters in their own hands... probably to increase profit margins.

Come on Bertie, you practically live on Japan Today, don't pretend you didn't know that...

All of this, and yet when libertarians suggest eliminating most of government, people shriek "but what could we do without them??"

B/C corporations have such a wonderful track record of transparency and concern for the environment and consumer health?

WHAT were the previous tests that had consistently shown chemical levels well within the safety standards? Will those responsible for the overly sanguine test results be dragged over the coals? Never, or just a slap on the wrist at most. Pathetic lack of accountability on the public sector has become the real drain on this country.

What a mess. It sounds like there is not going to be a best solution, only a least worst one, so I can foresee Koike getting a lot of flak whatever they choose to do. In relative terms against other Japanese politicians, she doesn't seem that bad, so it will be unfortunate if she ends up being judged on how she handles what are other people's mistakes.

Just leave the fish market at Tsukiji. Just renovate the infrastructure, that's it. Make a beautiful public park at Toyosu instead, let the nature cure itself.

this is a real easy one, put the market somewhere else!

The new Minato-ku sports center, hospital and park in Shibaura, Tokyo were also built on a massive former gas plant, someone needs to also test there.

The panel had said the basement areas are scientifically safe, but some at Tsukiji market have expressed concern.

I don't blame them. There should be rioting on the streets, at the very least.

Citizen2012 Today 09:13 am JST

anyway...simply amazing that nobody is looking for a reason why it is so contaminated and who should foot the bill for the decontamination.

You must be slow to the news. The site was a large gas factory of Tokyo Gas and was known to be chemically contaminated. Tokyo Gas refused to sell the site, but former Tokyo Governor, Ishihara bought the site with the agreement that any land contamination is to be cleaned by Tokyo Municipal Government.

Toxic benzene at up to 100 times the government safety limit was detected again in groundwater samples

The "government safety limit" is the limit for drinking water. This fact should be in the article to avoid misunderstanding. But the problem is that the pollutant is in the soil and we do not know where and how much it is.

This site will never be toxin free. They should just scrap the whole thing and find another location. Just send the bill to Ishihara and his subordinate who signed off on it. Stop wasting time and money on it. Just give up and penalize the pair of idiots that let it get built on such a toxic site. Too easy!

why does the market have to move from tsukiji? Just leave it there

It's outgrown its capacity, and the infrastructure is old and starting to break down.

Acquire some contingent land and upgrade the infrastructure. Probably would cost less than the sheet they are considering for $76 million

the site is a lemon. Time to cut bait as it were

There is no point chasing Ishihara. He will just say he is not feeling well and that everybody can go and k-off.

This will undoubtable be flagged as a matter of National Security, and all further News about the matter suppressed. The Fish market will relocate and that's that.

No more fish from Japan, please. At least not any that passes through this market. Hope the world is watching for those who want to bid on prize tuna.

why does the market have to move from tsukiji?

It's outgrown its capacity, and the infrastructure is old and starting to break down.

I just want to know if the fish sellers are going to clean these fish with the soil under the market. I mean why is this an issue? There's an above the ground concrete slab, even if they have the fish in the floor there will be no problem

@Bluewater, I understand the main concern is not with the fish being sold, but with air quality for those who work there. There is a risk of contaminated water evaporating in the spaces below the floors. The original plan to add a thick layer of soil is a common procedure in these kinds of circumstances.

corporations have such a wonderful track record of transparency and concern for the environment and consumer health?

Umm.. corporations don't force me to give them money. If I don't like them, they don't get my business. The government takes money by force, can screw things up like this all day long, and they are almost never held to account.

Funny all the downvotes, even in the context of this article. I guess people get the government they deserve.

The groundwater survey has been conducted since 2014. But the levels of benzene detected at the site were shown to have climbed to up to 79 times the government-set limit in a report released in January, compared with previous results that ranged from below to up to 1.4 times the limit.

Must be another place where "clean" local Japanese industries dilute their toxic to reduce cost, won't be surprised to see TEPCO dropping some of their water there too at night (sarcasm), anyway...simply amazing that nobody is looking for a reason why it is so contaminated and who should foot the bill for the decontamination.

Everyone knows that the fish market will be moved to Toyosu and the announcement will be made after the Tokyo elections. The basement floors will be covered with more concrete (don't they have a concrete floor already?) and it will be claimed that the problem is solved.

They will basically say what people above are saying: the fish will not come into contact with the groundwater so there is no problem. They could say the same thing now, but that would deprive Koike of the chance to posture and grab votes for her "Tomin First" group in the upcoming elections.

Remember that Koike is a member of the LDP (and Nippon Kaigi) and votes for her "Tomin First" party are the same as votes for the LDP. The LDP will also field candidates in the election and it can be expected that in many of the 3-seat districts the result will be Tomin First, LDP, someone else. Thus, after the election the LDP will control 2/3 of the seats. The corruption and waste will continue unabated.

People who vote for Koike thinking she is somehow different from the LDP are being fooled.

The panel had said the basement areas are scientifically safe, but some at Tsukiji market have expressed concern.

I don't blame them. There should be rioting on the streets, at the very least.

Deny facts and rely on feelings.

Is that the trend today? A reversion from the enlightened period to the unenlightened period.

I just want to know if the fish sellers are going to clean these fish with the soil under the market. I mean why is this an issue? There's an above the ground concrete slab, even if they have the fish in the floor there will be no problem

All of this, and yet when libertarians suggest eliminating most of government, people shriek "but what could we do without them??"