Toxic substances detected in Tsukiji fish market soil samples

Tokyo experienced two devastating disasters in the past. One Great Kanto Earthquake and the second World War II Air Raids. They buried debris under the ground or threw them into rivers and seas. Also, after the war, many industrial plants were built in Tokyo. They are no more today after they were moved to other places of Japan and overseas. On the ground where factories existed, offices, apartment houses, etc. were built. So, there is no safe place in Tokyo if they check soils under the ground. Tokyo has to move to other areas of Japan to be safe from contaminations.

Sometimes I really wobder if they're going to use the soil as a fish seasoning

As I have mentioned before... What makes you think it is just the fish markets?

I bet if you tested the soil in and around all schools and kindergartens the results would be equally if not more shocking.

This problem is certainly not unique to Japan.

In this specific case it seems that the key is to ensure the chemicals do not contaminate the fish. If a barrier (such as asphalt or something else which is less porous) can be used to prevent contamination then use a barrier. Also, at the existing Tsukiji site, the article indicates the soil samples were taken 50cm (1/2 meter) below the ground. It would be interesting to see what the concentrations are closer to the surface. I would imagine the key would be to ensure that the ground water does not percolate upward and contaminate the fish or the objects on which the fish is placed. It seems a simple barrier would accomplish that.

Relating the 2 sites to each other; the existing facility was constructed when knowledge of threshold limit values (TLV) or other exposure limits was not as advanced as it is today, on the other hand the new facility was recently constructed when these limits are well known and established so there is little excuse for what occurred over at the new market.

It almost seems like someone is grasping at straws to save face and ensure that the market is moved to the newly constructed site.

I can't imagine any coastline around Tokyo Bay not having hell of a lot of toxins.

When I was a kid living in Tokyo in the early 70s the bay was filthy.

Every time we went to the shoreline there was always discoloration of the water, oil, foam, and garbage floating around and factories and plants everywhere.

"There is no safety problem as the premises of Tsukiji are covered with asphalt," a Tokyo government official said.

Now I am waiting to hear the folks who think the market should be moved make the same suggestion for the new place....."Cover it all in asphalt!" There problem solved.....NOT!

Tokyo is sitting on a powder keg. Run for the hills!!!

Oh, really? This is so hard to believe considering it was built just a few hundreds meters from what used to be the world's largest garbage island at Odaiba. It would be pretty safe to conclude that, the whole of central Tokyo is contaminated with all kinds of toxins.

Now, what will happen from this report? Will they use this report to justify the toxins at the new site stating that nobody became ill from eating Sukiji fish? Or, will they decide to move the fish market to a completely new 'contaminated' site?

"There is no safety problem as the premises of Tsukiji are covered with asphalt," a Tokyo government official said.  Well if there's "no problem" now, why would there be a problem at either location?

What a blinking farce!.

Between Fukushima, microplastics and markets built atop toxic waste dumping grounds, it's a wonder that I don't eat more fish.

@dmath - Oops ... I ate breakfast at Tsukiji about 2 weeks ago (some place with a big red crab over the entrance). Oh well, if I was going to develop a rash then it would've started by now ?

Not necessarily. It may take months or even years for the toxins and heavy metals to work through your body and into your cerebral cortex to cause a stroke. Just something to consider.

Time to move the market to ummmmm Atami ! its far enough away and hopefully the ground is safe

That is a shame. I went there with my woman last year. We did not see the tuna sale at the wee hours of the morning, but we did see the rest, although I believe it was past it's most busiest time. I liked the ice cutters. Haha! I also liked the small stores on the way there and mom and pop ramen shops. Hopefully they can find a solution.

The isolation with asfalt or other material ad hoc will be enougth, rather that mové the plant to other location...

I guess its time to level Zozoji and have the Gods turn it into a fish market.

When you preach the policy to spread contamination everywhere I guess this is the kind of result you have to expect...

I think they think, that if we don't think about it, they think, that we will think the promblem has gone away . that's what I'm thinking.

It's Japanese UMAMI!

Does anyone seriously want to eat food that's been through that sludge infested area anymore?

I'm not even going to touch fish that has passed through that market - I will never eat fish that's been bought from that market.

Part of the problem must be public perception. The frozen tuna for example are tossed onto the concrete floor at the ports and at Tsukiji, giving an impression to some of lack of hygiene. The authorities probably counter that the floors are swabbed and clean. Now the question is, just how clean?

Why can't they scoop out the soil a few meters down and replace it with dumptrucks full of clean soil? There seem to be endless lines of these trucks going around everywhere; would it really cost so much?

as disillusioned said, don't expect to bite a piece of fish and drop dead seconds later. Just chill out a while, enjoy life and then you can drop dead. Jeez, why everybody is in such a rush these days.

Here we go... it's a choice of between the lesser of two evils as to which Location they are going to move to... No matter, it's simply a justification for the new one, given that the old site now has just as bad toxins - if not, worse.

SSomeone wants to move...

this is becoming absurd now. unless they are covering the fish with soil and then selling it to the public, there really is no concern when they find trace elements of these hazardous substances. it's overblown hysteria that is gonna cost the government almost a billion dollars. koike opened the genie and now can't get it back in the bottle.

Oops ... I ate breakfast at Tsukiji about 2 weeks ago (some place with a big red crab over the entrance). Oh well, if I was going to develop a rash then it would've started by now ?