Japan Nuclear Crisis Still a Serious Concern, Adds Japan Produce Barred

The International Atomic Energy Agency now says that there are some positive developments at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, but says the "overall situation remains of serious concern."

A spike in radiation levels in Tokyo's tap water has spurred new fears about food safety.

The country's Health Ministry has advised against eating leafy vegetables, broccoli and cauliflower produced near the stricken plant.

Graham Andrew is a senior adviser to IAEA chief Yukiya Amano.

"Since yesterday, the IAEA's received further information from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding the presence of radioactivity in milk, drinking water and vegetables. The results of some samples were above the limits specified in Japanese regulations concerning limits for food and water ingestion."

The authorities in Tokyo have recommended that people in the city not give their infants tap water.

As concern grows over the risk to food, the United States has now blocked food imports from the disaster zone.

Hong Kong, a major importer of Japanese food, has also banned produce and milk imports from parts of Japan, given that the Hong Kong authorities had found radioactivity levels in spinach and turnip samples up to 10 times above the safety limit.

France this week has also asked the European Commission to look into harmonizing controls on radioactivity in imports from Japan.