An overview of Fukushima Health Management Survey

Basic Survey (Estimation of external radiation exposure dose) (Japanese Only)

• External exposure doses were estimated from activity records over four months following the nuclear accident for 2,055,238residents in the prefecture as of 11 Mar. 2011.
• Out of the 467,484people (as of the end of March 2024) who responded to the survey excluding those with experience in radiation work and those whose estimated exposure period was less than four months, 99.8% were exposed to less than 5 mSv (millisieverts), with the maximum value being 25 mSv.
  *Total number of respondents: 569,691 (response rate: 27.7%)
• The dose estimates obtained in this survey (external effective dose for the first 4 months after the accident: 99.8% less than 5mSv, etc.) have been evaluated as being below the level of statistically significant differences in verifiable health effects in the light of current scientific knowledge.
• See here for more on the survey results
  Document 1 from the 52nd "Prefectural Oversight Committee for the Fukushima Health Management Survey" ( 2 August 2024) (Japanese only)

Thyroid Ultrasound Examination (Ultrasound examination to assess the condition of thyroid) (Japanese Only)

• Ultrasound examinations were conducted to Fukushima residents who were around 18 years old or younger at the time of the disaster.
• The Thyroid Ultrasound Examination Evaluation Subcommittee summarised its view on the results from the Preliminary Baseline Survey to the Full-Scale
  Survey (4th round), concluding that "no association between thyroid cancer and radiation exposure was found".
• Meanwhile, the necessity of monitoring the generation of infants at the time of the nuclear accident, who had relatively high thyroid equivalent doses and are highly sensitive to radiation, was suggested for future examinations due to the possibility of delayed effects from low-dose radiation exposure.
• See here for more on the evaluation
  Summary of the Subcommittee on the results from the Preliminary Baseline Survey to the Full-Scale Survey (4th round)   "The Thyroid Ultrasound Examination Evaluation Subcommittee" of the Prefectural Oversight Committee for the Fukushima Health Management Survey (July 2023) (Japanese only)

１　Preliminary baseline screening (As of March 31, 2018) [Conducted in FY2011-2013]

２　Full scale examination (Second round examination) (As of 31 Mar. 2021) [Conducted in FY2014-2015]

３　Full Scale Examination (Third round examination) (As of 31 Mar. 2021) [Conducted in FY2016-2017]

４　Full Scale Examination (Fourth round examination) (As of 30 Jun. 2022) [Conducted in FY2018-2019]

５　Full Scale Examination (Fifth round examination) (As of 31 Dec. 2023) [Conducted in FY2020-2022]

6　Full Scale Examination (Sixth round examination) (As of 31 Dec. 2023) [Conducted in FY2023-2024]

7　Milestone Examination at the age of 25 (As of 30 Sep. 2023) [Conducted in FY2017 onwards]

8　Milestone examination at age 30 (As of 30 Sep. 2023) [Conducted in FY2022 onwards]

*Those who receive a B or C in the primary examination are invited to undergo a confirmatory examination.

Comprehensive Health Checkup (General health checkup items and differential count of leukocytes) (Japanese Only)

Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey (Questionnaire survey conducted for residents in evacuation zones and other relevant regions) (Japanese Only)

Pregnancy and Birth Survey (Questionnaire survey for mothers with maternal and child health handbook) (Japanese Only)

• The survey was conducted to understand the mental and physical health of pregnant and postpartum women, reduce anxiety, and provide necessary care.
• The survey consists of a "Main Survey" conducted about one year after a pregnancy notification has been submitted and "Follow-up Surveys" conducted four and eight years after childbirth.
• The Main Survey ended in FY2022 because the rates of premature birth, low birth weight, and congenital anomalies were found to be almost no different from government statistics and generally reported data.
• For more detailed results of the survey, please see the link below.

About Fukushima Health Management Survey "Pregnancy and Birth Survey" (Japanese only)

Internal radiation exposure examination using whole-body counter (Measurement of internal radiation dose to the entire human body) (Japanese Only)

The examination measures the radioactive cesium absorbed into the body from the atmosphere, food and other sources using a whole-body counter, and estimates the radiation dose expected to be received over a lifetime.

• For the latest survey status of internal exposure testing using whole-body counters, please refer to the link below.​
  Results of internal exposure testing using whole-body counters (Japanese Only)

Fukushima Health Management Survey Investigative Committee

For Fukushima Health Management Survey, an investigative committee consisting of experts has been established for professional insight.
For the latest survey status of the Fukushima Health Management Survey, please refer to the materials of Investigative Commitee at the links below.​
Fukushima Health Management Survey Investigative Committee (Japanese Only)