A survey conducted in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture reveled that of more than 1,000 children screened, 45 percent of them tested positive for thyroid exposure to radiation, according to a statement by the Nuclear Safety Commission on Tuesday.

The Nuclear Safety Commission, established within the Cabinet of Japan as an independent agency to play the main role in nuclear safety administration, said the tests were conducted on 1,080 children with ages ranging between new borns up to 15 year olds and living in Iwaki, Kawamata and Iitate areas of the prefecture, between March 26-30.

The tests were conducted due to the massive amounts of radiation leaked into the air, sea and ground from the quake and tsunami-damaged Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, following the double-disasters devastating the northeastern coastal regions and pummeling the now crippled plant, which was ill-equiped to handle the ferocity of the tsunami on March 11.

Among children who tested positive for thyroid exposure, the amounts measured 0.04 microsieverts per hour or less in the majority of cases, with the largest exposure being 0.1 microsieverts per hour, equivalent to a yearly dose of 50 millisieverts for a 1-year-old.

Due to none of the children in the relatively small sample group showing exposure over the 0.2 microsieverts per hour benchmark for further investigations, no emergency measures would be taken, officials said.

However, citizens groups said Tuesday that soil samples taken at four locations in Fukushima City on June 26 all tested positive for radioactive cesium contamination, measuring between 16,000 to 46,000 becquerels per kilogram -- far exceeding the legal limit of 10,000 becquerels per kg.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet