Radiation impact on Fukushima kids to be monitored

The Japanese government will monitor the impact of radiation exposure on children born to mothers in Fukushima Prefecture.

The Environment Ministry said on Tuesday that the monitoring program will cover 25,000 children.

The program will look for any links between the radiation exposure of the mothers and congenital abnormalities, asthma, allergies or other diseases of their children.

The checks will continue until the children reach the age of 13.

The ministry decided to carry out the monitoring amid rising public concern about radioactive contamination from the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Fukushima Prefecture is already checking the health of all its residents and their radiation exposure.