As Japan’s government admitted that radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant was now life threatening, it emerged this morning that some 450 Brits are missing in the country following last Friday’s quake and tsunami.
The Foreign Office fears ten are dead and it has serious concerns about 50 Brits. While it is believed 400 will have survived, they are likely to be hungry and homeless.
There are around 17,000 British nationals living in Japan, with around half being based in Tokyo, 150 miles from Fukushima where a a fire has now broken out in reactor number 4 after three plant explosions.
Staff at the British Consul are working with the Foreign Office to try and locate missing Brits but a spokesman for the FCO said: “It’s highly likely that between eight and 12 Brits are dead. They are in the affected areas and can’t be found. There are serious concerns for about 50 others but they still may be found."
by Dinah Hatch
