The tea that the French authorities seized at the airport in Paris for high cesium level exceeding the safety limit by more than 100% came from Shimizu-ku in Shizuoka City.
Undeterred, Mayor Nobuhiro Tanabe has gone on the offensive. He said on June 23 that he will launch a campaign titled "We Are Drinking 'Teas Made in Shizuoka City'". He intends to work closely with the city's tea industry and force, oops, promote the teas made in Shizuoka City to consumers.
Again, radiation is a rumor, baseless rumor in Shizuoka, and in many, many places. Why is it so hard to see that if, say 300 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium is found in the tea, even if the amount is below Japan's loose provisional standard of 500 becquerels/kg, the tea is radioactive by definition? In Shizuoka City's case, it was over 1000 becquerels/kg.
Drink away, mayor. But don't force others to drink with you and do study some science.
Mainichi Shinbun Regional (Shizuoka) Version (6/24/2011):
静岡市葵区と清水区内の製茶から、暫定規制値を超える放射性セシウムが検出されたことを受け、静岡市の田辺信宏市長は２３日、「私たちは、『静岡市 のお茶』を飲んでいます」プロジェクトを始めることを明らかにした。田辺市長は、「市産のお茶を積極的に飲むことで、風評被害を払しょくしていきたい」と 話した。 同プロジェクトでは、行政と市産業界が一体となって、市産のお茶の購入と飲用を推進する。また、賛同者の氏名をインターネット上で公表し、静岡茶の愛飲者の輪を広げていくという。
In response to radioactive cesium that was detected in the tea made in Aoi-ku and Shimizu-ku in Shizuoka City [in Shizuoka Prefecture], Nobuhiro Tanabe, major of Shizuoka City said he will launch a new project named "We Are Drinking 'Teas Made in Shizuoka City'". The mayor wants to "wipe out the baseless rumors by drinking the teas made in the City". In this project, the municipal government and the city's tea industry will promote the sales and consumption of the teas made in Shizuoka City to consumers. They will also publish the names of those who support the project on the internet as Shizuoka tea lovers.