Assessment of chromosome translocation in wild Japanese macaques in Fukushima

Fujishima, Yohei*; Suzuki, Masatoshi*; Goh, V. S. T.*; Ariyoshi, Kentaro*; Kasai, Kosuke*; Nakata, Akifumi*; Kino, Yasushi*; Oka, Toshitaka   ; Shinoda, Hisashi*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Yoshida, Mitsuaki*; Miura, Tomisato*

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the surrounding environment was contaminated with radionuclides. Although the ambient dose rates are decreasing, prolonged effects of chronic low-dose exposure on animals are expected to be seen in the coming years. It is necessary to assess the effects of radioactivity on the wild animals in this area to better understand about the risk of low dose radiation. The chromosome translocation frequency of Japanese macaques were significantly higher in Fukushima groups comparing from control groups in Miyagi. Furthermore, chromosome translocation frequencies tended to correlate between external doses or internal dose-rates. However, chromosome translocation frequency was decreasing year by year, which may reflect restoration of environments such as decreasing of ambient dose-rates and decontamination efforts.