Radiation levels are about 1,250 times the legal limit in the ocean near Japan's stricken Fukushima 1 nuclear plant.
The levels of of iodine-131 reported several hundred metres out into the Pacific Ocean had increased ten-fold in just a few days, said the Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), which operates the plant.
Tepco also reported levels of caesium-137 - which has a longer half life of about 30 years - almost 80 times the legal maximum. Scientists say both radioactive substances can cause cancer if absorbed by humans.
Officials said they would check the seawater about 20 miles (30km) off the coast for radiation and expect it to show there is no need to be concerned about any possible effect to fish.
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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110320002851.htmThe Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectural governments sampled cow milk and spinach grown outdoors, respectively, late last week.
Cow milk samples taken by a Fukushima Prefecture dairy farmer 47 kilometers from Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant were found to contain as much as 1,510 becquerel (Bq) of radioactive iodine, about five times the amount permissible under the provisional standards, the prefectural government said.
The provisional standards set the maximum permissible levels of radioactive iodine and radiocesium at 300 Bq and 200 Bq, respectively, per kilogram of cow milk and other dairy products. The maximum permissible levels for vegetables are 2,000 Bq of radioactive iodine and 500 Bq of radiocesium.
In Ibaraki Prefecture, radioactive iodine was detected from spinach sampled from farms in Hitachi, Takahagi, Hitachi-Ota and Hitachinaka cities and the town of Daigomachi and the village of Tokaimura. The highest level found was 15,020 Bq, 7.5 times the permissible level.
A spinach sample in Takahagi was also found to be discharging radiocesium in excess of the provisional standards, prefectural officials said.