The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear reactors said Thursday it had stopped selling a souvenir at the plant after facing a storm of online criticism saying it was inconsiderate.

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said it had pulled the plastic folders decorated with six photos of the battered nuclear plant from the shelves of an on-site store.

The company started selling the files -- three for 300 yen ($2.70) -- from August 1 after receiving a number of requests from workers and visitors wanting a souvenir of their visit.

Previously, visitors would take receipts from the store as a souvenir to show family and friends.

But the firm suspended sales of the folders on Wednesday as critics said it was inappropriate to sell a souvenir at the site of the worst nuclear accident in a generation.

"I don't understand these guys. This is beyond stupidity," said one Twitter user.

"Both sellers and buyers are rotten," said another.

A TEPCO spokesman said: "It is true that we received criticism, but that's not why we suspended the sales."

He added that the folders could return to store shelves in the future.

The Fukushima plant was battered by the 2011 killer tsunami-earthquake disaster, which prompted nuclear meltdowns and explosions that spewed radioactive materials across a vast farming region.

The accident forced local residents to evacuate their ancestral properties, many of them never to return.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Made in Fukushima: Japan farmers struggle to win trust
Koriyama, Japan (AFP) Aug 1, 2018
The pumpkin is diced, the chicken carved and the eggs beaten into an omelette, but the people preparing the food are not chefs - they are scientists testing produce from Japan's Fukushima region. Seven years after the March 2011 nuclear disaster caused by a devastating tsunami, rigorous testing shows no radioactive threat from Fukushima's produce, officials and experts say. But local producers say they still face crippling suspicion from consumers. More than 205,000 food items have been tes ... read more