Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, infant mortality rates in the most radioactively-contaminated Prefectures around Fukushima increased, showing a rise and fall, starting at the end of 2011, relative to the long term trend before March 2011. The increase is statistically significant.
Perinatal mortality rates in Fukushima Prefecture plus 4 adjacent prefectures (Miyagi, Gunma, Tochigi, and Ibaraki) were increased in 2012-13 relative to the trend of the rates in 2002-2011. Significant peaks of perinatal mortality were found in May 2012 and the beginning of 2013. In four less contaminated prefectures (Iwate, Chiba, Saitama, and Tokyo) the increase in 2012-13 is smaller and not statistically significant.
In December 2011, nine months after the accident, a highly significant 10% drop in live births occurred. The effect is greater in 5 higher contaminated prefectures than in 4 less contaminated prefectures. It is limited to a single month which supports the hypothesis that it was a consequence of spontaneous early abortions due to the radiation spike in the first days after the Fukushima nuclear accident.
The figure below is from: www.unscear.org/docs/reports/2013/13-85418_Report_2013_Annex_A.pdf
The 7 most contaminated prefectures are: Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Chiba
