Eitb has learned firsthand from the president of the Tokyo Euskal Etxea, Jon Berasategi, that several residents of the Japanese capital and its surrounding areas are fleeing to the south of the country for fear of radiation poisoning, following three explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Jon was speaking to Radio Euskadi''s program Boulevard from Fukuoka on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, where he had flown with his wife fearing possible "nuclear disaster". He revealed that several of the capital''s 41 million residents had abandoned the city for southern towns like Osaka and even Hiroshima.

Worrying levels of radiation are, he said, "the major worry".

"The earthquake, the tsunami, well... but radiation is a problem that can''t be seen or perceived."

Jon also said the climate of fear was becoming intensified by the lack of information from the national government:

"People are getting scared because of a lack of information. Any news we do get is via international press agencies.

"The government is not telling us everything. But the Japanese are starting to realize that the situation is not good," he said.