NHK (Nippon Housou Kyoukai/Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is reporting that the confusion over radiation levels is because reports were made sometimes in microsieverts, other times in millisieverts.

1 millisievert equals 1000 microsieverts.  1 rem equals 10 millisieverts.  1 millirem equals 10 microsieverts.

There was more confusion during the nuclear plant official’s press conference. Reporters wanted clarification because the Prime Minister had just announced radiation levels were dangerously high, yet nuclear plant officials continued to down play the levels.

Local government officials complained to the media that nuclear plant officials and the national government are not communicating with local officials.  Reporters asked plant officials how they were notifying people, and local governments, of the evacuation orders. They answered they were using radio broadcasts. This is not practical because most people have lost everything including radios.  If they have radios, there is no power to run them.