The contaminated samples were imported from the affected prefectures of Tochigi and Ibaraki, as well as Chiba and Ehime which are outside the affected areas.

Well, how much sense does that make? If contaminated samples were found to have been imported from Chiba and Ehime, that would make them part of the "affected areas" too. Looks like the "affected areas" may include more than previously thought.

It seems that maybe there was leaking radiation BEFORE the earthquake and the power company just kept their mouths shut and no one was checking.