That level of radioactive iodine-131 concentration was measured in seawater sample taken Saturday off the coast of the Fukushima 1 power plant that was damaged by the March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami, the government's nuclear safety commission said.
Levels of radioactive iodine-131 had reached 1,250 times above normal in a sample taken Friday.
After the level had stayed around 100 times over the legal limit, it climbed to its highest since the survey began this week, Kyodo News reported.
But the commission said Saturday that it would not have a significant impact on fishery products as fishing is not conducted within 20 km of the plant.
Radioactive materials "will significantly dilute" by the time they would be consumed by marine species, the commission said.
Radiation-contaminated water was found near four of the six reactors at the plant, possibly having seeped from damaged reactor cores or spent-fuel pools.
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co vowed to clear the water as quickly as possible to allow workers access to the overheating reactors as they attempt to restore key cooling systems.
On Thursday, three engineers working on the cable system at reactor No.3 were exposed to radiation levels in water that were 10,000 times above normal. Two were hospitalised with burns to their legs.
The toll from the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami stood at 10,489 Sunday, while 16,621 people were listed as missing, the National Police Agency said.
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