I waited a while to get a feel from multiple media outlets before replying to you, and CNN aired the video of the remarks in question in that time...based upon waiting, it would appear that the headline is in fact true. BBC, AP, and CNN have all reported that operations have been suspended due to high radiation levels, as high as 1,000 mSv at their peak, which is enough to justify complete evacuation as I understand it. The last report of radiation levels was 600-800 mSv.
Edano's translator on the tape said (loosely, I typed quickly): "All the workers there have suspended operations there. Even the minimum ones. So we have evacuated them in a safe area."
The even the minimum ones is interesting. Edano himself promised more details on the suspension later, which is worrying in itself.
It would be awfully nice if people included units of time when talking about sieverts, because it is a cumulative measurement. If you don't mention how long it takes to absorb a reported dosage people are going to get unnecessarily confused.
It might be where they're measuring. He went on to indicate that at the gate, the measurements had just reached the milli- level; perhaps the exorbitantly high figure is very close to the core?
I think the figures that were thrown around in that press conference--either by Edano or 'white lab jacket guy'--varied by location however the translator had my head spinning and I couldn't deduce what's what.
I'm pretty certain that anytime "600 to 800" was mentioned, it was supposed to be in uSv, and that those measurements were taken at the plant's gates.
EDIT: They indeed did so, but shortened and dumbed it down with only 2 figures being provided by 'WLJG'--2.3 and 6.4 mSv 'near the plant', with the latter being the peak at the time of 'leak.'
The columns are, in order, date, time, location (often 正門, the main gate), gamma rays, neutron radiation, wind direction, wind speed. The latest peak seems to be 10.85 mSv/hr at 12:30PM on the 16th, down to 2.5 mSv/hr less than one hour later.
Edano's translator on the tape said (loosely, I typed quickly): "All the workers there have suspended operations there. Even the minimum ones. So we have evacuated them in a safe area."
The even the minimum ones is interesting. Edano himself promised more details on the suspension later, which is worrying in itself.
Edit: Video of Edano's remarks here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12755739