TOKYO – Japan plans to dump more than 1 million tons of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, a process that is set to begin this summer and last for three decades or more.
For years, the contaminated water – the equivalent of more than 500 Olympic-size swimming pools – has been stored in large metal tanks near the power plant, the site of one of history’s worst nuclear disasters. But Japan lacks the space to build more tanks to hold the still-contaminated groundwater and rainwater that seeps into the site.
The forthcoming release has been heavily politicized by neighboring countries, including South Korea and China. Fukushima’s fishing and agricultural industries also fear their products, which still carry the stigma of radioactive contamination, could tarnish their reputations.
The Japanese public is divided over the plan, and many remain suspicious of the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), which has been criticized for downplaying bad news about the severity of the disaster in the early days.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the international nuclear regulatory agency, released its final report on July 4 giving its approval to Japan’s plans. Its Director-General, Rafael Grossi, is traveling to Fukushima, Seoul and the Pacific Island countries to announce the results and address concerns.
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