[UPDATED] Japan to release Fukushima wastewater on Thursday

TOKYO – Japan will begin discharging treated cooling water from the ruins of the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea from Thursday, the government in Tokyo said, reported German news agency (dpa).  

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made the announcement yesterday after meeting with relevant ministers.  

Kishida said releasing the water into the Pacific is a matter that “cannot be postponed”.  

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, dumping the water does not pose any danger to humans, or the environment.   

However, local fishermen and neighbouring countries such as China are opposed to Japan’s plans.  

In May this year, The Vibes highlighted the alarm expressed by Malaysian environmental activists on the possible mass contamination of seafood and the marine environment.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia president had said that Asean nations should raise the issue with responsible parties, as they are most likely to be affected by the release’s transboundary implications.

“This is a huge amount of waste and will contain radioactive materials that pose serious risks to human and marine life.

“There are certainly issues of contamination of marine life and the food chain. Even if the radioactive levels are small, any level of radiation has negative and long-term impacts that eventually end up in the human body,” she added.

In April 2021, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced his government’s approval of a plan to release over a million tonnes of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean within two years.

Friends of the Earth (FoE) Japan called for disclosure of the total amount of radioactive material contained in the treated water, as well as for conducting open discussions on alternatives and risks.

Instead of releasing the water into the ocean, the organisation said, it should be stored on land, either in large tanks via solidified mortar or by expanding the site grounds.

Greenpeace’s East Asia chapter lambasted the G7 nations for allegedly neglecting the protection of the marine environment in favour of a plan that violates the UN Convention Law of the Sea.

The group pointed to an analysis that debunked claims regarding the discharge period of the radioactive debris being definite.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant suffered core meltdowns in 2011 as a result of an earthquake and tsunami.  

The reactors, though shut down, still have to be cooled with water stored in tanks.  

Because they are running out of space, the water is supposed to be piped into the ocean through a 1km-long tunnel.  

It will be filtered and diluted with seawater beforehand. 

Disposing of the 1.3 million tonnes of water is expected to take 30 years. – The Vibes, August 22, 2023