Japan’s Controversial Plan to Release Fukushima Water into Ocean Takes Effect

Japan said on Tuesday it would start releasing into the sea more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug 24, going ahead with a plan heavily criticized by China. The move is a vital part of decommissioning the plant, which was wiped out by an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, leaving three reactors running at total capacity and causing radiation leaks.

Since the disaster, Tepco has been collecting and treating wastewater to reduce its radioactivity before storing it in more than 1,000 steel tanks at the site. But the tanks are reaching their limits, and releasing them into the ocean will be necessary to keep storage space available for future work.

The water will be diluted to one-fourth of the concentration permitted under Japanese safety standards and discharged into the Pacific Ocean via an underwater tunnel one kilometer from the plant over 30 to 40 years. Third parties, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, will monitor it before and after its release.

In a meeting with the head of the national fisheries federation, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sought to win the group’s backing for the plan, saying it would help regain consumer trust in seafood products from the area. But the federation said it was still opposed to the decision, which it fears will hurt its reputation and business. Kishida pledged to continue seeking understanding from the federation.

Despite the protests, the government says the water release is essential to decommission the plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) (9501.T). It also believes that continuing to store the water at the site could pose a risk if another earthquake were to cause more leaks.

For many local fishermen, the government’s plans have been met with disappointment. Shoji Outa, who runs a restaurant in Fukushima, said the government’s assertions that the water is safe were unconvincing. “The IAEA and others have said it’s fine, but I’m still not convinced,” he said.

Other nations have expressed similar concerns, citing the need to assess how the water might affect the ocean environment and whether it could contain harmful contaminants such as microbes and heavy metals. South Korea, for example, has called for a delay in the release and says it will only support the plan once its impact is assessed.

But in July, the IAEA endorsed Japan’s plan, describing it as scientifically sound and arguing that it will have a negligible impact on the marine environment. The water will be tested for contamination before it is pumped into the sea, and the results should be available at the start of the fishing season in September. The tests will also be made public. In addition, the government will test fish from the region and make their results available on its website. Japan will also sell fish from the region to Hong Kong, its biggest market for aquatic products.