Japan says it will release more than one million tonnes of contaminated water from the ruined Fukushima nuclear power station back into the sea, in a decision that drew swift condemnation from South Korea and environmental groups and is likely to anger the fishing industry.
The work to release the water will begin in about two years, the government said and the whole process is expected to take decades.
Tokyo Electric Power, which operates the plant, will handle the process.
“On the premise of strict compliance with regulatory standards that have been established, we select oceanic release,” the government said in a statement after relevant ministers formalised the decision.
The water, equivalent to about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, has been treated but needs to be filtered again to remove harmful isotopes. It will also be diluted to meet international standards before any release into the ocean.
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apanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday that his government has decided to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea amid domestic and international opposition.
ReplyDeleteChina has expressed its grave concerns through diplomatic channels about Japan's decision to dispose of radioactive water at Fukushima by releasing it into the Pacific Ocean, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.
DeleteSpokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks while answering a relevant question. He said that China urged the Japanese side to take a responsible attitude and treat the issue of nuclear waste disposal with caution.
Noting that the Fukushima nuclear accident is one of the most serious ones in the world so far, Zhao said that the accident caused a large amount of radioactive material to leak, which has had a profound impact on the marine environment, food safety and human health.
Zhao stressed that proper disposal of nuclear waste is related to international public interests and the vital interests of neighboring countries. It should be handled carefully and properly to avoid further damaging the marine environment, food safety and human health.
The world is watching with deep concern the upcoming decision by the Japanese side on the discharge of nuclear wastewater into the ocean, raising doubts and expressing opposition. There is also strong opposition in Japan. It cannot turn a deaf ear to this, said Zhao.
"The Japanese side should act in a responsible manner for global public interests and the interests of its own people," Zhao added.
South Korea’s foreign ministry summoned Tokyo’s ambassador on Tuesday to protest the Japanese government’s decision to release more than one million tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.
ReplyDeleteTokyo’s ambassador, Koichi Aiboshi, and South Korea’s second vice foreign minister, Choi Jong-Moon, held talks within hours of Japan confirming that the country’s cabinet had backed the plan to release the contaminated water that has been held in tanks for the past two years.
Japan’s decision has been opposed by industries that rely on the surrounding water, and by countries in the region, including South Korea, due to concerns about the environmental impact of dumping the water into the Pacific Ocean.