The Asahi Shimbun daily quoted an unnamed government source as saying that Japan is expected to start discharging radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea by the end of this month.
This decision was made 12 years after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear explosion.
The announcement is expected to come shortly after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in the US next week.
During this meeting, Kishida plans to explain the safety measures around water discharge.
However, no specific date for the release has been confirmed, according to government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved the plan, saying it meets international safety standards. The IAEA and Japan say the treated water is safe, but neighboring countries have raised concerns about the potential for contamination of the food supply.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, has been given permission by Japan's nuclear regulator to begin discharging the water.
The company has built more than 1,000 storage tanks to hold 1.32 million tons of wastewater generated since the 2011 disaster. However, space is running out and the company says it needs to free up space to dismantle the house. machine safely. The treated wastewater will be diluted to 1,500-becquerel tritium per liter of clean water before being discharged into the Pacific Ocean through an underwater tunnel.
This level is much lower than the Japanese regulatory limit of 60,000 becquerel/liter and meets international safety and environmental regulations.
Despite these assurances, the plan has drawn mixed reactions.
While some experts suggest that tritium occurs naturally in the environment and that it is safe to release small amounts, others warn of the potential for bioaccumulation in marine ecosystems. In addition, local fishermen are concerned that the discharge will further damage the global and regional reputation of Fukushima, affecting their livelihoods. The Japanese government aims to start draining the water before the start of bottom trawling season off Fukushima in September.
