Prime Minister Kishida visited the Fukushima nuclear plant and affirmed that the Japanese government has not yet set a time to release treated wastewater into the sea.
"I cannot yet set a date for the discharge of wastewater into the ocean, as the decision will be made only after the entire government considers measures to ensure safety and avoid damaging the reputation of the fisheries industry," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during a visit to the Fukushima nuclear plant today.
Prime Minister Kishida added that he would meet with fisheries officials, including the chairman of the Japan Fisheries Cooperative Alliance, Masanobu Sakamoto, to discuss the situation. "Releasing the wastewater is a key step in efforts to close the Fukushima Daiichi plant and revive Fukushima," he said.
Prime Minister Kishida visits the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on August 20. Photo: AFP
Japan suffered a double disaster in March 2011 when an earthquake and tsunami hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. TEPCO, the plant's operator, had to treat hundreds of tanks containing 1.34 million tons of contaminated water used to cool the reactor.
In 2021, Japanese officials will begin planning to gradually release the treated wastewater into the sea. Tokyo says the radioactive wastewater will go through a filtration system to remove the radioactive isotopes, leaving behind only tritium, one of two radioactive isotopes of hydrogen. Although tritium is toxic, it is naturally occurring, and experts say the amount of tritium in the environment will be extremely small due to mixing with seawater.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has assessed that Japan's plan to release radioactive water into the ocean meets international standards. The agency said that the gradual, controlled release would have a negligible radiological impact on humans and the environment.
Many Japanese fishermen have opposed the plan, fearing it could reverse years of efforts to improve the image of the country's fishing industry.
China has repeatedly condemned Japan’s plan to dump waste, accusing Tokyo of being too eager to dump waste into the ocean to relieve its burden rather than caring about the environment and human health. Chinese authorities have banned food imports from 10 Japanese prefectures and imposed strict radiation checks on agricultural products from other regions.
The South Korean government has confirmed that Japan's waste disposal plan is safe, but opposition lawmakers and many South Koreans remain opposed.
Vu Anh (According to AFP )
Source link
Comment (0)