Japan has started to release treated water from the Fukushima Daaiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. The discharge began at noon Malaysian time on Thursday, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will monitor the radioactivity levels in the sea and surrounding areas. Yosuke Kurotani, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Malaysia, stated that Japan and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) are committed to ensuring a safe discharge with the continued involvement of the IAEA. Japan will conduct three types of monitoring, including monitoring of treated water in tanks, real-time monitoring, and sea area monitoring. If any event occurs, such as radioactivity levels exceeding standards, appropriate measures will be taken, including stopping or suspending the discharge. The results of monitoring by the Japanese government and Tepco will be made public domestically and internationally. The official website of Tepco is available for the latest updates on the event.
Kurotani was questioned about the preparations at the Fukushima power plant for the release of over 1.33 million cubic meters of treated water that has accumulated since the 2011 nuclear disaster. He mentioned that the decision to release the treated water was based on a technical validation process, as well as weather and sea conditions during the discharge. He confirmed that radioactive substances other than tritium are below regulatory standards before release, and only tritium that meets the standards will be released into the ocean. However, the final safety confirmation will take about two days.
The Japanese government stated that releasing the water is a necessary step in the long and costly process of decommissioning the Fukushima plant, which is located about 220km northeast of Tokyo. The contaminated water has been collected and stored in tanks for over a decade, but space is running out. However, neighboring countries South Korea and China have expressed opposition to Japan’s decision, expressing concerns about potential long-term consequences.
Source: The Star
Credit: The Star : News Feed
