Trying to allay the concerns of neighboring countries about the treated water that has started to be discharged into the ocean from the power plant, Japan will publish weekly test results for the next three months. More than one million tons of water stored in the nuclear power plant will be discharged in the next 30 years.
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE OPERATION STILL CONTINUE
China imposed import restrictions after Japan started discharging radioactive wastewater treated in Fukushima into the ocean.
While Japan stated that the water was safe, the plan was also approved by the UN’s nuclear inspection body, the IAEA. However, critics of the discharge of water into the sea say that the process should be stopped.
WASTE WATER IS BEING DILUTED
The water is filtered to remove most radioactive elements. It is then diluted to reduce levels of tritium, a radioactive hydrogen isotope that is difficult to separate from water.
The Ministry of Environment said that samples were taken from 11 locations close to the power plant and that tritium levels were below the detection limit of 7-8 becquerels/litre.
The ministry stated that the water “will not have a negative impact on human health and the environment.”
MUTUAL ACCUSATIONS
China announced Thursday that it will block imports of all seafood from Japan. Beijing accused the Tokyo administration of being “extremely selfish and irresponsible”.
A protest took place in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Some activists tried to attack the embassy.
The Seoul administration announced that it sent nuclear experts to Fukushima to observe the water discharge process.