Japan Seeks Support For Treated Water Release Plan
The Japanese government is seeking support for its plan to release treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean. The water will be diluted before its release so it meets global safety levels.
Industry minister Kajiyama Hiroshi spoke online with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Wednesday, a day after the Japanese government officially made its decision.
Kajiyama said, "With the cooperation of the IAEA, we will thoroughly disclose information and fend off reputational damage."
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, "It gives me great pleasure to, of course, agree to your request for cooperation from the IAEA."
They agreed to try to arrange an IAEA mission to Japan later this year to give advice to the plant's operator.
The government held an online meeting to explain the decision to foreign missions in Japan. Diplomats from nearly 50 countries attended. The plan triggered sharp reactions from some neighboring countries.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, "The ocean is not Japan's trash can. The Pacific is not Japan's sewers."
South Korea's presidential office says President Moon Jae-in told the Japanese ambassador to his country to convey his concern to Tokyo.
Moon also reportedly instructed officials to consider bringing the matter to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Japan's top government spokesperson declined to comment on the move, saying the government has not received any notification.
"We will continue to provide accurate information based on scientific evidence, thoroughly explain our efforts to decommission the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, including the handling of the treated water, and seek understanding from the international community," Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu said.
Water is used to cool molten nuclear fuel. It mixes with rain and groundwater that flows into damaged reactor buildings, amounting to more than 100 tons each day.
This water undergoes a treatment process that removes most radioactive material, but it still contains radioactive tritium. The treated water is then stored.
The plant has about 1,000 tanks, which are now 90 percent full. The remainder is expected to fill up sometime next year.
The treated water will be diluted so the tritium concentration is well below national standards and about one-seventh of the level the World Health Organization suggests is safe for drinking water.
Japan's nuclear regulators will examine the plant operator's plans to build facilities to dilute the water before it is released into the ocean.
The regulators decided on Wednesday to open the examination process to the public.
They also decided to consider stepping up monitoring of tritium in the ocean. The government plans to start releasing the treated water in about two years.