Plan To Minimize Fukushima Reputational Damage Revised
The Japanese government has decided to step up efforts to better address reputational damage that could occur following the release of treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The plant in northeastern Japan suffered a triple meltdown in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
How to manage ever-increasing amounts of water within its premises has been an issue. Water used to cool molten fuel mixes with rain and groundwater. The accumulated water is treated to remove most of the radioactive materials and stored in tanks on the plant's premises. The filtered water still contains tritium.
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority approved a plan for the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company to release treated water into the sea after diluting it to reduce the concentration of tritium well below national regulations. The utility plans to start the release sometime around the spring in line with the government's policy.
Local residents and business operators have continued to voice concern that they may suffer from reputational damage as a result of the water release.
On Tuesday, the government held a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers and revised its medium- to long-term plan to tackle the issue.
The participants decided to use TV commercials and online video-sharing platforms to seek nationwide understanding of the plan's safety. It will also hold small-group meetings in which local residents, fisheries operators and others can discuss the issue.
The participants also decided that TEPCO should compile and announce before year-end its standards of compensation should reputational damage occur.
Full-fledged construction of facilities for the release of treated water, including an underwater tunnel, began earlier this month.
Attention is focused on whether the stepped-up efforts will allay fears held by local fisheries operators and others.