Japan Plans to Release Fukushima Wastewater Into Ocean

A 2011 earthquake, and subsequent tsunami, caused extensive damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant (Flickr).

The Japanese government decided on April 13 to release treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. This decision elicited strong responses from Japanese citizens and the international community.

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, triggering a 50-feet tsunami in 2011. The natural disaster caused hydrogen explosions, damaging reactor buildings at the Fukushima power plant. As the facility’s cooling systems failed, tons of radioactive material was released, making the meltdown the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. Water that was pumped into the ruined reactors at the Fukushima plant to cool the melted fuel mixed with rain and groundwater. The contaminated water—about 1.25 million tons—is being kept in tanks on the plant's premises. 

The government approved the plan to finally release the water after years of debate, and this process is expected to take decades to complete. 

"Disposing of the treated water is an unavoidable issue for decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi plant," said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga after finalizing the decision in a meeting with members of his cabinet, vowing to ensure "more than adequate" compliance with safety standards and to take steps to protect the fishery industry.

The water will be treated and diluted using an advanced liquid processing system, so that radiation levels are just below those set for drinking water. The process is said to remove most radioactive materials including strontium and cesium but leaves behind tritium, which is related to hydrogen, posing little health risk in low concentrations.

Immediately after Japan’s announcement, IAEA Director-General Grossi released a video statement welcoming the decision and affirming its feasibility, expressing that the agency stands ready to provide technical support in monitoring and reviewing the plan’s safe and transparent implementation.

The U.S. State Department also said in a statement, “In this unique and challenging situation, Japan has weighed the options and effects, has been transparent about its decision, and appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards.”

Nevertheless, neighboring countries—and some domestic and international organizations—have expressed adamant opposition. The South Korean government expressed “strong regret over the Japanese government's ‘unilateral’ choice,” calling the decision “outright unacceptable,” reports the Korea Herald. 

China has also expressed concern about the  decision, stating that it threatens “international public interests and Chinese people’s health and safety.” A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday, “The ocean is not Japan’s garbage can, and the Pacific is not Japan’s sewer.” 

Furthermore, Russia and North Korea, both neighboring countries to Japan, have expressed firm opposition and condemnation towards Japan’s decision.

Another major source of opposition comes from Japan’s national federation of fisheries cooperatives. The head of the cooperatives, Hiroshi Kishi, called the decision "utterly unacceptable" and said it "tramples on the feelings of fishermen not only in Fukushima Prefecture but across Japan."

Finally, domestic activists at Greenpeace Japan have denounced the decision, saying in a statement that it “ignores human rights and international maritime law.” Kazue Suzuki, a climate and energy campaigner for the organization, said that the Japanese government had “discounted the radiation risks.” Three independent UN human rights experts also joined the opposing voices through a joint statement to express their concerns for the environment.