IAEA Director General Visits Fukushima

 IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visits Fukushima to view the underwater tunnel in 2022. Credit: IAEA Imagebank

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi visited Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to review the treatment and discharge of nuclear-contaminated water on March 12, 2024. The visit came a day after the 13th anniversary of the tsunami that induced the initial accident on March 11, 2011. 

The 15-meter high tsunami caused meltdowns at three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, resulting in the largest release of radioactive material since Chernobyl. Since then, the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government have been grappling with the enormous task of cleanup and decommissioning. The biggest challenge has been the ever-growing volume of contaminated water used to cool the damaged reactors. In 2013, TEPCO began treating the contaminated water through an Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) that removes most radionuclides, but tritium, a source of beta radiation, remains.

Japan began discharging the treated water into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023, a decision met with strong opposition from neighboring countries and fishing communities. China even banned all imports of Japanese seafood. In response to some of the opposition, TEPCO built a one-kilometer underwater tunnel to ensure water is released beyond fishing areas. However, concerns persist over the potential long-term environmental and health impacts of even low levels of radioactive material released into the ocean.

Grossi's visit signifies a crucial step in addressing these concerns. The IAEA previously conducted a safety review of Japan's discharge plans, concluding that they met international safety standards and “would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.” The IAEA has also been continuously monitoring radiation levels in the Pacific  through independent sampling following TEPCO releases. However, this is the first visit of the Director General to the site since the discharge process started.

"It's very important to show the transparency of this process," Grossi emphasized during his meeting with Japan's Economy and Industry Minister, Ken Saito. Besides government officials, Grossi met with local stakeholder groups, industry leaders, and university students to hear their concerns and emphasize the IAEA’s “commitment to safety, transparency & dialogue at every step.” 

Grossi specifically addressed the concerns of fishermen and consumers, stating that the discharges have “no impact to the environment, water, fish and sediment” and that he has “an ongoing and very constructive dialogue with China regarding the operation.”

Grossi also met with Japanese officials to talk about the future of nuclear power in Japan at large. Before Fukushima, Japan received about 30 percent of its energy from its reactors, but all plants suspended operations in the two years after the accident. In 2015, two reactors were approved to restart and another nine reactors have gone online since then. However, popular opinion in Japan towards nuclear energy is still skeptical, especially after an earthquake in the Noto region damaged the Shika Nuclear Power Station on January 1, 2024. In his meeting with Saito, Grossi stated that the IAEA wants “to be of assistance in helping Japan’s nuclear capacity to be up and running as soon as possible.”