Japan needs to reassure neighbors on release and safety of treated radioactive water
Posted: 13th January 2023
Other nations have released water from nuclear reactors and done so safely
Scientists have concluded that the plan to discharge the ALPS-treated wastewater from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant into the ocean is the most realistic solution to the storage problem based on experiences in Japan and elsewhere. | POOL / VIA BLOOMBERGBY KUNI MIYAKE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
- Jan 11, 2023
This coming spring, as the war in Ukraine enters its second year, Japan will start releasing treated water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the ocean.
The plan, which was announced in 2021 after two years of objective due processes, both domestic and international, is to treat the water with scientifically proven methods to ensure maximum environmental safety.
The New York Times ran an article late last year stating that “The proposal has angered many of Japan’s neighbors, especially those with the most direct experience of unexpected exposure to dangerous levels of radiation.” The article also quoted an environmental advocacy group that criticized the plan: “How can the Japanese government … wish to further pollute our Pacific with nuclear waste?”