{"id":395432,"date":"2023-07-06T06:06:08","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T20:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=395432"},"modified":"2023-07-06T06:06:08","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T20:06:08","slug":"un-agency-endorses-japans-plan-to-release-nuke-water-into-pacific","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/un-agency-endorses-japans-plan-to-release-nuke-water-into-pacific\/","title":{"rendered":"UN agency endorses Japan\u2019s plan to release nuke water into Pacific"},"content":{"rendered":"

TOKYO (AP)\u2014The U.N. nuclear agency gave its endorsement on Tuesday to Japan\u2019s planned release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, saying it meets international standards and its environmental and health impact would be negligible.<\/p>\n

The plan is opposed by groups in South Korea, China and some Pacific Island nations because of safety concerns and political reasons. Local fishing organizations are worried that their reputation will be damaged even if their catch isn\u2019t contaminated.<\/p>\n

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, submitted its final assessment of the plan to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The report is a \u201ccomprehensive, neutral, objective, scientifically sound evaluation,\u201d Grossi said. \u201cWe are very confident about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report said IAEA recognizes the discharge \u201chas raised societal, political and environmental concerns, associated with the radiological aspects.\u201d However, it concluded that the water release as currently planned \u201cwill have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Japan\u2019s plan and the equipment for the discharge are \u201cin conformity with the agreed international standards and its application,\u201d Grossi said.<\/p>\n

He said the dilution of treated but still slightly radioactive wastewater for gradual release into the sea is a proven method widely used in other countries, including China, South Korea, the United States and France, to dispose of water containing certain radionuclides from nuclear plants.<\/p>\n

Much of the Fukushima wastewater contains cesium and other radionuclides, but it will be filtered further to bring it below international standards for all but tritium, which is inseparable from water. It then will be diluted by 100 times with seawater before it is released.<\/p>\n

But Haruhiko Terasawa, head of the Miyagi prefectural fisheries cooperatives, said they will continue to oppose the release while concerns remain.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe treated water is not a problem that ends after a single time or a year of release, but lasts as long as 30-40 years, so nobody can predict what might happen,\u201d he told TV Asahi.<\/p>\n

Japan has sought the IAEA\u2019s support to gain credibility for the plan. Experts from the U.N. agency and 11 nations have made several trips to Japan since early 2022 to examine preparations by the government and the plant\u2019s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, left, presents IAEA’s comprehensive report on Fukushima Treated Water Release to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, at the prime minister’s office Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in Tokyo. (AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some scientists say the impact of long-term, low-dose exposure to radionuclides remains unknown and urge a delay in the release. Others say the discharge plan is safe but call for more transparency in sampling and monitoring.<\/p>\n

Kishida, after meeting with Grossi, said Japan will continue to provide \u201cdetailed explanations based on scientific evidence with a high degree of transparency both domestically and internationally.\u201d<\/p>\n

A massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant\u2019s cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and their cooling water to be contaminated and leak continuously. The water is collected, treated and stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant which will reach their capacity in early 2024.<\/p>\n

The government and TEPCO say the water must be removed to prevent any accidental leaks and make room for the damaged plant\u2019s decommissioning.<\/p>\n

Japanese regulators finished their final safety inspection of the equipment last Friday and TEPCO is expected to receive a permit in about a week to begin gradually discharging the water at a location 1 kilometer (1,000 yards) offshore through an undersea tunnel. The start date for the release, which is expected to take decades, is still undecided.<\/p>\n

The IAEA will continue to monitor and assess the release, Grossi said.<\/p>\n

During his four-day visit, Grossi will also visit the Fukushima plant and meet with TEPCO officials, local fishing groups, heads of nearby municipalities and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe in transparency, I believe in open dialogue and I believe in the validity of the exercise we are carrying out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Grossi is also expected to visit South Korea, New Zealand and the Cook Islands after his visit to Japan to ease concerns there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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