The UN nuclear watchdog greenlighted the plan in July, saying that it met international standards and that the impact it would have on people and the environment was “negligible”.
Japan said on Tuesday it will start releasing into the sea more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on August 24, going ahead with a plan heavily criticised by China.
The announcement comes a day after the government said it had won “a degree of understanding” from the fishing industry over the release of the water into the Pacific Ocean, even as fishing groups said they still feared the reputational damage would ruin their livelihood.and with extra checks, with the first discharge totalling 7,800 cubic metres over about 17 days starting on Thursday, Tepco said.
“The IAEA and many other countries have said it’s safe, so I believe it is. But fishermen are facing so many problems so the Japanese government needs to do something to convince them,” said 77-year-old NGO worker Hiroko Hashimoto. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee called the discharge “irresponsible” and said the city would “immediately activate” import controls on Japanese seafood from regions including capital Tokyo and Fukushima starting Thursday.
The matter has required President Yoon Suk Yeol to strike a balance as he seeks better relations with Japan while risking consumer backlash at home.
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