Japan Release of Radioactive Water Alarms Countries
TOKYO (Reuters) -- Japan will release more than 1 million tonnes of contaminated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, the government said on Tuesday, a move China called "extremely irresponsible”, while South Korea summoned Tokyo’s ambassador in Seoul to protest.
Japan has argued the water release is necessary to press ahead with the complex decommissioning of the plant after it was crippled by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It says similarly filtered water is routinely released from nuclear plants around the world.
Nearly 1.3 million tonnes of contaminated water, or enough to fill about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, is stored in huge tanks at the plant at an annual cost of about 100 billion yen ($912.66 million) -- and space is running out.
The decision comes about three months ahead of the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games, with some events to be held as close as 60 km (35 miles) from the wrecked plant.
The United States noted that Japan has worked closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency in its handling of the site.
Japan’s neighbors reacted strongly, however, with both China and South Korea calling for more consultation on the plan.
"This action is extremely irresponsible, and will seriously damage international public health and safety, and the vital interests of people in neighboring countries,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.
South Korea’s government summoned Japan’s ambassador to Seoul to protest at the move.
"The decision can never be accepted and would not only cause danger to the safety and maritime environment of neighboring countries,” a senior official told a briefing after vice-ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue.
"It was also made unilaterally without sufficient consultations with our country, which is the closest neighbor to Japan,” Koo said.
At a briefing in Tokyo later in the day a government official told reporters that Japan had consulted neighbors.
Fishing unions in Fukushima have urged the government for years not to release the water, arguing it would have a "catastrophic impact” on the industry.
A Scientific American article reported in 2014 that when ingested tritium can raise cancer risks, while some experts are worried about other contaminants. The water currently contains significant amounts of harmful isotopes despite years of treatment, according to Tepco.
Japan has argued the water release is necessary to press ahead with the complex decommissioning of the plant after it was crippled by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It says similarly filtered water is routinely released from nuclear plants around the world.
Nearly 1.3 million tonnes of contaminated water, or enough to fill about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, is stored in huge tanks at the plant at an annual cost of about 100 billion yen ($912.66 million) -- and space is running out.
The decision comes about three months ahead of the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games, with some events to be held as close as 60 km (35 miles) from the wrecked plant.
The United States noted that Japan has worked closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency in its handling of the site.
Japan’s neighbors reacted strongly, however, with both China and South Korea calling for more consultation on the plan.
"This action is extremely irresponsible, and will seriously damage international public health and safety, and the vital interests of people in neighboring countries,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.
South Korea’s government summoned Japan’s ambassador to Seoul to protest at the move.
"The decision can never be accepted and would not only cause danger to the safety and maritime environment of neighboring countries,” a senior official told a briefing after vice-ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue.
"It was also made unilaterally without sufficient consultations with our country, which is the closest neighbor to Japan,” Koo said.
At a briefing in Tokyo later in the day a government official told reporters that Japan had consulted neighbors.
Fishing unions in Fukushima have urged the government for years not to release the water, arguing it would have a "catastrophic impact” on the industry.
A Scientific American article reported in 2014 that when ingested tritium can raise cancer risks, while some experts are worried about other contaminants. The water currently contains significant amounts of harmful isotopes despite years of treatment, according to Tepco.