Japan started to release treated radioactive wastewater in the Pacific Ocean in late August.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and three of his cabinet ministers sampled fish from waters off the coast of Fukushima. A video, shared on August 31, shows them trying the fish in a bid to raise awareness about the safety of the water after treated radioactive wastewater was released into the Pacific Ocean from the nation’s power plants.
“Let’s support the Sanriku & Joban regions through food! These regions, consisting of Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki prefectures, offer wonderful marine products,” says the official Twitter handle of PM’s Office of Japan. (Also Read: Fukushima treated water release: No radioactivity detected in seawater tests)
What is shown in the video?
The clip opens to show Fumio Kishida promoting fish and other seafood products. The clip goes on to show him, along with other members enjoying the seafood.
In the end, he also urges people to show support by buying “safe and flavourful fish and other marine products” from Sanriku and Joban regions.
Watch the video of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida here:
Why did Japan release water from the nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean?
According to The Washington Post, after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, Japan stored the contaminated water in large metal tanks near the plant. However, now the country is running out of space to build more tanks to accommodate the contaminated groundwater and rainwater. So, the country has started to treat the wastewater and release it into the ocean.
When did Japan start to release water from the nuclear power plant?
The process of releasing the nuclear water began in late August 2023, after Japan received approval from the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to release over a million tons of “treated radioactive water.” (Also Read: Japan says ‘harassment calls’ from China regarding Fukushima water release ‘extremely regrettable’)
Due to worries about the potential effects, local fishing communities as well as other nations, including China and South Korea, which share international waters with Japan, have expressed opposition to this approval.
What did the IAEA safety review conclude?
Following a safety evaluation, the IAEA determined that the discharge would have a negligible environmental impact, in line with water releases from nuclear facilities in other areas. According to the nuclear agency, the safety evaluation addressed technical issues and clarified the science underlying the intended discharge, ensuring that there would be “negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.”