Japan Set to Release Fukushima Water

Facts

• Japan is set to begin releasing over 1M metric tons of treated radioactive water from the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant starting Thursday, despite ongoing controversy over the plan's safety.¹
• Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Tuesday that the disposal will begin on Aug. 24 "if weather and sea conditions are appropriate." The government claims the release is a key part of its extended and expensive efforts to decommission the destroyed plant.²
• Highly radioactive water used to cool the reactors has been stored in the plant's tanks since 2011, but space is running out. The water to be released into the Pacific Ocean has been treated to remove the most dangerous elements; however, it still contains radioactive tritium — a hydrogen isotope.³
• In July, a "detailed review" conducted by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found that government plans met the required safety standards. But their conclusion that the release will have a "negligible radiological impact on people and the environment" has failed to dampen opposition.⁴
• China already bans seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan and imposes radioactivity tests on imports from others. There have also been protests against the plans in South Korea, while local fishing groups fear reputational damage to their industry.⁵
• According to Japan's government, the Fukushima water will be released at a maximum rate of 500K liters a day — at which rate it will likely take decades to complete.¹

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²BBC News, ³CNN, ⁴Iaea, and ⁵France 24.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Reuters. A more accurate understanding of the plans to discharge Fukushima water is starting to prevail internationally. The IAEA has thoroughly assessed Japan's intentions and confirmed that the release would have a negligible impact on the environment and human health. The only contaminated element left in the treated water will be tritium, at a concentration well below internationally approved levels. Neighboring countries and industry heads must stop fear-mongering over these plans.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Washington Post. This release could result in a significant blow for a fishing industry already dogged by the stigma of radioactivity. South Korean opposition leaders have accused Pres. Yoon Suk Yoel of disregarding the health risks posed by discharging radioactive waste for the sake of diplomacy. Pushing ahead with these plans will likely backfire on Japan's government, hurting the nation's image abroad while making relations with China more challenging in the near future.

Predictions