Fukushima Nuclear Crisis

Japan confirms experts met in China to ease radioactive water concerns

Japan said Sunday its experts have held talks with their Chinese counterparts to try to assuage Beijing's concerns over the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. The discharges have been opposed by fishing groups and neighbouring countries especially China, which banned all imports of Japanese seafood. China's move has largely affected Japanese scallop growers and exporters to China. During the talks held Saturday in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, Japanese officials provided science-based explanation of how the discharges have been safely carried out as planned, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. A 2011 earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima plant's power supply and reactor cooling functions, triggering meltdowns of three reactors and causing large amounts of radioactive wastewater to accumulate. After more than a decade of storage in tanks taking up much space on the complex, the pla

Treated wastewater discharge at Fukushima nuclear plant is safe: IAEA chief

The head of the UN atomic agency told local Japanese representatives at a meeting in Fukushima on Wednesday that the ongoing discharge of treated radioactive wastewater at the ruined nuclear power plant has met safety standards and that any restrictions on products from the region are not scientific. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi joined local officials and representatives from fishing and business groups and reassured them that the discharges are being carried out with no impact to the environment, water, fish and sediment." Grossi, who arrived in Japan on Tuesday, visited Fukushima for the first time since the release of the treated water began in August. Grossi examined the discharge and sampling facility on Wednesday, escorted by Tomoaki Kobayakawa, president of the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings. He last visited the plant in July after issuing an IAEA review predicting only negligible impact from the discharges. An IA

Wastewater discharge at Fukushima plant safe for residents: IAEA chief

The head of the UN atomic agency on Wednesday told local Japanese representatives at a meeting in Fukushima that the ongoing discharge of treated radioactive wastewater at the ruined nuclear power plant has met safety standards and that any restrictions on products from the region are not scientific. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi joined local officials and representatives from fishing and business groups and reassured them that the discharges are being carried out with no impact to the environment, water, fish and sediment." Grossi, who arrived in Japan on Tuesday, returned to Fukushima for the first time since the release of the treated water began in August. Grossi will examine the discharge and sampling facility later Wednesday. He last visited the plant in July after issuing an IAEA review predicting only negligible impact from the discharges. The IAEA comprehensive report later concluded that the discharges meet international safety ...

UN nuclear chief visits Japan to examine Fukushima wastewater release

The head of the United Nations' atomic agency is in Japan to examine discharges of treated radioactive wastewater from the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and to discuss further cooperation with Japan to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy and non-proliferation. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi is visiting the country Tuesday for the first time since releases of the treated water began in August. It also comes one day after Japan marked 13 years after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck, triggering the Fukushima disaster. "This date has a special meaning in Japan," Grossi said as he met with Japanese Environment Minister Shintaro Ito, his first in a series of talks with top Japanese officials planned for the three-day visit. The disaster caused many difficulties, but also led to "strengthening of the links and the cooperation between the IAEA and Japan, Grossi said. A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 damaged the

13 yrs since massive tsunami, Fukushima nuclear plant still sparks fears

Japan on Monday marked 13 years since a massive earthquake and tsunami hit the country's northern coasts. Nearly 20,000 people died, whole towns were wiped out and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was destroyed, creating deep fears of radiation that linger today. As the nation observes the anniversary, AP explains what is happening now at the plant and in neighbouring areas. WHAT HAPPENED 13 YEARS AGO? A magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, causing a tsunami that battered northern coastal towns in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. The tsunami, which topped 15 meters (50 feet) in some areas, also slammed into the nuclear plant, destroying its power supply and fuel cooling systems, and causing meltdowns at reactors No. 1, 2 and 3. Hydrogen explosions caused massive radiation leaks and contamination in the area. The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, says that the tsunami couldn't have been anticipated. Government and independent investigati

Japan to resume world's largest nuclear power plant Kashiwazaki-Kariwa

With a capacity of 8,212 megawatts (MW), the plant has been offline since 2012 after the Fukushima disaster a year earlier led to the shutdown of all nuclear power plants in Japan at the time

Only the operator of Fukushima plant liable to pay damages: Tokyo Court

A Tokyo court on Tuesday held only the operator of the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant responsible for paying damages to dozens of evacuees. The Tokyo High Court also slashed the amount to half of what the lower court had ordered and relieved the government of responsibility a decision that plaintiffs and their lawyers criticised as belittling their suffering and the severity of the disaster. The court ordered only the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, known as TEPCO, to pay a total of 23.5 million yen (USD 165,000) to 44 of the 47 plaintiffs, while not holding the government accountable. Tuesday's ruling apparently backpedaled from an earlier decision in March 2018, when the Tokyo District Court held both the government and TEPCO accountable for the disaster, which the ruling said could have been prevented if they both took better precautionary measures, ordering both to pay 59 million yen (USD 414,400) in damages. The decision comes at a time when Japan's ...

3rd batch of Release of treated water from Fukushima ends safely: operator

The release of a third batch of treated radioactive wastewater from Japan's damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean ended safely as planned, its operator said on Monday, as the country's seafood producers continue to suffer from a Chinese import ban imposed after the discharges began. Large amounts of radioactive wastewater have accumulated at the nuclear plant since it was damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. It began discharging treated and diluted wastewater into the ocean on August 24 and finished releasing the third 7,800-ton batch on Monday. The process is expected to take decades. The discharges have been strongly opposed by fishing groups and neighbouring countries including China, which banned all imports of Japanese seafood, badly hurting Japanese producers and exporters of scallops and other seafood. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, said the third release, like the two previous ones, went smoothly and marine sampl

Japanese nuclear plant starts 3rd release of treated radioactive wastewater

The tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began its third release of treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the sea on Thursday after Japanese officials said the two earlier releases ended smoothly. The plant operator discharged 7,800 tons of treated water in each of the first two batches and plans to release the same amount in the current batch through November 20. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said its workers activated the first of the two pumps to dilute the treated water with large amounts of seawater, gradually sending the mixture into the Pacific Ocean through an undersea tunnel for an offshore release. The plant began the first wastewater release in August and will continue to do so for decades. About 1.33 million tons of radioactive wastewater is stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant. It has accumulated since the plant was crippled by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan in 2011. TEPCO and the government say

Fukushima nuclear wastewater: Japan criticises Russian ban on its seafood

Japan criticised Russia's announcement that it's joining China in banning the imports of Japanese seafood in response to the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant. Russia said it will start implementing import restrictions on Japanese seafood on Monday, nearly two months after the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started releasing treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the ocean. The wastewater discharges, which are expected to continue for decades, have been strongly opposed by fishing groups and neighbouring countries including South Korea, where hundreds of people have protested. China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood the day the release began in August, badly hurting Japanese seafood producers and exporters. The Japanese Foreign Ministry said its senior officials notified the Russian Embassy in Tokyo that Japan has been providing transparent and scientific explanations about safety

Japan's nuclear plant starts 2nd release of treated radioactive wastewater

Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant said it began releasing a second batch of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea on Thursday after the first round of discharges ended smoothly. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said workers activated pumps to dilute the treated water with large amounts of seawater, slowly sending the mixture into the ocean through an undersea tunnel for an offshore release. The wastewater discharges, which are expected to continue for decades, have been strongly opposed by fishing groups and neighboring countries including South Korea, where hundreds of people staged protest rallies. China banned all imports of Japanese seafood, badly hurting Japanese seafood producers and exporters. The plant's first wastewater release began on August 24 and ended on September 11. During that release, TEPCO said it discharged 7,800 tons of treated water from 10 tanks. In the second discharge, TEPCO plans to release another 7,800 tons of treated

Japan's PM visits fish market, vows to help fisheries hit by China ban

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sampled seafood and talked to workers at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market on Thursday to assess the impact of China's ban on Japanese seafood in reaction to the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi plant to the sea. The release of the treated wastewater began last week and is expected to continue for decades. Japanese fishing groups and neighbouring countries opposed it, and China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood in response. One of the seafood business operators told Kishida that sales of his scallops, which are largely exported to China, have dropped 90 per cent since the treated water discharge. We will compile support measures that stand by the fisheries operators," Kishida told reporters after the market visit. We will also resolutely call on China to scrap its trade restrictions that has no scientific bases. China had stepped up testing on Japanese fisheries products, causing long delays

Fukushima residents cautious as wrecked nuclear plant releases wastewater

Fish auction prices at a port south of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were mixed Friday amid uncertainty over how seafood consumers will respond to the release of treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the ocean. The plant, which was damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, began sending the treated water into the Pacific on Thursday despite protests at home and in nearby countries that are adding political and diplomatic pressures to the economic worries. Hideaki Igari, a middleman at the Numanouchi fishing port, said the price of larger flounder, Fukushima's signature fish known as Joban-mono, was more than 10% lower at the Friday morning auction, the first since the water release began. Prices of some average-size flounder rose, but presumably due to a limited catch, says Igari. Others fell. It was a relatively calm market reaction to the water release. But, Igari said, "we still have to see how it goes next week. The decadeslong release has been strongly

China bans seafood from Japan after Fukushima plant releases wastewater

Chinese customs authorities banned seafood from Japan in response to the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant starting its wastewater release Thursday, customs authorities said in an announcement. The ban starts immediately and will affect all imports of aquatic products including seafood, according to the notice. Authorities said they will dynamically adjust relevant regulatory measures as appropriate to prevent the risks of nuclear-contaminated water discharge to the health and food safety of our country.

In Japan's neighbours, fear, frustation over radioactive water release

Seoul office worker Kim Mijeong says she intends to stop eating seafood, as she deeply mistrusts the safety of Japan's release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from its crippled nuclear power plant. We should absolutely cut back on our consumption of seafood. Actually, we can't eat it, Kim said. I can't accept the Japanese plan because it's too unilateral and is proceeding without countermeasures. The International Atomic Energy Agency and many foreign experts already assessed the water discharge will cause negligible impact on the environment and human health. But ahead of the discharge of the wastewater starting Thursday, public fears and frustrations were being shared in its Asian neighbors, where many still bear strong resentment against Japan's wartime aggression. China summoned Japan's ambassador in Beijing earlier this week to register its complaints, and a government spokesperson called the discharge plan extremely selfish and irresponsible. Hong Kong and Macau

What you need to know about Fukushima nuclear plant treated water release

Japanese officials plan to start discharging treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, a contentious step more than 12 years after a massive earthquake and tsunami set off a battle against ever-increasing amounts of radioactive water at the plant. The government and plant operator say the release is an unavoidable part of its decommissioning and will be safely carried out, but the plan faces opposition in and outside Japan. Here is a look at the controversy. The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami destroyed the plant's cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt. Highly contaminated cooling water applied to the damaged reactors has leaked continuously to building basements and mixed with groundwater. The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), has taken steps to limit the amount of groundwater and rainwater entering the reactor area, and has reduced the increase in contaminated .

Japan to release treated radioactive water starting August 24; details here

Japan has said the radioactive wastewater release is safe, which has been backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Japan pledges support to fisheries during Fukushima plant water release

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday promised his government's full support for fishing communities during the decades-long process to release treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. Meeting with fisheries representatives, Kishida promised measures to protect the fishing industry's reputation until the release ends. Masanobu Sakamoto, head of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, reiterated his organisation's opposition to the release. He said members of the fishing community have gained some confidence about the safety of the move, but that they still fear damage to their industry, and welcomed the government pledge for support. Scientific safety and the sense of safety are different, Sakamoto said. Even if it's safe, reputational damage occurs." Kishida later told reporters that Sakamoto's response signalled improved understanding and that key Cabinet ministers will meet Tuesday to set a date to start the relea

Japan defends neutrality of IAEA report on Fukushima water release plan

Japan's industry minister visited the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Monday to see equipment that would be used in the planned release into the sea of treated radioactive water to ensure the safety of the controversial plan, while demonstrators, including many from South Korea, rallied against it. The Japanese government defended the neutrality of the United Nations nuclear agency's final report that concluded Japan's water release plan met international safety standards, denying allegations that Japan pressured the International Atomic Energy Agency into publishing only favourable results. Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura visited the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant Monday morning to see key equipment, including an emergency shutdown system, days after the Japanese regulatory authority granted a permit for the operator and the IAEA said the environmental impact from the water release would be negligible. The government and the plant operator,

IAEA chief Grossi nods to discord among Fukushima water report experts

Beijing has blasted the IAEA's report saying the body should not be endorsing a plan which poses risks to marine life and human health, despite assurances from Japan