Thursday, July 16, 2026

Japan to begin discharge of nuclear wastes into Pacific Ocean

Officials in China, South Korea and also the local fishing industry and environmentalists frown at the development.

• April 19, 2021
Daiichi nuclear power plant
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant [Photo Credit: WNN]

Japanese authorities have granted approval to Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to begin dumping its nuclear wastes into the Pacific Ocean from 2023.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company approved the practice after years of going back and forth with the nuclear power plant.

The plant plans to discharge over one million tonnes of contaminated water from dismantled nuclear plants into the Pacific Ocean. Officials claim that  the released contaminated water will be treated to decrease radiation level for drinking consumption.

Officials in China, South Korea and also the local fishing industry and environmentalists frown at the development.

The power plants were destroyed by hydrogen explosions as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that happened on March 11, 2011 claiming the lives of over 15,897 people.

It’s been reported that the new development will take decades to process.

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