One year on: Japan has released 55,000 tonnes of nuclear wastewater into the sea

Exactly one year ago, Japan began discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean and has since released 55,000 tonnes, according to statistics from the Tokyo Electric Power Company. Despite continuous anxiety and anger from both domestic and international observers, Tokyo's decision—which will take 30 years to complete—remains firm.

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, struck by an earthquake over a decade ago, used more than 1 million tonnes of water to cool the damaged reactors. This turned it into wastewater, containing a radioactive isotope called tritium and possibly other radioactive traces, and had accumulated until last August.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated in its report that the release was "consistent with global safety standards," yet Japan's local organizations, neighboring countries, and other international experts have expressed concerns that the move poses an environmental threat that could last generations and may affect ecosystems around the world.

China urged Japan to cooperate fully in creating an independent, effective, and long-term international monitoring scheme with substantive participation from its neighbors and other stakeholders regarding the discharge.

Without full consultation with neighboring countries, Japan unilaterally began discharging Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, shifting risks globally, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters at a press briefing on Friday. "It was entirely legitimate, reasonable and necessary for China and other countries to take precautionary measures to protect food safety and people's health in response to the discharge."

Last August, China banned "aquatic products" from Japan, including seafood. Japan's ally, South Korea, has relatively downplayed its concerns, with its government having "endorsed the plan." However, this approach has angered the South Korean public, 80% of whom are worried about the water release according to a 2023 poll.

Very recently, South Korean activists have called for an international lawsuit.

"When it comes to dumping radioactive water into the ocean, the effects need to be studied in the long term," said Jang Jeong-wook, professor emeritus at Matsuyama University, as quoted by Korean media Hankyoreh.

"They have failed to understand the core of the problem. Even at Chernobyl, not many people died immediately after the accident," Jang continued, referring to the catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Although the official death toll stood at 31 as an immediate result of Chernobyl, international environmental charity Greenpeace believes the actual number of Chernobyl-related deaths over years could be around 200,000.

The environmental organization has also released reports casting doubt on Japan's wastewater treatment process, alleging it does not go far enough in removing radioactive substances.

Last week, about 25 tonnes of radioactive water leaked within the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, stated that the contaminated water had not escaped outside the reactor building.

The leakage has once again cast doubt on the chaotic management and weak supervision of the Japanese power plant operator, with many urging strict international supervision.

There is no precedent for discharging wastewater into the ocean after a nuclear accident, and no human being has ever experienced such a thing, so there are very many uncertainties to consider, and such a plan by Japan is too hasty and irresponsible, Zhang Yanqiang, professor of international law at Dalian Maritime University and director of the Institute for Yellow Sea and Bohai Studies, told CGTN in an interview.

(Cover: An aerial photo shows a facility to release treated water stored within the premises of the plant (right bottom) at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, August 24, 2023. /CFP)