The UN’s nuclear watchdog has approved Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific, a proposal sharply condemned by China and South Korea.
A two-year review by the International Atomic Energy Agency has found that the plans were consistent with international safety standards. Gradual discharges of the treated water, which are expected to take decades to complete, would have “a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment”, the agency concluded.
“We compared with other options and we were able to confirm that this is the one that exists that has a proven track record,” IAEA head Rafael Grossi said at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.