IAEA Team To Visit Fukushima Next Week To Review Plans For Releasing Radioactive Water Into The Pacific Ocean

JAKARTA - A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant next week to review plans for releasing treated radioactive water into the sea, the Japanese government said.

During their stay in the Land of the Rising Sun from Feb. 14-18, the experts will evaluate the safety of releasing treated water, with their visit to the Fukushima plant scheduled for Feb. 15, according to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Industry, citing Kyodo News Feb. 8.

The planned release, which is slated to begin in spring 2023, has been opposed by China and South Korea, as well as the local fishing community.

The on-site assessment by experts led by Gustavo Caruso, director, and coordinator of the IAEA's Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, was originally scheduled for mid-December.

However, those plans had to be put on hold, after the highly contagious variant of the Omicron spread rapidly.

The team will also exchange views with the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., the operator of the Fukushima plant, on cooperation in dealing with treated water, the industry ministry said, adding the IAEA will hold an online press conference on February 18.

To note, radioactive water pumped to cool the melted fuel at the plant, which was crippled by the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, has accumulated at the complex. It had mixed with rain and groundwater at the site, becoming contaminated.

Water is treated using an advanced liquid treatment system. The process removes most of the radioactive material except for tritium, which is said to pose a little health risk. Tokyo decided in April last year to release treated water into the Pacific Ocean.

In order to increase the transparency of sewerage projects, the Japanese Ministry of Industry and the IAEA have agreed that the international agency will compile an interim safety evaluation report by 2022.