(ConservativeInsider.org) – Following a 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant was disabled. This week, in late August 2023, Japan and a UN watchdog group have indicated that releasing that contaminated water back into the Pacific Ocean is safe. The first release of 31,000 tons of water could fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools, and many people are protesting the event over concerns about ocean safety.
Local fisherfolk and the Chinese government have vehemently argued against this action. China has extended its seafood ban from the region. The Fukushima region is known for its fishing, and the government installed a power plant to produce electricity for Tokyo. The government is taking actions that may affect the region even more than the 2011 earthquake did.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stated that the government will buy any seafood that doesn’t sell and they are not abandoning the region; they are simply looking to move forward to make progress in decommissioning the damaged nuclear power plant. The water release is expected to take decades. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has approved the plan and is well within international safety standards. The Agency will monitor the region to ensure ongoing safety and protocols are followed.
The IAEA will have experts in Fukushima to collect data and intend to share that data on their website, working toward transparency and safety. Water samples will be routinely taken from the region, and the results will be published for use in other projects. Many countries in the region are concerned for their water and seafood resources, but the IAEA has indicated there should be no impact from the release of the treated water.
The Fukushima plant and the region damaged by the Tsunami have been bolstered with sea walls and more safety precautions to avoid another incident like this. The IAEA hopes to share this as a success story in the future.
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