On Thursday, Japan commenced the controlled release of treated radioactive wastewater from the devastated Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. This controversial decision swiftly led China to enact a comprehensive prohibition on seafood imports from Japan.
The Japanese government green-lighted this decision two years prior, and it recently received the endorsement of the U.N. nuclear watchdog. The action marks a significant phase in the complex and extended decommissioning journey of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which faced severe destruction from a tsunami, as detailed by Reuters.
Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the plant’s operator, confirmed the initiation of the release at 1:03 p.m. local time (0403 GMT). Tepco’s latest reports indicate no discernible issues with the seawater pump or the adjoining infrastructure.