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South Korean fishermen stage a rally against the Japanese government's decision to release nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, June 12, 2023. /AP
The operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant on Monday began testing the newly constructed facilities built to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea, a plan vehemently opposed by local fishing communities and neighboring countries.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant tests use fresh water instead of treated water, operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) said.
Plant workers examined pumps and emergency shutdown equipment at the newly constructed seaside facility, which will dilute the radioactive water with large amounts of seawater. The diluted water then enters an undersea tunnel and is released into the ocean about 1 kilometer from the coast.
The undersea tunnel and other key facilities are near completion. TEPCO says the voluntary tests are expected to continue for about two weeks ahead of mandatory pre-operation checks to be conducted by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, possibly in early July.
In April 2021, Japan's government announced plans to gradually release the nuclear wastewater after diluting it to what it says are safe levels. Japanese officials say the water, currently stored in about a thousand tanks at the plant, needs to be removed to prevent accidental leaks in case of an earthquake and make room for the plant's decommissioning.
Strong opposition
The plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing communities concerned about safety and damaging their reputation. Nearby countries, including South Korea, China and Pacific Island nations, have also raised safety concerns.
China has repeatedly urged Japan to take the legitimate concerns of all parties seriously and not start dumping the radioactive wastewater into the sea without full consultation and consensus with stakeholders and relevant international organizations.
In South Korea, fishermen staged a rally against the plan to release radioactive water in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday.
Fishing officials in Japan said they remain opposed to the plan when they met Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Saturday when he visited Fukushima and the neighboring prefectures of Ibaraki and Miyagi.
"We stand by our opposition," Tetsu Nozaki, head of the Fukushima prefectural fisheries association, told Nishimura. However, Nozaki said the association supports progress in the plant's decommissioning and hopes to continue the dialogue. "At the moment, our positions remain wide apart."
Nishimura told reporters that he hopes to gain an understanding of fishing communities while working to prevent damaging their reputation. Japan's government has set up a fund to promote Fukushima seafood and provide compensation in case sales fall due to safety concerns.
Japanese officials say the diluted water will be released into the ocean over decades, making it harmless to people and marine life. Japan has sought support from the International Atomic Energy Agency to gain credibility and ensure safety measures meet international standards.
Some scientists say the impact of long-term, low-dose exposure to radionuclides is unknown and the release should be delayed.
A massive March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant's cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and releasing large amounts of radiation. The tanks storing the water are being used to cool the reactor cores and will reach their capacity in early 2024.
(With input from agencies)
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