According to Kyodo News Agency, Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company Corporation began the trial operation of the nuclear sewage discharge facilities at the Fukushima nuclear power plant on the 12th local time.
According to a report by China News Agency, this trial operation temporarily replaces nuclear sewage with clean water, and after being diluted by seawater, it is discharged into the sea through an underwater tunnel. The trial operation will last for two weeks, and TEPCO plans to officially start nuclear sewage discharge this summer.
Prior to this, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasuminori Nishimura visited Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures on the 10th to exchange views with local fishing organizations. Japanese media said that Nishimura Kang Minoru sought understanding in order to start emissions before and after the summer, but the fishing industry personnel once again expressed opposition, and the president of the Federation of fishing associations of Fukushima Prefecture, Nozaki Zhe stressed that “(the talks) both sides hold their own opinions.” The anti-emissions position remains unchanged.”
On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan and triggered a massive tsunami. Affected by the earthquake and tsunami, a large amount of radioactive material leaked from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. On April 13, 2021, the Japanese government officially decided to filter and dilute the Fukushima nuclear sewage into the sea, but this decision was widely questioned and opposed by the international community, and also caused strong concerns in Japan.