Japan Initiates Third Round of Fukushima Wastewater Discharge: A Delicate Diplomatic Dance
In a significant development, Japan commenced the third phase of discharging wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, November 2nd. Despite concerns and objections raised by local fishermen in Fukushima Prefecture and other nations, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the nuclear power plant, initiated the process of releasing radioactive wastewater at approximately 10:20 local time.
Much like the first and second rounds conducted between August and October, TEPCO has pledged to dilute around 7,800 tons of radioactive wastewater, still containing tritium, with a significant amount of seawater before disposal. The company's plan involves pumping approximately 460 tons of water per day to a location about 1 kilometer offshore through underground tunnels, with the process expected to continue until November 20.
The Chinese Embassy in Japan has unequivocally expressed its opposition to this latest round of wastewater disposal from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. They assert that Japan's continued disposal of Fukushima nuclear wastewater poses serious environmental risks to the global marine ecosystem. The embassy's spokesperson calls on Japan to respond fully to international concerns, accept international oversight, and handle the wastewater with a foundation in science while maintaining openness, transparency, and safety.
This wastewater discharge, initiated on Thursday, is the third phase of a four-stage process, with the goal of releasing a total of approximately 31,200 tons of water stored in tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan's Fukushima Prefecture. The entire disposal process is slated to continue until the end of March next year.
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