Japan Receives Approval to Release Fukushima Water into the Ocean

Japan received approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday for its plan to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. This decision comes despite strong resistance from Beijing and some local residents. The Japanese government stated, "The process is safe as it involves treating water sufficient to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, which was used to cool the fuel rods in the Fukushima nuclear power plant affected by the earthquake and tsunami." The IAEA cleared Japan's plan to release over one million metric tons of treated water into the Pacific Ocean, a move that has sparked controversy both domestically and internationally. The Chinese Foreign Ministry remarked that Japan's comparison of tritium levels in treated water with wastewater is completely misleading and misrepresents public opinion. The ministry's statement continued, "If Japan insists on proceeding along its own path, it must bear all consequences." Deng Ge, Secretary-General of the China National Nuclear Corporation, noted that the report released by the IAEA does not fully reflect the opinions of all experts, and its conclusions are limited and biased.