Japan's Decision to Release Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant's Wastewater Sparks Global Concerns

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled this controversial move despite widespread opposition both domestically and internationally, following a ministerial meeting held on Tuesday morning, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) provided its final approval to the discharge last month, affirming that Japan's release plan adhered to international standards.

Representatives of Japan's fishing industry restated their steadfast objection to the ocean discharge plan on Monday during a meeting between Kishida and the head of Japan's national fisheries federation, in an attempt to garner understanding.

After being struck by a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, 2011, the plant experienced core meltdowns that led to the release of radiation, culminating in a level-7 nuclear incident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

The plant has been producing a substantial volume of water contaminated with radioactive substances from cooling the nuclear fuel in the reactor buildings, which are now stored in around 1,000 storage tanks.

An opinion poll conducted by the national news agency Kyodo revealed that 88.1 per cent of respondents expressed concerns about the government's plan to release treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean, as the disapproval rate of the Kishida-led cabinet reached an eight-month high.

Although the IAEA stated that Japan's water discharge plan would have a minimal environmental impact, neighbouring countries, including South Korea and China, remain apprehensive about the potential contamination of seafood.

Japanese fisheries groups also voiced opposition to the proposed water release, fearing it could further damage the reputation of seafood from Fukushima and surrounding areas.

**

The above article has been published from a wire source with minimal modifications to the headline and text.