Japan’s plan is safe

August 29, 2023

As minister/deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of Japan in
Pakistan, let me confirm Japan’s unwavering priority on safety.
Japan will never discharge water that can harm humans or the
environment. Safety is our top priority.

Since a devastating tsunami hit the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear

Power Station (FDNPS) after the Great East Japan Earthquake
on March 11, 2011, tons of water had become contaminated
with radioactive materials through its use for cooling of the fuel
debris and natural contact.

Such contaminated water has been purified through the

Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which can remove
radionuclides, except for tritium. The safety of ALPS treated
water has been confirmed by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), the world’s centre for cooperation in the nuclear
field, promoting the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear
technology, and multiple third-party organizations.

Water treated by ALPS, which has been sufficiently purified until

the concentration of radioactive materials other than tritium is
below the regulatory standard, will be further diluted before it is
discharged into the sea. The concentration level of tritium in the
water after dilution will be 1/40 of the regulatory standard and
1/7 of the WHO drinking water standard. The concentration of
radioactive materials other than tritium will be less than 1/100
of the regulatory standard.

The water will be discharged into the sea only after such
treatment by ALPS and dilution thereafter. In fact, discharging
water into the sea is commonly practised in nuclear power
plants around the world. The amount of tritium in ALPS-treated
water is smaller than the amount of tritium discharged from
many nuclear power plants and other facilities in other
countries.

On July 4, the IAEA, which had continued to review the

decommissioning process at FDNPS for nearly two-year,
published its Comprehensive Report, summarizing the outcome
of the review missions from an objective and professional
standpoint based on scientific evidence.

In the report, the IAEA concluded that: (i) the approach to the
discharge of the ALPS-treated water into the sea and associated
activities are consistent with relevant international safety
standards; and (ii) the radiological impact on humans and the
environment is negligible. The report also states that additional
review and monitoring by the IAEA will continue after the start
of discharge.

Let me reiterate: the discharge of ALPS-treated water into the

sea will be implemented in line with international standards and
practice, and with all possible safety precautions. Specifically,
radionuclides will be measured again for all water prior to
discharge to ensure that the water meets regulatory standards.
The Government of Japan will never discharge water that
exceeds regulatory standards into the sea.

The writer is minister/deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of

Japan in Pakistan.