The UN’s nuclear power watchdog says Japan’s plan to release water from the Fukushima nuclear plant is consistent with international safety standards. That’s according to a press release by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday. The statement adds that discharges of water from the plant will have “negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.”
Three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were flooded after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in 2011. It has been called one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.
In a press conference on Thursday, head of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Chen Chih-jen (陳志任) responded to questions about the water release. Chen says the Taiwan government has expressed its concern to Japan on several occasions and that the two sides have been in close communication. He adds Taiwan has called on Japan to be open and transparent about the release and to comply with international testing regimes. Chen pointed out that the ocean is a common resource of the world and maintaining the marine environment is a joint responsibility for all countries.
The release of radioactive water from the plant has been controversial among Japan’s neighbors, including Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Taiwan imposed a ban on food imports from Fukushima and four neighboring prefectures from 2011-2022 due to concerns about radioactive contamination. The ban was a major source of contention between the two sides before it was lifted last year. South Korea still maintains a similar ban on Japanese seafood imports.