Controversy Surrounds Japan's Fukushima Water Release Plan

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has approved Japan's plan to release 1.3 million tons of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean over the next 30 to 40 years. The water, which was used to cool nuclear reactors after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, is currently stored in tanks on-site. The IAEA concluded that the release would have negligible radiological impact on people and the environment. China, South Korea, and some Pacific Island nations have opposed the plan, while Japanese fishing communities and anti-nuclear activists have also voiced concerns. Japanese regulators have completed their final safety inspection, and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is expected to receive a permit to discharge the water in a week.