Fukushima Accident Updates (Blog)


Your most reliable source of objective Fukushima News... summaries of news reports in Japan's Press on Fukushima Daiichi, often mis-stated as a nuclear disaster.

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September 22, 2023

September 15, 2023

  • F. Daiichi Unit #1 can survive a major earthquake. This is the conclusion reached after the most recent investigation by Tepco. The inquiry was required by the Nuclear Regulation Authority after the most recent video evidence of the reactor pedestal. The exposed rebar was studied and found to be sufficient for a quake measuring 900 gals. The investigation is ongoing... https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230911_31/

  • Tepco has finished the first round of wastewater releases from F. Daiichi. There will be at least three more releases this fiscal year. Tepco plans to release another 7,800 tons later this month. https://japantoday.com/category/national/1st-round-of-treated-water-release-off-fukushima-plant-completed

  • The long-awaited restart of Takahama No.2 is in progress. Initial control rod withdrawal began at around 3pm today. Power generation should resume by this coming Wednesday. Official commercial operation should follow thereafter. It has been shuttered for about 11 years. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2023091500856

 

September 8, 2023

September 1, 2023

August 25, 2023

  • The purified wastewater release from F. Daiichi began on Thursday. It began at 1pm, Thursday, Japanese time. The waters measured between 43-63 becquerels per liter, many times less than Japan's 60,000 becquerels per liter standard. This is also well below the international limit for release. The wastewater is diluted by a factor of 12,o00 using uncontaminated seawater. Roughly 30,000 tons of wastewater is planned for release by the end of the year. This was the top story posted by every media outlet in Japan. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230824_37/ - https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14988354 Here is Tepco's official announcement on the release... https://www.tepco.co.jp/en/hd/decommission/information/newsrelease/reference/pdf/2023/reference_20230824_02-e.pdf

  • South Korea's Prime Minister backs the wastewater release. He fully trusts the IAEA findings on safety. The Australian ambassador to Japan said, "Australia has full confidence in the independent, impartial and science-based technical advice provided by" the International Atomic Energy Agency, and “The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency has reviewed the (IAEA) report and supports the IAEA's assessment that the proposed discharge will not adversely impact people or the environment." https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20230819-130723/

  • British experts say the wastewater releases will be safe. University of Portsmouth Prof. Jim Smith says, “I don’t know any scientists in the U.K. are against it [Japan’s treated water release].” Imperial College London Prof. Geraldine Thomas also said, “There is no reason not to eat, or drink, or anything, from that region of Japan whatsoever.” https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20230824-131944/

  • The wastewater release is unpopular in Fukushima Prefecture. One fisherman says, "Nothing about the water release is beneficial to us. There is no advantage for us. None. It's all detrimental." Most local complaints concern the alleged reputational damage done by the release. Fishermen and residents plan to file a lawsuit to stop the releases. They plan to file the suit on September 8. One of the lawyers said, “The government and TEPCO are attempting to apply double the damage on plaintiffs, having already been grossly negligent in causing (the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant) and now with the water discharge into the ocean.” The main contention is that the long term impact of the releases is unknown. They also say that the releases violate a 2015 promise made by Tepco and Tokyo to not release wastewater until an understanding has been reached with all relevant parties. https://japantoday.com/category/national/water-release-finds-little-support-in-fukushima1 - https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14988512

  • China suspends all Japanese seafood imports due to the wastewater release. The move was announced by China's Customs Authority on Thursday. They say it is because of the (alleged) risk posed by the essentially harmless Tritium in the waters. It is possible the seafood ban will be extended to all food products from Japan. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230824_39/

  • Fukushima wastewater protesters arrested in South Korea. Some 16 people were arrested when trying to enter the Japanese embassy in Seoul. Protesters hung banners saying, "The sea is not Japan's trash bin," and, "Stop releasing contaminated water at once." Some of the protesters refused to leave, so police physically carried them away for trespassing. This contradicted the approval of the wastewater release made by PM Han Duck-soo. https://japantoday.com/category/crime/s.korea-police-arrest-14-fukushima-protesters-seeking-to-enter-japan-embassy

August 18, 2023

  • Japan refutes South Korean media report on the plan to release F. Daiichi wastewater. The Foreign Ministry says “a foreign self-proclaimed media” has posted a fake S. Korean ministry document about the imminent release “significantly” exceeds safety standards. The ministry said the "report has no basis" and that the supposed official ministry telegram "is a complete fake."https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230815_17/

  • A S. Korean court dismisses a suit to stop the wastewater discharge. The Busan District Court decided to reject a plea by local environmental groups saying the release will pollute the ocean waters around the country. The dismissal is being appealed. https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20230817-130321/

  • Switzerland and Liechtenstein lift import restrictions on Japanese food products. This reduces the number of countries continuing the bans to seven. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2023081500429

  • An international hacker group begins cyber attacks on Japanese groups supporting the wastewater releases. The groups calls itself “Anonymous” began their attacks in July. The Japan NTT security firm in Tokyo says, "Vigilance is needed, as the attacks could further escalate after the discharge." So far, Anonymous has cyber-assaulted the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Japan Atomic Power Co., and the Atomic Energy Society of Japan. They say "We must put an end to the senseless act of making the sea a dumping ground for economic benefit." Other assaults have come from groups in Viet Nam and Italy. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/08/b4a019af0c4f-hacker-group-attacks-japan-nuclear-websites-over-fukushima-water-plan.html

  • The mayor of a Yamaguchi town says they want to host a spent fuel storage facility. They will allow Chugoku Electric Power Company to conduct a Tokyo feasibility survey. The Town Assembly approved the move in a vote of 7 to 3. Mayor Nishi Tetsuo said “We will accept Chugoku Electric’s offer to conduct a survey.” The mayor says the town needs the nearly $1 million in annual subsidies that will come with the study in order4 to have sustainable income. If the town is approved for it, the annual subsidy will increase seven-fold. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230818_14/ - https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14984118

  • A Nagasaki town also wants the n-storage survey. The city of Tsushima will vote on whether or not to adopt a petition for the survey on September 12. Eight-such petitions have been submitted to the town assembly. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2023081600806

August 11, 2023

August 4, 2023

  • Japan's English video on Fukushima wastewater gains popularity. It was released by Japan's Foreign Ministry and has played more than 4.9 million times to counter non-scientific rumors populating cyberspace. A senior Ministry official said,“With all kinds of information circulating, many people may be wanting to get information based on scientific evidence.”https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20230731-126414/

  • Switzerland will remove all Fukushima food import restrictions next week. This was told to Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori by The Swiss Ambassador on Monday. The move has been in the footsteps of the European Union's lifting of the restrictions last month. Switzerland is part of the European Free Trade Association. https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2023080100795

  • Japanese restaurants in China are more than a little twitchy about increased food checks. They fear a shortage of both customers and seafood supplies. China's move is because of the impending release of essentially harmless wastewaters to the sea. A chef-restaurateur from Kumamoto said, "The inability to import food ingredients is truly a life or death situation for us." China will impose the ban on seafood from 10 Prefectures. Another one said, "China is saying it is contaminated water, while Japan claims it is purified water. The difference between the two perspectives is vast, and it affects the level of understanding." https://japantoday.com/category/national/japanese-eateries-in-china-fear-ruin-as-fukushima-water-discharge-looms

July 28, 2023

  • More Japanese have no fears about F. Daiichi water releases than those who do. A Mainichi Shimbun poll found that 44% have no fears, versus 35% who feel anxiety. However, 53% say explanations about the discharges are insufficient to quell fears. Also, 60% of men have no fears and more than half of women say they have fears. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230724/p2a/00m/0na/011000c

  • Japan says China is releasing untrue information about the releases. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Isozaki Yoshihiko says China's news on the matter is just plain false. He also says the false information harms the feelings of those who suffered from the 2011 tsunami. In addition, Tokyo steps up the effort to correct such false info. For example, the foreign ministry team has rejected the South Korean media claim that Japan paid off the IAEA to downplay the release. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230724_24/ - https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230723_13/

  • The F. Daiichi water release plan worries Fukushima summer businesses and mothers. In both cases, the prefecture's image might be significantly harmed. One innkeeper lamented,“If you ask me what I think about the water release, I’m against it. But there is nothing I can do to stop it as the government has one-sidedly crafted the plan and will release it anyway. Releasing the water just as people are swimming at sea is totally out of line, even if there is no harm.” One Tokyo University professor says little is known about the impacts of releasing low levels of radionuclides,“If you ask their impact on the environment, honestly, we can only say we don’t know.” Some local women want to be certain that the releases will be safe, so they unilaterally sample the sea to establish background data. One says, "We are helping mothers by releasing this data. We want them to use the data as a basis for making informed decisions and have peace of mind about how to raise their children."https://japantoday.com/category/national/fukushima-plant-water-release-within-weeks-raises-worries-about-setbacks-to-businesses-livelihoods - https://japantoday.com/category/national/feature-fukushima-mothers-taking-radioactivity-watchdog-role-into-own-hands

  • Meanwhile, a nuke is restarted in Fukui Prefecture. Kansai Electric's Takahama unit #1 began restart procedures by raiing control rods today. The unit was shut down for regular inspections and refueling a few months before the tsunami-inspired moratorium of 2011. It is technically the oldest nuke to be restarted. It could be transmitting power to the grid as early as August 2nd. Commercial operation is scheduled for August 28th. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14968203

July 21, 2023

July 14, 2023

  • Japan's NRA approves the system for the F. Daiichi wastewater release. The Nuclear Regulation Authority granted Tepco a certificate that allows it to run the system on November 7th. The NRA says there were no performance problems after observing a test run. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230707_24/

  • Japan's PM assures S. Korea that the wastewater release is safe. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told this to President Yun Sook Yeol on Wednesday. Both were in Vilnius for the NATO summit. Yoon said he respects the recent IAEA approval, but wants real time monitoring data. Yoon has support of the S. Korean legislative majority. Relations between S. Korea and Japan have been improving recently. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/07/a8fa8aa40ebd-japan-s-korea-leaders-meet-after-n-korea-icbm-missile-launch.html

  • Japan defends the neutrality of the IAEA report on F. Daiichi wastewater. At the same time, Tokyo denies allegations of pressuring the nuclear watchdog saying “The claim that cites Japanese funding and staffing at the IAEA to question the neutrality of the IAEA final report is not only completely missing the target but also shakes the significance of the existence of international organizations.” Meanwhile, S. Korean minority nay-sayers make allegations such as “Do not dump radioactive contaminated water into the sea” and calls the mildly radioactive liquid “Fukushima disaster high-level nuclear waste” wile alleging that Tokyo is taking “illegal and unethical action. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14953754

  • North Korea denounces the IAEA for assurance of F. Daiichi wastewater safety. Pyongyang egregiously posts that the release will have a "fatal adverse impact on the human lives and security and ecological environment," and says the IAEA is "not a body for evaluating (the) environment." It adds that the approval is a "typical expression of extreme double standards." In addition, it falsely alleges Japan offered $1 minion Euros to the IAEA for the positive conclusion. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/07/2a011893bb0d-n-korea-raps-iaea-for-assuring-safety-of-fukushima-water-release.html

  • Hong Kong will ban Japanese seafood products if the wastewater is released. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said if the plan is carried out, he will ban imports of marine products from many Japanese prefectures. He ignorantly said, “The risks are very unknown,. I must ensure that food safety is protected in Hong Kong.” Hong Kong is a major buyer of Japanese farm and sea products. In 2022, Hong Kong spent $1.4 billion on Japanese sea products. Only China buys more. The ban would apply to imported aquatic products from Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230711_24/ - https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/news-services/reuters/20230712-122402/ - https://japantoday.com/category/politics/hong-kong-will-ban-more-products-from-japan-if-treated-wastewater-is-discharged-its-leader-says

  • Japanese “experts” hold a round-table protest meeting on F. Daiichi wastewater. Katsumi Nakai, former president of Fukushima University said, "Even if the tanks holding the treated water are full, we must not let the steady efforts of local fishermen go to waste by releasing the wastewater into the ocean." Nihonmatsu farmer Seiji Sugeno added, "The problem about the release of treated water is that the voices of citizens and the thoughts of local residents have not been reflected at all. The water discharge must not be decided upon based solely on scientific knowledge."https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230712/p2a/00m/0na/016000c

  • Japanese fisheries continue to oppose the release, despite words of the Industry Minister. Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura briefed the fisheries, “Safety has been thoroughly confirmed, so I will explain (the plan) to you.” It was to no avail. But Tokyo will continue to try and turn the tide. Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said, “It’s difficult to determine the degree of understanding by any specific indicator. We will continue to communicate with fishermen.” Most fishermen have unwavering concerns over potential reputational damage. Plus, opposition remains strong in neighboring countries such as China and South Korea. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/07/7ba3e228fc7e-fukushima-fishermen-still-oppose-water-release-after-iaea-report.html - https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14954759 

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