Japan Releases Treated Radioactive Water From Fukushima Nuclear Plant Into Ocean, China Criticises

Despite criticism from China, Japan has started releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.

Despite criticism from China, Japan has started releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. ( Image Source :Getty )

Despite China calling it a "selfish and irresponsible" move, Japan on Thursday started releasing radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The release was approved by the Japanese government and the UN nuclear watchdog two years back, Reuters reported.

Even as Japan assured that the discharge was safe, adding that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, okayed the plan in July, some neighbouring countries raised doubts over the safety of the plan, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin in July said that Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, adding that it had not fully consulted the international community about the water release. 

However, Japan said the agencies said the water met international standards and that the impact it would have on people and the environment was "negligible". 

To retaliate against the move, China banned seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima and the capital, Tokyo. It has allowed seafood imports from other prefectures on condition that they pass the radioactivity tests and proof that they were produced outside the 10 banned prefectures, Reuters reported.  China has said it would not budge from its stand untill the Japanese government did not prove that the discharged water was safe

"The Japanese side should not cause secondary harm to the local people and even the people of the world out of its own selfish interests," its foreign ministry said in a statement. To this, Japan has hit back saying China was spreading "scientifically unfounded claims."

Japan has urged China to immediately lift its import ban and sought a discussion on the impact of the water release based on science, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

In March 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi plant was destroyed in a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, which triggered powerful tsunami waves causing meltdowns in three reactors.