Japan began releasing purified radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean today, a move China has again slammed as “selfish and irresponsible”.
The release, which was approved two years ago by the Japanese government and given the green light by the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency, is a key step in the long and difficult process of decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), which operates the plant, said the release began at 1:03 p.m. local time and that it had found no irregularities with the pump or surrounding facilities.
However, China expressed its anger before the announcement. A spokesman for China’s nuclear safety agency today called the Japanese government “extremely selfish and irresponsible in violently initiating the release…putting its own selfish interests above the welfare of all mankind.”
China also said it would take necessary measures to protect the marine environment, food safety and public health, and increase monitoring of radiation levels in its waters after the release. It also banned the import of all seafood from Japan.