Japan releases Fukushima radioactive wastewater; China counters with seafood ban

On Thursday, Japan commenced the controlled release of treated radioactive wastewater from the devastated Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. This controversial decision swiftly led China to enact a comprehensive prohibition on seafood imports from Japan.

The Japanese government green-lighted this decision two years prior, and it recently received the endorsement of the U.N. nuclear watchdog. The action marks a significant phase in the complex and extended decommissioning journey of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which faced severe destruction from a tsunami, as detailed by Reuters.

Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the plant’s operator, confirmed the initiation of the release at 1:03 p.m. local time (0403 GMT). Tepco’s latest reports indicate no discernible issues with the seawater pump or the adjoining infrastructure.