national

Suga says plan to release Fukushima water coming soon

51 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

51 Comments
Login to comment

The government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), say all radioactive materials but tritium can be safely removed, and that tritium is largely harmless.

Well then, bottle it up and drink up!

10 ( +19 / -9 )

“We cannot put off our decision forever without making a plan," Suga told a Diet session Wednesday, saying the is running out of storage space. “Based on discussions and expertise we've had, we will further deepen our discussion and responsibly make a decision at an appropriate time.”

The preamble to a heinous crime...

5 ( +11 / -6 )

This J gov is so incompetent. First, Suga said he was going to release the water swiftly, then after the protests Suga decides to delay the release, and now Suga said he will come up with a plan soon. They should have come up with a plan 9 years ago FIRST. Complete joke!

8 ( +14 / -6 )

“We cannot put off our decision forever without making a plan," 

The decision was made years ago. I would not be surprised if this was their secret little plan all along. In the nearly ten years since the water started to accumulate they have done nothing about treating it properly to remove the tritium and other isotopes or to find and create a suitable storage area for it

I have one question for Suga and the rest of his cronies: If this water is safe to release into the pacific, why was it stockpiled to over a millions tons in the first place? If it is as safe as it is supposed to be it should have been released as it accumulated.

The only reason this water has been deemed safe to release into the ocean is because they have made no plans to deal with it properly in the last decade and have no choice than to dump it into the ocean.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

"More than nine years after the disaster, the government still hasn't made clear what it will do with the water at the plant, though a release into the ocean has been largely speculated on in recent years."

Ha, "speculated".

This government knows exactly what it's going to do with this water, they're just waiting for enough heads to be turned. One way or another, like it or not, it's going in the Pacific.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

To make Japan safe again means to make neighbors suffer, that is the policy, has nothing to do with selfish.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Use it for swimming pools, sento, coin laundries, and fountains first, then, if it's so harmless.

Maybe a special water display in memory of the Meiji Emperor on Marine Day.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Panic is the nature of human species, but science tells the release would not be so much problematic. Other countries also have released nuclear waste in the sea. A problem here is the credibility of the Japanese government and the TEPCO. The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

Edano opposition party top said share the water in tanks with other prefectures or think about other ways to solve the problem. He does not have a possible alternative plan.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

A plan for a plan

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

That is good news, it will quickly dissolve and the barrier reefs need the nutrients.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

The LDP and TEPCO had 9 years to find a solution to this problem but failed miserably.

The great wise and technologically advanced Japan's answer to this radioactive problem is 'dump it into the sea' ( filter it a bit first to make it look like we know what we are doing).

The tsunami was a natural disaster but the clean up and de commissioning work has been a case of total negligence and incompetence!

When it comes to nuclear waste...

TEPCO'll throw it in the sea with great haste!

9 years of no action...

Now they have a plan...never mind people's reaction!

So they'll dump it in !

Do you fancy a swim?

Think they care about the sea?

They only care about what's in it for 'me'.

So when you eat your delicious sushi

Don't lose hope!

The stuff is full of isotopes!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

As if they haven’t planned to release it all along.

The thing is they will release it and then complain to everyone when their neighbors refuse to buy seafood from Japan because of vague labeling.

I bet after it is released none of the .elites: will be eating sushi from that area.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

If such water were released from off only Fukushima coast, Fukushima fishery would be a great disaster. All water should be brought to all coasts all over Japan if the water have no problem to be released.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Abe was always doing photo ops by eating food from the Tohoku area to show that it was safe. Suga should tap one of the tanks and drink the water to show the world that it's safe. And as someone has already posted, if he has that much confidence, bottle it and start selling it, and I would go a step further and tell Suga to sell the water as souvenirs with the Tokyo Olympics logo.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Yep, just do it the way other countries do it.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

As far as I am concerned they know there is large traces of tritium and other radioactive substances in the contaminated water they want to release they need to add another 1000+ storage containers and keep storing it.

Tritium is a radioactive element with a half-life of 12.32 years that decays into helium by beta-decay.

So 25 years storage should do the job then capture the helium and sell it then release the water.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@James - Tritium is a radioactive element with a half-life of 12.32 years that decays into helium by beta-decay. So 25 years storage should do the job then capture the helium and sell it then release the water.

Unfortunately, tritium is not the only isotope in the water. TEPCO admitted a few months ago that the water had not been properly filtered and contained many more harmful isotopes that take hundreds of years to break down.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

I am sorry but I do not believe a single word that Tepco says nor the Governments word on this matter as both are bed fellows.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

@Do the hustle Unfortunately, tritium is not the only isotope in the water.

Yes I realise that following is what I said before:

they know there is large traces of tritium and other radioactive substance

I should have added after filtering out the other isotopes then release the water.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

For all the people,who are complaining, what would you do with the water?

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Does it count other countries have done the same?

Does the size of the Ocean Count? Pacific Ocean, not a small lake!

Japan is always scrutinize 100x more then any other country under the same circumstances and conditions.

In your world of bias and double standards, talking about Japanese drinking it from a bottle, using it in swimming pools? Right, I see your logic and common sense. Dumb and stupid.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Contaminated water that would reportedly be released into the sea from the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant contains a radioactive substance that has the potential to damage human DNA, a Greenpeace investigation has said.

The environmental group said the 1.23 million tonnes of water stored in more than 1,000 tanks at the plant contains “dangerous” levels of the radioactive isotope carbon-14, in addition to quantities of tritium that have already been widely reported.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

plan to release Fukushima water coming soon

Coming soon, plan to force other countries to accept agricultural and fisheries import product from that area. Refusing they will bring that countries to WTO.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Japan is always scrutinize 100x more then any other country under the same circumstances and conditions.

If that true, Fukushima it's shouldn't happened right? Lot of paperwork with hanko doesn't mean many actual scrutiny.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

I lived 90 miles from the plant in Ibaraki and there was significant radioactivity where I lived from the wind pattern the day of the meltdown. I remember thinking that when they start trying to drop water from helicopters, we're screwed.

Anyway . . . I know how wrong it seems to release this contaminated water.

I sure would be different if someone here offered up a different plan of how to deal with the incredible volume of water required every day instead of just complain.

-9 ( +4 / -13 )

@Peter Neil.The government has had 9 yrs to come up with a solution!!

and flush it is its only answer!

Hence we are complaining!

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

World crime. The Hauge.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

@peter. First check for thyroid cancer. Children are more susceptible. Next, don’t eat food from the region like fish, mushrooms, soya, milk, meat and mountain vegetables.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Kim Jong Un might want the nuclear water.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

The government has had 9 yrs to come up with a solution!!

and flush it is its only answer!

Its not just 9 years.

All this time that the world has been using nuclear power, that's how wastewater is disposed of.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

You want nuclear power, this is one of the consequences.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

Actually I do testing. The ones that don’t believe should buy their own radionuclide detection devises and test.

Science is real, gossip is ? I can’t say fake news because of US election...

if you care about your family, the environment, and you don’t trust me and my readings...test yourself.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

That "WATER" is highly radioactive, particulate laced with the most dangerous toxic ingredients ever known to mankind and its shelf life is thousands of years. 

Welcome to Japan's Fukushima world.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Radioactive particles don’t dutifully stay in one place-they move around and research has shown that those living on coastal areas (most of Japan) are MOST at risk of contacting radioactive particles from sea spray, foam and when typhoons blow the particles here there and everywher, then inland areas also get to host elevated levels which is why water decontamination and storage are paramount....

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Amazing. A dozen down votes and not a single idea of what to do with the water.

What would you do?

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Most of the people here don’t even know that their countries also pump out even more tritium “contaminated” water if they actually operate a nuclear power plant in their country. They should be ashamed of their ignorance towards science. Dumping water is approved by IAEA, and there were even officials that drank the purified water back in 2011.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

I know two weeks may be "swift" by Japanese political standards, but didn't Suga say back then a decision would be made swiftly?

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

Peter, i agreed with you. Normally many crying babies will keep complaining about not actions carried out for complete 9 years, but they cant even give a solution or understand the situation. Normally this kind of keyboard warriors are school dropouts, so they know nothing but keep grumbling like a child. We cant trust TEPCO, NRA or Japan gov..so at the end, which authorities you want to refer to? maybe when the water is stored behind their house backyard, i guarantee you 100% they will release the water into the drain secretly at night without even informing anyone or care to carry out any tests. i can bet 101% they will do it

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

nihonview:

For all the people,who are complaining, what would you do with the water?

Most of us would never had thought to place a nuclear plant right next to the sea in an area which has had a known history of destructive tsunamis. And most of us would not have skipped proper checks and maintenance in favour of bribes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Most of us would never had thought to place a nuclear plant right next to the sea in an area which has had a known history of destructive tsunamis.

That's not where we are today. Solve the problem You can not go bak in time.

Solve the problem.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites