Tokyo awaits final report from the International Atomic Energy Agency to proceed with the discharge of nuclear treated water
JAPAN is almost certain to go ahead with its plan to dump nuclear treated water from its Fukusima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, its envoy to Solomon Islands Miwa Yoshiaki told Solomon Star in an exclusive interview in Honiara.
However, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary was quick to point out that Tokyo is awaiting a final report from the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] to proceed with the discharge of the contaminated water.
Japan is trying to find the safest way to discharge an estimated two million tons of contaminated water.
In its endeavours to find a “viable and safest way” to dispose of the contaminated water, Japan set up a team of specialists to research five options the government had identified.
These options are:
- Geological injection of the contaminated water;
- Maritime discharge;
- Vapourising;
- Hydrogen discharge; and
- Underground burial
Ambassador Yoshiaki said the specialists have concluded that Option 2 is the most viable and safest way to get rid of the contaminated water. His government, he said, had also come up with the same conclusion.
“No technology exists for any of the other options nor have they been tried anywhere,” he said.
“We are not going ahead with Option 2 just as yet. We also want to hear from the IAEA and the conclusion of their findings. It is important to hear from the IAEA because that is the technical body with the mandate for dealing with that sort of issue.” Ambassador Yoshiaki said.
Ambassador Yoshiaki said Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, was fully briefed on the matter during the recent visit to Honiara by Japan’s Foreign Minister.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) has reportedly agreed to support Japan’s intention to dump its nuclear contaminated water in the Pacific Ocean. PNG’s move was reportedly the result of pressure from the United States, whose president, Joe Biden, has since cancelled his attendance at the 2nd US-Pacific Islands Summit in Port Moresby on 22nd of this month.
It is not clear when the IAEA – the intergovernmental organisation that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons – will announce its findings on the Tokyo Nuclear dumping nightmare.
Founded on 29 July 1957, the IAEA is headquartered in Vienna, Australia.
By Alfred Sasako
