The treated discharge from Japan’s ruined Fukushima nuclear plant is safe, IAEA chief says on visit

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

FUTABA, Japan (AP) — The head of the U.N. atomic agency has observed firsthand the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant’s ongoing radioactive wastewater discharges for the first time since the contentious program began six months ago. He called it an “encouraging start.” An 2011 earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima plant’s power supply and reactor cooling functions, triggering meltdowns of three reactors and causing large amounts of radioactive wastewater to accumulate. The process of treating the water, diluting it with seawater and releasing it is expected to take decades. The discharges have been opposed by fishing groups and neighboring countries including China.