Japan to start Fukushima water release as early as late August: Report

TOKYO – Japan plans to start

releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima

nuclear power plant into the ocean as early as late August, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun daily reported on Monday, citing unnamed government sources.

The release will likely come shortly after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets United States President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in the US next week and explain to them about the safety of the water in question, it said.

Japan’s nuclear regulator in July granted approval for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power to start releasing the water – which Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency say is safe, but nearby countries fear may contaminate food.

Bottom trawling fishing is scheduled to start off Fukushima, north-east of Tokyo, in September, and the government aims to start the water discharge before the fishing season gets under way, the newspaper said. REUTERS