Japan releases 5th round of treated radioactive water from Fukushima plant

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan on Tuesday concluded the discharge of the fifth round of treated radioactive water into the sea from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The operators Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) said the latest discharge since April 19 included 7,800 tons of processed water, the Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

TEPCO plans to release a total of about 54,600 tons in the ongoing fiscal year which ends next March, with six more rounds expected to be conducted.

“Abnormal tritium levels have not been detected in nearby waters,” TEPCO said.

The operator released around 31,200 tons in four batches from last August until March this year.

Japan began releasing treated radioactive wastewater from the plant last August, triggering a strong reaction from China and opposition parties in South Korea and the Solomon Islands.

Beijing banned seafood imports from Japan after Tokyo went ahead with plans to release the water. The plant has more than 1 million tons of treated wastewater to release in a 30-year process.

The plant was forced to shut down after facing the largest nuclear accident since 1986 in Chernobyl, following an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.