Japan's controversial decision to release radioactive wastewater into the Pacific

Japan plans to dump nuclear wastewater into the ocean with the disapproval of many

Fukushima storage tanks.
(Image credit: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)

Japan is set to dump over one million cubic meters of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The plan was initially conceived in 2019 when the country's environment minister declared there were "no other options" to handle the growing amount of waste, per CNN, and has since gained the approval of United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Mariano Grossi. However, the decision is hotly contested, especially among local fishing organizations, and has also faced disapproval from China and other surrounding islands.

What is the plan?

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.