More than nine years after the disaster, the government still hasn't made clear what it will do with the water at the plant, though a release into the ocean has been largely speculated on in recent years.
“We cannot put off our decision forever without making a plan," Suga told a parliamentary session Wednesday, saying the plant is running out of storage space. “Based on discussions and expertise we've had, we will further deepen our discussion and responsibly make a decision at an appropriate time.”
A government panel in February issued a report recommending releasing the water into the ocean as the most realistic plan. The government and the plant operator,
The plant now has more than 1.2 million tons of the water stored in 1,000 huge tanks that occupy a large amount of space at the plant.
Suga did not give a timeline, though a decision is expected in weeks, if not months. An actual release would be about two years away because
The plant suffered a triple meltdown in the
The government and
Suga visited the Fukushima plant last month and said he hoped to make a decision as soon as possible.
Government officials said they need more time to discuss ways to mitigate reputational damage to the local industries and gain public understanding. Fishermen especially have opposed a release, saying their already badly hurt business would die. Their local and national representatives visited
On Wednesday, Japanese officials from the foreign and industry ministries provided an online session for foreign diplomats to provide updates on the water situation.
Nuclear officials inside and outside of
But some scientists say the long-term environmental impact from radioactive water is unknown and could pose higher risks than explained.
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