China and Japan have reached a four-point agreement on the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP site. Both sides agreed on Japan establishing a long-term international monitoring arrangement and allowing stakeholders, including China, to conduct independent sampling and monitoring.
The discharge of treated water from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi NPP is progressing in accordance with the Implementation Plan approved by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), the Task Force set up by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed.
Contaminated water, used to cool the melted reactor cores in the aftermath of the 2011 nuclear disaster at Fukushima, is stored in around 1,000 huge tanks at the plant containing more than 1.3m tonnes and total storage capacity has been reached. The contaminated cooling water and groundwater is treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which removes most of the radioactive contamination, with the exception of tritium.
The treated water is then stored in tanks before being diluted with seawater to one-fortieth of the concentration permitted under Japanese safety standards before being released one kilometre offshore from the plant. The water is being discharged in batches over a period of approximately 30 years. The first discharge began in August 2023.
The tritium concentration in the eighth batch of treated water, which the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has begun discharging from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP site, is far below Japan’s operational limit according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts. The IAEA’s independent on-site analysis has confirmed that the tritium concentrations in the first seven batches, totalling approximately 54,700 cubic metres of water, were far below operational limits. The eighth discharge took place in August.
In a comprehensive report issued in July 2023, the IAEA’s safety review found that Japan’s plan for handling the treated water was consistent with international safety standards and that the release as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.
Nevertheless, Japan’s decision to release the water has provoked opposition among some countries. In August 2023 China’s Main Customs Directorate completely stopped importing seafood from Japan. China stressed that its opposition to the discharge of the water remains unchanged. However, the new agreement allows China to conduct independent monitoring and take samples, ensuring timely access to comprehensive and accurate data. This enables swift action to prevent any discharges that do not meet safety standards and elevates international monitoring of Japan’s move to an unprecedented level, Global Times reported. Under the agreement, Japan explicitly commits to fulfilling its obligations under international law, doing its utmost to avoid leaving negative impact on human health and the environment, and conducting continuous evaluations of the impact on the marine environment and marine ecosystems.
Given the concerns of China and all other stakeholders, Japan welcomes the establishment of a long-term international monitoring arrangement within the IAEA framework covering key stages in the discharge of the water, ensuring that China and all other stakeholders can carry out independent sampling and monitoring as well as inter-laboratory comparisons (ILCs).
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference on that China has consistently opposed the water release as an irresponsible move. However, in line with the spirit of the discussions between the leaders of both countries to resolving the issue through negotiation, China had held more than ten rounds of intensive talks with Japan and relevant international organisations, leading to the agreement. China hopes the international community, especially key stakeholders, will work together to closely monitor Japan’s adherence to its commitments.
China expressed concerns about the incompleteness and lack of scientific rigor in the data provided by Japan and the IAEA. Being granted access to conduct independent sampling and monitoring marks a significant breakthrough, Luo Zhiping, a research fellow from China Institute of Atomic Energy, told Global Times.
To ensure that all measurement data is reliable and credible, it is crucial to achieve independent operations throughout the entire process, from sampling to measurement. China’s independent, effective, and long-term participation can help Japan enhance the reliability of its data, address related scientific issues, and strengthen oversight of Japan’s actions, Luo said.
Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, reiterated to Global Times that the agreement does not indicate a shift in China’s position on the water discharge, nor does it signify a conclusion to the matter. It represents a new beginning – to bring Japan’s discharge operations under effective international oversight, which will better enable the concerned countries to protect the health and safety of their citizens and the marine ecological environment.
As to China’s suspension of imports of all aquatic products originating from Japan, Global Times notes: “After China participates substantively in the long-term international monitoring within the IAEA framework and the independent sampling and other monitoring activities by participating countries are carried out, China will begin to adjust the relevant measures based on scientific evidence and gradually resume imports of Japanese aquatic products that meet regulatory standards, according to the agreement.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said: “We will engage in technical consultations with Japan and gradually restore the import of compliant Japanese aquatic products on the premise that they fully meet China’s requirements. The outcomes of these consultations and any policy adjustments will be promptly made public.”
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in a statement on the agreement said implementing additional measures “will facilitate the wider participation of other stakeholders under the framework of the IAEA”. He added: “I confirm that this agreement has built on our existing sampling and monitoring activities in compliance with the IAEA statutory functions. The Agency will coordinate with Japan and other stakeholders, including China, to ensure that the additional measures are implemented appropriately under the framework of the IAEA, maintaining the integrity of the process with full transparency to ensure that water discharge levels are, and will continue to be, in strict compliance and consistent with international safety standards.”
He said the IAEA will continue its impartial, independent, and objective safety review during the discharge phase, including by having a continuous onsite presence, and by providing live online monitoring on our website. “I wish to commend the government of Japan for its continued engagement with the IAEA, and the government of China for the constructive consultations held with the Agency in support of this bilateral process that comes to a positive conclusion.”
Researched and written by Judith Perera
