On August 22, Japan has decided in the meeting to initiate the discharge of ALPS-treated water into the sea and to request TEPCO to promptly prepare for the start of the discharge into the sea.
If there are no interference due to weather or sea conditions, the day of the initiation of discharge into the sea is expected to be 24 August.
It was also confirmed in the meeting that the Government is taking all possible measures to ensure safety, to prevent adverse impacts on reputation, and to support the continuation of livelihoods, and that it will continue to undergo the IAEA's review, as well as strengthened and expanded monitoring and dissemination of easy-to-understand information about the measurement results, promote the attractiveness of Sanriku-Joban products and undertake efforts to increase their consumption, and provide support for the continuation of livelihoods to the local people including fishermen.
Japan will take all possible measures to ensure the safety of the discharge into the sea even after it begins, and will not discharge anything that could adversely affect the health or environment.
After the start of discharge into the sea, Japan will continue to conduct three types of monitoring (monitoring of treated water in tanks, real-time monitoring, and sea area monitoring) in a multilayered manner with the involvement of the IAEA, and if some event occurs, such as radioactivity levels exceeding standards, appropriate measures, including not discharging or suspending the discharge, will be taken. In addition, the Agency will continue to be involved from an independent standpoint.
Furthermore, the results of monitoring by the Government of Japan and TEPCO will be made public both domestically and internationally.
The Government of Japan and TEPCO will continue to make every effort to ensure a safe discharge, with the continued involvement of the IAEA, including its reviews.
Regarding the safety of discharging ALPS-treated water into the sea, the Government has courteously explained Japan's efforts at international conferences and bilateral meetings, has actively explained and disseminated information worldwide through the government website and SNS.
The IAEA also positively noted these efforts. We will continue to provide courteous information and take necessary measures based on scientific evidence in a highly transparent manner, including countermeasures against attempts to spread disinformation in order to ensure correct understanding in Japan and abroad.
As we have repeatedly explained, the IAEA concluded in its Comprehensive Report released in July that the discharge of ALPS-treated water into the sea is consistent with international safety standards and that radiation impacts on humans and the environment would be negligible.
We recognize it has been announced that in the press statement issued by the IAEA in response to the decision of the Meeting, in addition to the IAEA staff presence at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which has already begun, the IAEA's involvement after the start of the discharge into the sea will include the publication of data available to the international community, including real-time monitoring data from the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, and ongoing additional review and monitoring activities.
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