Japan: IAEA Approves Fukushima Water Release Plan

On Tuesday, Japan received approval from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency for a plan to release treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.

IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi, who arrived in Japan on Tuesday for a four-day trip, met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to present the IAEA's final report on the water leak.

At a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi earlier Tuesday, Grossi said the report marked an "important chapter" in the IAEA's work over the past two years.

Neighboring countries have raised concerns about the controversial plan, with Beijing being its most vocal critic. Local fishing unions have also expressed their opposition to the project.

The Fukushima plant collapsed in 2011 - caused by a devastating earthquake and tsunami - leaving Japan to have to deal with the water used to cool the fuel rods for the pant.

Over the past 10 years since then, authorities have treated the polluted water being stored in nearly 1,000 tanks.

However, the store is about to reach its capacity of 1.37 million tons - enough to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The water must be removed to make way for the plant to be turned off and to prevent any accidental leakage.

As part of its plan, Japan intends to dilute the treated water and release it over 30 to 40 years with the help of a pipe extending about 1 km from the east coast where the Fukushima nuclear plant is located.