Deep Dive from The Japan Times

164: Japan is about to release 1.3 million tons of Fukushima wastewater. Should we be concerned?

Jul 12, 2023

31:07

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Episode notes

Introduction

2min

The Seawalls of Tohoku in 2021

2min

The Challenges of Removing Nuclear Fuel Debris From Daiichi Nuclear Plant

2min

The Fukushima Daiichi Water Cleanup

2min

The TEPCO Water Discharge Plan

5min

The Fukushima Release of Contaminated Water

3min

The IAEA's Final Blessing on the Japanese Water Release Strategy

2min

The Fukushima Xingyorin's Position on the Water Release Plan

2min

The Impact of the Planned Water Release on Japan's Fisheries

2min

10.

The Economic Impact of the Fukushima Daiichi Water Release Plan

2min

11.

The Opposition to the Japanese Water Release Plan

4min

12.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

4min

There’s enough contaminated water at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools, but they’re running out of space. This week, environment journalist Mara Budgen joins us to discuss Japan’s plan to get rid of the wastewater — a plan that has made some of our neighbors very unhappy.
This story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Mara Budgen: Articles | Twitter | Instagram | Website

Read/Listen more:

Fukushima water release nears after OK from nuclear watchdog (Eric Johnson, The Japan Times)
Twelve years after 3/11, dispute grows over Fukushima’s radioactive soil (Tomoko Otake, The Japan Times)
Moving to Fukushima? You’ll have to kick out the boars first (Alex Martin, Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Photo: The tanks containing water from the disabled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant are almost full. | REUTERS