Japan has started releasing wastewater into the ocean. But this isn't the kind of wastewater that flows from city streets into stormwater drains. It's treated nuclear wastewater used to cool damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, stricken by an earthquake over a decade ago.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has approved the plan by Japan to release more than a million tons of treated nuclear waste water from the destroyed Fukushima power plant into the ocean, believing Japan's claims that the wastewater would be safe. However, Neighboring countries and other experts say it remains environmentally harmful that will last generations and may affect ecosystems all the way to North America.
Local fishermen, who heavily depend on the ocean's resources, fear a huge decrease in their marketability. "Japan's self-interest should not harm the well-being of humanity in the long run." They said.
The release of the wastewater into the sea is a threat to the ocean environment and will damage Japan's international image. The amount of money Japan would need to spend in restoring (恢复) its international image will far exceed that required to solve the problem in an eco-friendly way.
