Fukushima, first lawsuit against release of treated water – breaking news

The first legal action taken by Fukushima residents since treated water was released into the ocean from the decommissioned nuclear power plant. In an appeal filed on Friday, about 150 citizens from the prefecture of the same name and neighboring Miyagi Prefecture went to the district court to stop the leaks, denouncing the central government and the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). ).


Prosecutors said the offloading operation, which began on August 24, threatens “citizens’ right to live in safety and disrupts the activities of local fishermen.” In this regard, they demand the cancellation of the approval of the nuclear regulatory authorities for the established structures, and the prohibition of the continuation of the works. Another lawsuit could be filed at the end of October, Kyodo reported, citing lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai, who represents the group of plaintiffs, at a press conference. The Nuclear Regulatory Authority did not comment on the matter, explaining that it had not yet received the legal challenge, while TEPCO said that it would respond “appropriately” after examining the file.


The International Atomic Energy Agency stated, in a report published yesterday, that tritium levels in the marine area adjacent to the Fukushima nuclear power plant are far below safety standards, and are consistent with the values ​​issued by the station director and agency officials. Japanese Ministry of Environment. The IAEA also noted that nuclear power plants around the world routinely release treated water containing low-level concentrations of tritium and other radionuclides into the environment.

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