Fukushima: Radioactive water will be released into the sea in Japan

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The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant suffered an explosion in 2011 after the tsunami

Japan said it will release more than 1 million tons of water into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, later this year.

The Fukushima Power Plant was badly damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which caused radiation to leak from the building.

It was one of the worst nuclear accidents since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine.

Japanese officials say the water has been treated and tested and radiation levels meet national standards.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, who also said the government will wait for a full and detailed report from the International Atomic Energy Agency before releasing it into the sea.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says plans to release radioactive water are safe, but some countries fear its impact on the environment.

What happened at the Fukushima power plant in 2011?

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Leah traveled to Japan in 2016 – five years after the earthquake and tsunami to find out what happened. Watch her report on how the disaster happened and how it has changed life for the people who live there.

On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by one of the strongest earthquakes on record.

The earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 caused a giant wave in the sea, called a tsunami, which grew to a height of 10 meters.

Half an hour after the earthquake, a tsunami hit the northeastern coast of Japan, destroying everything in its path.

Cities and towns were wiped out, many homes, schools and businesses were swept away by the tidal wave, and thousands of people were killed.

The scale of earthquakes, their frequency and damage – measured by magnitude.

2.5 or less: millions each year. It is usually not felt, but some can be recorded by scientists.

2.5 to 5.4: 500,000 per year, often felt, but only doing minor damage.

5.5 to 6.0: 1,000 per year. They can cause minor damage to buildings and other structures.

6.1 to 6.9: 100 per year. It may cause a lot of damage in populated areas.

7.0 to 7.9: 10–15. big earthquake. Serious harm.

8.0 or greater: once every year or two. This is a very large earthquake that can completely destroy large areas.

Source: USGHS / Modified Mercalli Density

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Many of the homes near the factory have been abandoned and have been empty for more than 10 years.

The effect of the tsunami itself was severe, but when the wave hit the coast, the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant – on the east coast of the country – were flooded.

This caused an explosion inside the nuclear reactor.

What is nuclear energy?

Nuclear power plants are used to generate energy that can be used to power our homes. It is manufactured using a process called nuclear fission.

Nuclear fission produces a huge amount of energy by splitting atoms into two halves.

Although nuclear power does not cause greenhouse gases like burning fossil fuels, it does create dangerous radioactive waste that if not safely contained can contaminate areas for thousands of years.

The Japanese authorities set up an exclusion zone around the station – meaning that people were not allowed near the power plant – and about 150,000 people had to leave their homes in the area around the station, as radiation began leaking out.

Water was pumped into the damaged reactors to help cool them – but some of this radioactive water leaked from storage containers.

More than a decade later, the exclusion zone is still in place – and many people have never returned home, because living there is still too dangerous.

What is radiation?

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Parts of the area around the power station have signs like this one around them to warn travelers of high levels of radiation.

Radiation is the way energy or heat moves. Low levels of radiation are everywhere – this is known as background radiation.

The sun, soil, rocks, and even animals produce low levels of radiation.

A nuclear power plant produces a lot of radiation – but it is usually contained safely inside the reactor.

But if the reactor is severely damaged – as happened at Fukushima in Japan in 2011 – radiation can leak out and become a danger to the environment – and to people exposed to high levels.

Is radiation dangerous?

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(From 2013) Martin explains more about what radiation is and why it can be dangerous

Maybe. Radiation can damage the cells that make up the human body.

Low levels of radiation – like X-rays and the Earth’s atmosphere – aren’t dangerous, but medium levels can lead to illness, headaches, vomiting and fever.

High levels can kill you by causing damage to your internal organs. High exposure to radiation is difficult to treat.

In 2013, a World Health Organization (WHO) report indicated that the disaster increases the risk of cancer for those who live near the plant.

But a recent UN report published ahead of the 10th anniversary stated that no “adverse health effects” were recorded among Fukushima residents directly related to radiation from the disaster. Any future health effects related to radiation were “unlikely”.

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Scientists say this blue-grass moth has a mutation caused by radiation.

Radiation can also cause mutagenesis – changes in cells in the bodies of animals and plants.

Scientists in Japan have discovered that butterflies found near Fukushima, Japan, in 2012 have developed unusually small wings and abnormal eyes.

They also had changes in the shape of their legs, antennae, and wings.

How is the situation now? Why did Japan decide to release water?

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The treated water is stored in large barrels like this one by the plant.

It has been more than ten years since the reactors exploded and Japan is still dealing with the aftereffects.

Every day, the power plant produces 100 cubic meters of radioactive water.

This water is a mixture of groundwater, seawater, and water used to keep the reactors cool.

Then the water is filtered, most of the radiation is removed and stored in special tanks.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) – which conducts the processing at the plant – says it can remove all radioactive materials from the water except for tritium, which it says is harmless in small amounts.

The concern is that there are now about 1,000 tanks holding more than 1.3 million cubic meters of water at the site, and they are running out of space.

What did people say about the plan?

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A scientist from the Tokyo Electric Power Company tests the water from the plant for levels of radioactive particles.

Japanese officials say the water has been treated and tested and radiation levels meet national standards – meaning it poses no threat to human or marine life – and therefore can be released into the sea.

However, some neighboring countries and local fishermen oppose the plans to release the water into the sea.

South Korean and Chinese officials have spoken out against the plan, saying the waters could pose a “serious threat” to marine wildlife.

Some local fishermen worry that it could affect their business if people think the fish they catch is radioactive.

The Japanese government has now released a plan to help fishermen who worry that the water spill will affect their business, and they will be able to claim money from a special fund of 50 billion yen ($385 million), according to Kyodo News.

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