Some 50 liters of treated water used to cool down the Fukushima melted nuclear reactors will be sent for analysis to “independent” laboratories in Austria and Monaco, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement on Friday. The announcement follows a five-day IAEA inspection of the site.
The international nuclear energy watchdog has launched a review of Japan’s plans to release over 1.25 million cubic meters of treated water into the ocean, which are expected to come to fruition around April 2023.
A team of 15 experts, including those from China, South Korea, Russia, the US, and the UK traveled to Japan to collect the water samples and conduct a review of “detailed technical data” provided by Japan between February 14 and February 18.
“Both in Tokyo and Fukushima, the Task Force observed a commitment to safety in Japan’s preparations to release water that has been stored at the site,” the Friday statement said. “The mission allowed the Task Force to gain a much better understanding of Japan’s plans and activities related to the water discharge,” Deputy Director General Lydie Evrard, head of the IAEA Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, said at a virtual press conference following the trip.