NNA – Japan began releasing wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday despite angry opposition from China and local fishermen.
The start of the discharge of around 540 Olympic swimming pools#39; worth ofnbsp;waterover several decades is a big step in decommissioning the still highly dangerous site 12 years after one of the world#39;s worst nuclear accidents.
Live video provided by plant operator TEPCO showed two engineers clicking on computer mouses and an official saying — after a countdown — that the quot;valves near the seawater transport pumps are openingquot;.
Monitors from thenbsp;UNnbsp;atomic watchdog, which has endorsed the plan, were due to be on site for the procedure, while TEPCO workers were scheduled to take water samples later on Thursday.
Japanese officials have repeatedly insisted the wastewater release is safe.
Butnbsp;China#39;s environment ministry on Thursday blastednbsp;Japannbsp;as quot;extremely selfish and irresponsiblequot;, saying it would quot;track and studyquot; the impact of the release on its waters.
Ahead of the operation, about 10 people held anbsp;protestnbsp;near the site and around 100 others gathered outside TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, AFP journalists said.
quot;It#39;s like dumping an atomic bomb in the ocean. Japan is the first country that was attacked with an atomic bomb in the world, and the prime minister of the country made this decision,quot; said Kenichi Sato, 68.–AFP
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