Nuclear experts named in Fukushima waste water report not fully consulted by IAEA before release: Chinese researcher

Name: China imposes ban on Japanese seafood over Fukushima water release plan
Uploaded: 2023-07-07T08:00:21.000Z
Duration: 1 min 19 s
Description: China imposes ban on Japanese seafood over Fukushima water release plan

Liu Senlin is cited in the IAEA report but says it was released in haste and there was no consensus from experts about outcomes, says Chinese media

He says despite the fact measures for water control may comply with current IAEA safety standards, they might not comply with standards in three decades

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From the town of Futaba in northeastern Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is shown on July 4, 2023. Photo: Kyodo

Victoria Bela

Published: 4:00pm, 7 Jul 2023Updated: 6:53pm, 7 Jul 2023

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) did not discuss revisions of the report about the plan to release water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power station into the ocean according to Liu Senlin, one of the nuclear experts cited in the report.

Liu, who is a researcher for the Chinese Institute of Atomic Energy, believes the IAEA did not fully consult external experts before releasing the report.

According to an article in the official Science and Technology Daily on Thursday, Liu echoed the sentiments of Deng Ge, secretary general of the China Atomic Energy Authority, who said the report was not representative of all expert opinions.

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China imposes ban on Japanese seafood over Fukushima water release plan

“After receiving the feedback, the IAEA secretariat hastily released the report without discussing again the revision of the report with various experts and the adoption of opinions,” said the article, citing Liu.

The IAEA has said the release of treated nuclear waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan will have a “negligible radiological impact on the people and the environment”.

However, according to Liu, there was no consensus formed by the team of experts about potential outcomes.

Liu is cited in the final report released by the IAEA on July 4. He had taken part in multiple review missions to the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority and its Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry since early 2022.