The tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began releasing its first batch of treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday -- a controversial step that prompted China to ban seafood from Japan.
People inside and outside the country protested the wastewater release, with Japanese fishing groups fearing it will further damage the reputation of their seafood and groups in China and South Korea raising concerns, making it a political and diplomatic issue.In response to the wastewater release, Chinese customs authorities banned seafood from Japan, customs authorities announced Thursday.
"It's a very political issue of disposing radiation into the sea," he said. "I understand people's concerns and that's because we as scientists have not explained it in a very good way, and we need to do more education." In a statement Thursday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said, "IAEA experts are there on the ground to serve as the eyes of the international community and ensure that the discharge is being carried out as planned consistent with IAEA safety standards."
The operator checked data and the progress on a set of four monitors that show the water volume, pump conditions and any alerts. Fukushima's fisheries, tourism and economy -- which are still recovering from the disaster -- worry the release could be the beginning of a new hardship.
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