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- Tokyo Electric Power Company is criticized for concealing information during the Fukushima nuclear accident and building the power plant near the coast, which caused the accident. Currently, it is still refusing to disclose transparent information about the contaminated water problem.
- The Fukushima nuclear power plant experienced a failure in nuclear fuel cooling, resulting in the generation of contaminated water. This water contains radioactive isotopes such as tritium, cesium, and strontium, which can cause serious damage to the marine ecosystem and human health.
- The Japanese government insists that the contaminated water is treated water and is forcing the release of it into the ocean. However, international environmental organizations have expressed concerns, arguing that the safety of the treatment process cannot be guaranteed.
Lies of Tokyo Electric Power and the Japanese Government
The Fukushima nuclear power plant explosion accident (March 12, 2011) occurred the day after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan recently said in the media: 'He didn't know about the nuclear accident until several hours after it happened and Tokyo Electric Power did not report to the Prime Minister'. He also said, 'The Fukushima accident at the time was primarily due to the earthquake and tsunami, but it was a man-made disaster because Tokyo Electric Power built the plant near the coast instead of in a high-altitude area for cost reduction reasons.'
At the Fukushima nuclear power plant, contaminated water is still being generated and debris (melted nuclear fuel) is piled up in reactors 1, 2, and 3, with high radiation levels that cannot be touched. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was criticized for lying that Fukushima was under control to secure the Olympics. (JoongAng Ilbo, March 11, 2021). [1]
The concept of power generation and the vulnerability of the Fukushima nuclear power plant's location
▶ Principle of Nuclear Power Generation
Nuclear power generation uses uranium as fuel, which splits and generates heat to boil water. The steam produced from this process rotates a turbine to generate electricity. The Fukushima nuclear power plant had a problem because it failed to cool the nuclear fuel. (Maeil Business News, April 6, 2011) [2]
Radioactive decay and leakage of radionuclides in the event of a nuclear accident
Conceptual diagram of the leakage of radionuclides and the movement mechanism within the environmental medium in the event of a nuclear accident
Cesium is released into the atmosphere as a gas, but it changes to a liquid and if the temperature drops below the melting point, it exists as a solid particle. Therefore, most 'cesium' can travel far away by wind. (Radiation Medicine Webzine, March 4, 2021) [3]
Ocean discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant is not treated water but contaminated water
It is easy to understand whether the water released from the Fukushima nuclear power plant is contaminated water or treated water by understanding the process of nuclear power generation.
The water currently being discharged into the ocean by Japan is not the water used to cool the steam from the turbines that is being discharged into the ocean. As a result of the tsunami accident, the cooling pumps failed, causing the fuel rods in the reactor to melt down, and the seawater used to cool them and the groundwater that seeped near the reactor mixed with nuclear materials, which have been stored in tanks.
'Contaminated water' contains radioactive nuclides such as tritium, cesium, and strontium. [4]
The international environmental group Greenpeace released a report titled 'The Reality of the Fukushima Radioactive Contaminated Water Crisis in 2020' and said, "Besides tritium, radioactive nuclides such as carbon-14, strontium-90, cesium, plutonium, and iodine in contaminated water are more dangerous," and "These nuclides can accumulate in the ocean for tens of thousands of years, causing serious radiation damage from food to human DNA." [5]
Is the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant truly scientifically safe?
Professor Pereng also said, "I am concerned that there is little discussion about long-lived radionuclides such as cesium-137 or strontium-90, which have a half-life of over 30 years, or carbon-14." [6]
September 12, 2023
(Former Professor, College of Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Specialized in Radiation Oncology, Retired)
Cited References
BBC News Korea. (October 27, 2020). “Fukushima: Why Japan Cannot Discard the 'Ocean Discharge' Card.” BBC News Korea: https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-54703434
Why Japan Cannot Discard the 'Ocean Discharge' Card - BBC News Korea
The Japanese government had considered three options.
www.bbc.com
BC News Korea. (April 13, 2021). “Fukushima: Japan’s Decision to Discharge Contaminated Water from Nuclear Power Plant… Why is it Controversial?” BBC News Korea: https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-56672262
Why Is Contaminated Water from Nuclear Power Plants Dangerous? - BBC News Korea
Environmental groups are concerned that various pollutants are not guaranteed to be safe even after undergoing the treatment process.
www.bbc.com
Kim, Kyeong-jin. (August 28, 2023). “Tokyo Electric Power’s ‘Transparency’ Controversy… Looking at its Past History.” KBS News: https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?ncd=7758459
Tokyo Electric Power’s ‘Transparency’ Controversy… Looking at its Past History
[Anchor] Japan is emphasizing that the sea around the Fukushima nuclear power plant is safe by releasing data from various institutions…
news.kbs.co.kr
DongA Science. (January 15, 2021). “The Truth About Tritium at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant.” DongA Science: https://m.dongascience.com/news.php?idx=43230
The Truth About Tritium at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant
Rep. Kim Young-sik, Lee Cheol-kyu, and Kim Seok-gi of the People Power Party visited the Wolsong nuclear power plant, where tritium controversy is ongoing, and held a press conference on the 15th to demand a parliamentary inquiry to verify the facts. Photo courtesy of Rep. Kim Young-sik’s office.
m.dongascience.com
Shim, Si-bo. (April 6, 2011). “[Interesting Science] Why Doesn’t a Nuclear Accident Explode Like an Atomic Bomb.” Maeil Business News: https://www.mk.co.kr/news/economy/4891877
[Interesting Science] Why Doesn’t a Nuclear Accident Explode Like an Atomic Bomb - Maeil Business News
Both obtain energy from uranium nuclear fission… but depending on the number of neutrons contained, uranium is divided into different types. Uranium used as nuclear fuel has a slow nuclear fission rate and does not explode.
www.mk.co.kr
Lee, Young-hee, Yoon, Seol-yeong. (March 11, 2021). “Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan: ‘Tokyo Electric Power Hid the Explosion and is Still Covering Up Information.’ ” JoongAng Ilbo: https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/24009159#home
Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan: ‘Tokyo Electric Power Hid the Explosion and is Still Covering Up Information.’ | JoongAng Ilbo
Former Prime Minister Kan (currently a member of the House of Representatives) met with reporters at the House of Representatives building in Tokyo on the 4th, marking the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and said, “Tokyo Electric Power’s information cover-up continues to this day.” The tsunami swallowed her husband, and her pregnant wife was…
www.joongang.co.kr
Lee, Hyeon-suk. (July 2, 2019). “Tokyo Electric Power’s Three Lies: The True Story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Greenpeace: https://www.greenpeace.org/korea/report/5912/blog-ce-tokyo-electric-power-3-lies/
Tokyo Electric Power’s Three Lies: The True Story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf - Greenpeace Korea | Greenpeace
At the Fukushima nuclear power plant, 850 tons of groundwater pours in every day, and Japan is struggling to treat the contaminated water. Tokyo Electric Power only sought temporary solutions and eventually failed to treat the contaminated water. Now, 1 million tons of contaminated water…
www.greenpeace.org
Jeong, Jae-gyoon. (March 4, 2021). “The Generation and Release Characteristics of Radionuclides Seen in the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident.” Radiation Medicine Webzine: https://www.rmwebzine.re.kr/newshome/mtnmain.php?mtnkey=articleview&mkey=scatelist&mkey2=78&aid=4937
Choi, Tae-yong, Woo, Hye-rim (intern reporter). (April 7, 2023). “[Fact Check] Is the Discharge of Contaminated Water from Fukushima Safe Internationally and Scientifically?” Yonhap News: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230406048900518
[Fact Check] Is the Discharge of Contaminated Water from Fukushima Safe Internationally and Scientifically? | Yonhap News
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Choi, Tae-yong, Woo, Hye-rim (intern reporter) = Amid ongoing controversy over the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, the Japanese government…
www.yna.co.kr
