METI - Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of the State of Japan

03/25/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/24/2025 20:23

The IAEA Published a Report on its Third Review Mission of Safety Related Aspects of the Discharge of ALPS Treated Water into the Sea after the Start of the Discharge

March 25, 2025

On March 24 (local time in Vienna, Austria), the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) published a report of safety related aspects of the discharge of ALPS treated water into the sea at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' (TEPCO's) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS). The report concludes that, as in the previous reports published by the IAEA, the Task Force did not identify anything that is inconsistent with the requirements in the relevant international safety standards regarding the discharge of ALPS treated water into the sea.

Summary

From December 9 to 12, 2024, IAEA officials and international experts (from Argentina, Canada, China, France, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam) visited Japan to conduct IAEA's review mission of safety aspects of the discharge of ALPS treated water into the sea. This is the third review mission after the start of the discharge into the sea.

This third report after the start of the discharge into the sea presents conclusions based on the review mission. The report highlights that, as in the first and second missions after the start of the discharge, the Task Force did not identify anything that is inconsistent with the requirements in the relevant international safety standards.

2. Key Points of the Report

(1) Viewpoints of Review

The report includes the key points of discussion between the IAEA Task Force and the Government of Japan and TEPCO, as well as a site visit to the FDNPS, and the Task Force's findings based on the following technical items:

ⅰ. Regulatory Control and Authorization
ⅱ. Safety Related Aspects of Systems and Processes for Controlling Discharges
ⅲ. Characterization of the Source
ⅳ. Radiological Environmental Impact Assessment
ⅴ. Source and Environmental Monitoring Programmes
ⅵ. Involvement of Interested Parties
ⅶ. Occupational Radiation Protection

(2) Main Review Results

The IAEA's overall conclusions are in line with those highlighted in the first and second missions after the start of the discharge:

  • The Task Force did not identify anything that is inconsistent with the requirements in the relevant international safety standards. Therefore, the IAEA can reaffirm the fundamental conclusions of its safety review as outlined in the 4 July 2023 Comprehensive Report.
  • The Task Force highlighted that Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has continued the comprehensive inspection plan, including its onsite presence regarding the safety oversight of the discharge of ALPS treated water.
  • The Task Force confirmed that the equipment and facilities are installed and operated in a manner that is consistent with the Implementation Plan and the relevant international safety standards.
  • The Task Force noted the importance of the IAEA's ongoing corroboration activities and the IAEA onsite independent test and analysis, in providing a comprehensive, transparent and independent verification of the accuracy and reliability of the data reported by TEPCO and the Government of Japan.

(3) Future Plans

The Task Force will continue to review the activities of TEPCO and NRA to assess whether they are consistent with the relevant international safety standards.

The Task Force proposed that the next review mission taking place in the first half of 2025 would focus on the ALPS monitoring programme and its results.

3. Response to the IAEA Report

Through the IAEA review, the Government of Japan will continue to take measures in accordance with international safety standards and take all possible measures to ensure the safety of the discharge. We will continue to maintain close coordination with the IAEA in sharing information with the international community in a highly transparent manner and fostering better understanding of the safety of the discharge of ALPS treated water within both the domestic and international communities.

Related Links

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Nuclear Accident Response Office, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
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METI - Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of the State of Japan published this content on March 25, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 25, 2025 at 02:23 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io