IAEA Secretary General Again Says "Technical Feasibility of Japan's Nuclear Plant Contaminated Water Discharge into Ocean"

Interview with Kyodo News and IAEA Headquarters... "Willing to Dispatch International Monitoring Team if Japan Requests After Disposal Decision"
Supported Japanese Government's Position in February... Likely to Spark Controversy

Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, delivering a speech at the IAEA General Conference. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Amid stark differences between the South Korean and Japanese governments over the ocean discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that he is consulting with the Japanese side regarding the ocean discharge of the contaminated water. Grossi previously sparked controversy by expressing support for the ocean discharge of the contaminated water.

On the 19th (local time), Grossi responded in an interview with Kyodo News at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, regarding the treatment of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant containing tritium, saying, "We are consulting with the Japanese side," and added, "If a disposal decision is made, we are willing to immediately dispatch an international monitoring team upon request."

In particular, Grossi said that the ocean discharge of contaminated water containing tritium is "technically feasible." Regarding Grossi's recent remarks, Kyodo News analyzed that the IAEA expressed its intention to work with the Japanese government to alleviate concerns from neighboring countries surrounding the ocean discharge of nuclear plant contaminated water.

Grossi also expressed support for the Japanese government's push for ocean discharge of contaminated water in February. At a press conference held after touring the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, he mentioned, "Technically, it complies with international practices and is routinely carried out at nuclear plants worldwide when there is no emergency."

Although neighboring countries, including South Korea, have voiced concerns over the Japanese government's push for ocean discharge, the IAEA Director General's repeated support for Japan's position may rekindle controversy over a biased approach. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will respond in cooperation with the international community, including the IAEA, regarding the Japanese government's nuclear contaminated water discharge issue, emphasizing, "The government demands transparent information disclosure and treatment in accordance with international standards and is cooperating with the international community."

On November 3rd, Ham Sang-wook, Director for Multilateral Diplomacy Coordination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a Korea-IAEA High-Level Policy Consultation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building with Massimo Aparo, Deputy Director General for Safeguards at the IAEA, urging the IAEA to play an active role in verifying transparency and safety related to Japan's nuclear contaminated water treatment.

At the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 to 4, contaminated water has been continuously generated since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake due to the ongoing inflow of rainwater and groundwater. The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), treats the contaminated water with the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) and stores it in external tanks, with the volume increasing by 140 tons daily. The Japanese government has been pushing for ocean discharge, stating that once the prepared storage tanks are full around 2022, it will hinder decommissioning work. However, due to growing opposition both inside and outside Japan, the decision on contaminated water treatment has been postponed.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga also expressed on the 10th that the decision on contaminated water disposal cannot be delayed indefinitely and indicated his intention to make a final decision soon. Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, after visiting Fukushima, stated, "We cannot just keep postponing," and "We will decide on the disposal policy at an appropriate time."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.