IAEA says Fukushima water release to follow safety standards

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The head of a U.N. nuclear agency task force assessing the safety of Japan’s plan to release treated water from the wreaked Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea says Japanese regulators have shown their commitment to comply with international safety standards. International opposition to the plan has widened. Last week, the head of the 18-nation Pacific Island Forum expressed concern about any impact of radiation from the water on the livelihoods of people in the region and urged Japan to suspend the plan. Local fishing communities have also fiercely opposed the plan. Japan’s government said last week that the release is likely to begin sometime in the spring or summer and continue for decades.