Cover-up claim in Fukushima nuclear water release

The Japanese Government faces accusations of a cover-up after it refused to allow independent testing of water from the Fukushima power plant that is likely to be released into the Pacific Ocean.

Industry Ministry officials said the water stored at the crippled nuclear site was safe to release, despite fears from environmental and citizens’ groups about radioactive material.

Shaun Burnie, a senior nuclear specialist for Greenpeace, says the refusal to permit third-party testing raises doubts about the plans. “Moving nuclear material always carries risk, but for the purpose of independent analysis it would be justified,” he said.

“Tepco [Tokyo Electric Power Company] has lost trust in Japan as well as in the international community, including in South Korea, and providing samples for analysis would be in their best interests — unless they are covering something up.”

Hideyuki Ban, the co-director of the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Centre said: “There would need to be lots of checks because there is a lot of water, but right now it looks very much to the outside world that they are trying to cover something up — as they have a long history of doing.”

During a recent visit to the plant, Tepco officials told the Daily Tele

graph that a decision on how to dispose of the water must be made soon as tanks at the site are already near capacity.

The company estimates that capacity will be reached in the summer of 2022.