IAEA Chief to Visit Japan Before Release of Fukushima Wastewater

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency will visit Japan on Tuesday to assess the country's plan to release treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea in the summer.
During his four-day stay, Rafael Grossi will inspect the nuclear facility, which was devastated by a massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami in March 2011, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Grossi is also expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday to hand over a final safety assessment of the plan to discharge the water, which has been treated with an advanced liquid processing system that removes most radionuclides except for tritium, Kyodo News reported.
Kishida's government will examine the IAEA assessment before making a formal decision to discharge the water, with the government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., aiming to begin the release around this summer.
On Friday, Kishida instructed relevant ministries to continue efforts to gain understanding at the local and international level amid concerns that the water could hurt the marine environment, food safety and human health.
China and Russia have expressed opposition to the discharge plan, as have local fishermen worried about the potential reputational damage to their products.