World News for Students of English

07-07-2023 07:00

Japan has received approval from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima plant into the ocean.

Despite objections from Beijing and some residents, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted a two-year review and concluded that Japan’s plans met global safety standards with minimal impact on people and the environment. The IAEA chief handed over the final report to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, expressing the agency’s commitment to address concerns and station staff at the Fukushima plant for monitoring purposes. Japan insists that the water release is safe as the water has been treated to remove most radioactive elements, leaving only tritium. However, Japanese fishing unions, neighboring countries, and China have expressed opposition and concerns about the plan.

Japan hasn’t yet announced the date for the water release, awaiting official approval from the national nuclear regulatory body.

Difficult words: watchdog (a person or organization responsible for making certain that companies obey particular standards and don’t act illegally), tritium (a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that has one proton and two neutrons).

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