Stop Japan’s Failed Nuclear Plant Waste Coming to Cumbria
Please sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-japan-s…
Cumberland Council plans to import sodium coolant, a type of nuclear waste, thousands of miles from Japan to Cumbria, for processing at the Port of Workington, just 885m from Northside Primary School and nearby residential areas including many towns and villages.
Sodium coolant is extremely hazardous, and carries a high risk of violent explosion or fire if exposed to air or water.
It may also contain radioactive elements.
Further concerns include:
- Less than a mile from Northside Primary School, the chemical plant is being designed to convert the hazardous coolant into caustic soda.
- Caustic soda is also a hazardous material and carries enormous risks to the environment over decades if spilled.
- £4.5m of the Workington Town Deal government funding is being used to develop this site, despite the development planning to employ just 20 people over a period of 7 years.
- The Workington Town Deal was promoted as being for the public benefit, not for creating profit for a handful of private businesses.
- The £25m that the site construction phase is predicted to generate is meaningless compared to the certain risk our children and local environments would face as a result of the site’s operation and the £Billions that would likely be required for clean up following operation of this proposed chemical plant for Japan’s failed fast breeder nuclear reactor wastes.
Further Info
Japan’s prototype fast-breeder reactor (FBR), ‘Monju’, was a disaster from the start. It was shut down due to an accident less than 9 months after achieving criticality, and remained closed for 15 years. Reopening in 2008, a second accident closed it for good. Overall, Monju generated electricity for exactly one hour after achieving criticality in 1994 and will cost £Billions to decommission.
Fast breeder reactors use liquid metal as a coolant – usually liquid sodium, which violently explodes on contact with air water. Dounreay, which ran the UK’s own Fast Breeder Reactors, processed the coolant onsite at both reactors. Sodium coolant at Dounreay did contain radioactive caesium.
Cumberland Council are partners in the plan to bring the Monju’s sodium coolant to the Port of Workington.
Ironically, ‘Monju’ was named to represent transcendent wisdom in Buddhist tradition. It has achieved neither wisdom nor its stated aim of electricity generation apart from one hour’s worth.
It has produced tonnes of chemical and radioactive waste some of which the operators the Japan Atomic Energy Agency want to ship thousands of miles to Cumbria instead of dealing with in Japan..
Japan Is Being Pushed Towards Militarization
by Jonathan Schiff | Oct 9, 2026, https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2026/10/09/japan-is-being-pushed-towards-militarization/
The entire world is currently engaged in the race to develop UAVs and actively enhancing its military-technical capabilities. However, while for most nations this is just a part of its defense strategy, I find it worrying that Japan, whose pacifist constitution renounces war and restricts its military to self-defense, is showing such a strong interest in militarization, increased defense spending and mass domestic drone production.
Over the years, Japan has either forgotten its status as a “pacifist” state, or is doing everything possible to shed it. However, most striking of all is the fact that other countries are actively facilitating this. Thus, the United States is supplying Tomahawks to Japan and working with it on developing the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), a next-generation missile designed to defeat hypersonic threats. BAE Systems (UK) and Leonardo (Italy) formed a joint venture with Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet.
Canada is not an exception either. On March 6, 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that includes strengthening defense cooperation. Not only did the Canadian Prime Minister fail to consider the global consequences of Japanese militarization, he also failed to consider how it would affect Canada. As Ottawa actively cooperates with Tokyo in defense matters and regularly deploys warships to patrol the Taiwan Strait and participate in joint exercises (such as Keen Sword and Pacific Vanguard), Canada automatically becomes a potential participant of any regional conflict.
It seems that everyone has forgotten how Japan’s aggressive expansion and brutal imperial policies once posed a direct threat to the global security. Countries are strengthening defense cooperation with Japan, supplying it with modern weapon and pushing it onto the path of militarism. And the Japanese government is readily agreeing to this. Under the leadership of Sanae Takaichi, the country is undertaking one of the most significant shifts in defense policy since World War II.
All this enables Japan not only to get state-of-the-art weaponry but also to gradually alter its legislation under the guise of “gratitude” and reciprocal assistance to its allies. Thus, for instance, in April 2026, the export ban on lethal weapons was scrapped, and the first contracts in the country’s post-war history for the construction of warships for Australia’s navy were signed. Japan is also considering transferring Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Even though this is indirect participation in the war, the question of pacifism is no longer being raised.
Japanese Prime Minister is also pursuing domestic reforms. Thus, Japan has not only deployed long-range missiles in the southern Kyushu region, but is also aiming to create an independent intelligence agency similar to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Behind all these actions lies the idea of carrying out constitutional reform that would give Tokyo even greater freedom. Thus, through small steps, imperceptibly at first, the Japanese government is preparing the country for major changes. If we continue to turn a blind eye to this problem and facilitate the militaristic resurgence of the Land of the Rising Sun, it could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Jonathan Schiff is a conservative, engineer, his interests also include geopolitics and political analysis. He can be reached at jonathan.schiff@proton.me.
Fukushima N-Plant Starts New Round of Treated Water Release
Tokyo, Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant began its sixth release of treated water for fiscal 2026 on Monday, its operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., said.
The release from the disaster-stricken nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, will involve about 7,800 tons of treated water containing radioactive tritium diluted with large volumes of seawater. The water will be discharged through an undersea tunnel to a point about 1 kilometer offshore by Oct. 23.
This is the 24th release since discharges began in August 2023. In fiscal 2026, which ends in March next year, the plant is set to release 62,400 tons of treated water in eight rounds.
Jiji 5th Oct 2026
https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=ind&k=2026100500570
Japan says it’s time for ‘taboo-free’ discussions about acquiring nuclear weapons
Defence minister says non-nuclear principles should be revisited given the current global security ‘crisis’
Maroosha Muzaffar, Independent UK, Wednesday 30 September 2026
Japan’s defence minister renewed calls for opening a debate on acquiring nuclear weapons, saying Tokyo could not afford to rule out security options as tensions with China, Russia and North Korea continued to intensify.
“The idea that we aren’t even allowed to have a discussion on this matter is a bit at odds with my sense of crisis,” Shinjiro Koizumi said in a TV interview on Monday.
He argued that Japan should discuss its nuclear policy “without taboos”, including the possibility of revisiting its long-standing non-nuclear principles and of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
The principles, adopted in 1967, commit Japan to not possessing or producing nuclear weapons, or permitting their introduction to its territory.
Mr Koizumi said the government wasn’t currently committing to any policy, but that options shouldn’t be excluded before they were properly debated. At a press conference on Tuesday, he stressed the need to explain the changing security environment to the public, particularly as Japan was the only nation ever to suffer nuclear attacks in wartime. Japan was attacked with atomic bombs by the US towards the end of World War II, causing unprecedented death and destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Mr Koizumi argued that Japan should “carefully explain” changes in the global security situation as well as the actions of neighbouring countries so that the public could share his government’s assessment of the risks.
“I believe it’s safe to say that there are absolutely no grounds for
optimism regarding the security environment surrounding Japan,” he said.
Pointing to the nuclear capabilities of China and Russia and the expanding nuclear arsenal of North Korea, he asked whether Japan could ensure peace by simply avoiding discussion of topics it found difficult…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Nagasaki mayor Suzuki Shiro, in contrast, described nuclear weapons as an “absolute evil” at the same commemoration, warning against relying on nuclear deterrence and calling on the federal government to uphold the non-nuclear principles.
The issue of nuclear-powered submarines is also moving closer to the mainstream of Japan’s defence debate.
Mr Koizumi said earlier this month that Tokyo wasn’t ruling out acquiring such vessels, shortly after a US navy official expressed support for the idea.
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/japan/japan-nuclear-weapons-shinjiro-koizumi-takaichi-b3058770.html
TEPCO Begins Probe inside Meltdown-Hit Fukushima Reactor
Tokyo, Oct. 2 (Jiji Press) 2026/10/02, https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2026100200295
–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. on Friday began investigating the inside of the meltdown-stricken No. 2 reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant by inserting a robotic arm through an opening in the containment vessel.
The company aims to better understand conditions inside the reactor at the plant in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, as it plans to extract some nuclear fuel debris on a trial basis. The work is expected to take about half a year.
According to TEPCO, the latest operation involves cutting some rails and cables that could obstruct the robotic arm’s entry with high-pressure water jets and collecting 3D data and images from inside the containment vessel. This information will be used to develop and design new equipment.
The opening in the containment vessel had been used to remove equipment for inserting and withdrawing control rods, which control the nuclear fission reaction. Rails installed down to the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel are believed to be hindering investigations.
TEPCO plans to capture images, including those of the lower part of the pressure vessel, with multiple cameras attached to the robotic arm. Debris removal is expected to begin next year, with the collection amount likely to be several grams. The company has so far removed about 0.9 grams of debris over two rounds
Japan aims to increase its reliance on nuclear power, but headwinds remain
the government secured passage of a revised electricity business law in July, enabling public financing for reactor replacement projects.
Efforts to address spent nuclear fuel generated by nuclear power plants remain stalled. The nuclear fuel cycle policy, which calls for reprocessing and reusing spent fuel, lacks a clear path forward, as completion of the key reprocessing plant in the village of Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, has been repeatedly postponed.
A final disposal site has also yet to be selected for the high-level radioactive waste produced through reprocessing.
Sep 16, 2026 , https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/16/japan/nuclear-power-five-rebuild-2040/
The Japanese government has set a target of replacing up to five nuclear reactors by the 2040s and as many as 14 by the 2050s.
In the July decision to revise its nuclear energy policy guidelines, the government presented specific numerical targets for reactor replacement for the first time since the triple meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011.
The government also reaffirmed its policy of making “maximum use” of nuclear power, seeking to encourage investment in related industry sectors and to foster skilled personnel.
Important step
After the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released draft revisions to the guidelines in June, Nozomu Mori, chairman of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan and president of Kansai Electric Power, welcomed the move.
“This sends a powerful message that Japan will continue to utilize nuclear power in the future,” Mori told a news conference. “An extremely important step has been taken.”
The previous guidelines, adopted in 2023, effectively extended the maximum operating life of nuclear reactors beyond the standard 60-year limit and called for making maximum use of existing facilities.
The latest revision goes further by adopting a more proactive approach to replacing reactors that are to be decommissioned after reaching the end of their operating lives.
Within the industry, Kansai Electric has already begun geological surveys in preparation for the possible construction of a new reactor at its Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture.
Another proposal calls for building a reactor at Kyushu Electric Power’s Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture e while decommissioning reactors at the utility’s Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture.
Data centers
With electricity demand expected to rise sharply amid the construction of data centers and semiconductor plants, the government regards nuclear power, together with renewable energy, as a key source of decarbonized electricity.
Under the Strategic Energy Plan approved by the Cabinet in 2025, the government aims to increase nuclear power’s share of the electricity generation mix to around 20% in fiscal 2040.
The revised guidelines set numerical targets for reactor replacement on the basis of estimates that nuclear generating capacity could fall as much as 5.5 million kilowatts short of the level needed to meet that goal by the 2040s and up to 16 million kilowatts short by the 2050s.
By establishing specific targets, the government hopes to create a business environment conducive to large-scale investments and strengthen efforts to develop skilled personnel.
The number of people seeking employment in the nuclear power industry has declined since the accident at the disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 plant. Nuclear power projects typically take about 20 years from the start of construction to the launch of operations and can cost trillions of yen, making it difficult to raise funds and recoup investments.
Against this backdrop, the government secured passage of a revised electricity business law in July, enabling public financing for reactor replacement projects.
At a meeting of ministers responsible for nuclear energy policy, in which the revisions to the guidelines were adopted, participants agreed to provide funding for nuclear power projects through the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization and to draw up a road map for workforce development.
“We will make maximum use of nuclear power, which contributes to energy security and decarbonization,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said at the meeting.
Nuclear fuel cycle issues
Efforts to address spent nuclear fuel generated by nuclear power plants remain stalled. The nuclear fuel cycle policy, which calls for reprocessing and reusing spent fuel, lacks a clear path forward, as completion of the key reprocessing plant in the village of Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, has been repeatedly postponed.
A final disposal site has also yet to be selected for the high-level radioactive waste produced through reprocessing. As part of the repository selection process, a first-stage survey has started on Minamitorishima, a Pacific island administered by the Tokyo village of Ogasawara. Still, Ogasawara is only the fourth municipality nationwide to accept such a survey.
In late August, the industry ministry asked Hitachiomiya, a city in Ibaraki Prefecture, to accept a first-stage survey for the final disposal site selection.
With no clear prospect for any further increase in the number of candidate sites, officials in affected local governments have voiced criticism. One asked, “Is it really appropriate to allow discussions on reactor construction alone to continue moving forward?”
Japan’s Defense Minister: Nuclear-Powered Submarines Will Not Be Ruled Out
NAVAL NEWS, 15/09/2026, By Kosuke Takahashi
Speaking at a press conference on September 11, Koizumi was asked about reports that a U.S. Navy official had expressed a positive view of Japan potentially acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. While declining to comment directly on individual media reports, Koizumi said the option would be considered as part of the government’s planned revision of Japan’s three key national security documents: the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy and Defense Buildup Program. The three documents are expected to be revised by year-end.
As I have said before, in the course of revising the three documents, we will consider all options without ruling anything out,”
“Of course, we will also proceed with our consideration without ruling out nuclear-powered submarines as an option.”Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi
Koizumi stressed that no decision had been made and that the government was not working toward a predetermined conclusion.
Asked about the strategic advantages of nuclear-powered submarines and the challenges Japan would face if it decided to acquire them, Koizumi offered one of his most detailed public assessments of SSNs to date. Speaking in general terms, he said nuclear-powered submarines can remain submerged for long periods, conduct extended operations, and are said to be capable of speeds several times higher than those of conventionally powered submarines.
“These characteristics make it possible to conduct the required activities while ensuring a higher level of safety for the crew,” Koizumi said.
At the same time, he acknowledged significant disadvantages. He said nuclear-powered submarines are said to be less quiet underwater than conventionally powered submarines. He also cited the high cost of nuclear propulsion systems, the need for larger hulls, and the specialized technical expertise required to operate, maintain, and service nuclear propulsion plants.
“In an increasingly rapidly changing security environment across various fields, we will examine the measures necessary to improve deterrence and response capabilities without ruling out any options,” Koizumi said.
U.S. Navy Official Voices Support for Japan Considering SSNs
Koizumi’s remarks came two days after a U.S. Navy official reportedly expressed a positive view of Japan considering nuclear-powered submarines.
The unnamed U.S. Navy official spoke to Japanese, South Korean, and other Asia-Pacific journalists at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii on September 9.
According to Japanese media reports, when asked whether Japan should consider acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, the official responded positively, pointing out that Japan operates nuclear power plants and possesses relevant nuclear technology. The same official also drew attention in South Korea by saying Seoul needed a “valid reason” for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines and warning against pursuing them merely as a “status symbol.”
Japan currently operates only conventionally powered diesel-electric submarines, but the debate over nuclear propulsion has accelerated over the past year…………………………….
Major obstacles remain, however. Nuclear-powered submarines would be far more expensive than Japan’s current conventional boats and would require an entirely new infrastructure for naval nuclear propulsion, including reactor maintenance, nuclear fuel management, and specialized personnel. There are also legal and political questions. Japan’s Atomic Energy Basic Act restricts the use of nuclear energy to peaceful purposes, raising longstanding questions about the compatibility of nuclear-powered warships with the existing legal framework.
Koizumi’s September 11 remarks do not mean Japan has decided to acquire SSNs. But his explicit statement that nuclear-powered submarines will not be excluded from consideration, combined with his detailed public assessment of their advantages and disadvantages, suggests that the issue is moving from a largely theoretical debate toward a concrete defense policy discussion. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/09/japan-defense-minister-nuclear-powered-submarines/
Japan’s submarine debate signals break from nuclear taboos
Japan weighing nuke subs to deter China’s rising threat, but it’s not clear Tokyo has the capital, crew or capacity to keep a nuclear fleet afloat
Asia Times, by Gabriel Honrada, September 14, 2026
Japan is edging closer to a once-unthinkable choice: whether nuclear propulsion should underpin its next generation of undersea deterrence.
This month, the Japan Times reported that Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed that Japan is keeping the option of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines on the table, following encouraging signals from a US Navy official.
Speaking at a regular press conference, Koizumi stated that Japan will not rule out the capability as it prepares revisions to three key national security documents by year-end.
The remarks came after an unnamed US Navy official, later corroborated by the US Pacific Fleet, suggested discussions should proceed given Japan’s advanced nuclear expertise, noting that asset procurement must align with national operational needs.
The submarine debate also follows Koizumi’s July 2026 call for Japan to discuss nuclear deterrence without taboos, saying the country could no longer avoid confronting nuclear weapons policy amid its worsening security environment…………………………… https://asiatimes.com/2026/09/japans-submarine-debate-signals-break-from-nuclear-taboos/
The historical fascists are preparing to take their revenge
SOTT – Signs of the Times, Thierry Meyssan, Voltairenet.org, Tue, 01 Sep 2026
Before our very eyes, the historical forces of fascism are reorganizing.The losers of World War II, those who massacred millions of Soviets, Chinese, and Jews, are once again in power in Japan, Israel, and Ukraine. They hope to take their revenge. It is up to us to denounce their preparations and prevent them from unleashing the apocalypse.
The losers of World War II are demanding revenge. They have no interest in it. They just want to win and reorganize the world hierarchically, with themselves at the top. Here’s what they have to say.
For the “militarists,” Japan never lost the war.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is a staunch supporter of the Emperor. Every August 15th, the anniversary of the surrender, she visits the Yasukuni Shrine. This shrine honors all those who gave their lives for the Emperor during the “Fifteen Years’ War” — that is, the invasion of the Far East and World War II. She regularly pays her respects at the graves of those convicted of crimes against humanity, something she is legally prohibited from doing since becoming Prime Minister.
This year, unable to attend, she sent offerings. Four of her ministers and about one hundred and fifty parliamentarians who were able to go, did so.
For them, the crimes of the Imperial Army never existed. They are merely fabrications by Japan’s enemies. But Koreans and Chinese have a different memory: the Imperial Army treated all those who did not acknowledge the Emperor’s divinity as subhuman.Japanese conscripts were trained to massacre and torture these individuals, and if they refused, they were severely beaten. In Nanjing, 100,000 women and children were raped and enslaved to satisfy the Emperor’s soldiers, and then 300,000 people were massacred. In Korea, Unit 731 performed vivisections on prisoners without anesthesia; crimes that inspired Dr. Mengele at Auschwitz.
The same crimes were repeated in Singapore, Malaysia, Indochina and Thailand, although the population did not have as strong a memory of them as in Korea and China.
The Japanese militarists are not seeking to repeat their crimes. They know full well that in modern times, they cannot demand the worship of an emperor who has acknowledged that he is no longer a god. But they are rearming their country.
While commemorating the massacres of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, Sanae Takaichi carefully avoided mentioning that they had been perpetrated by the United States under President Harry Truman. Similarly, unlike her predecessors, she expressed neither remorse nor offered any apology for Japan’s role in World War II.
Japan only admitted its defeat in 1945 with the declaration of socialist Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on the 50th anniversary of the event, on August 15, 1995. This was called into question by liberal-democratic Prime Minister Shinzō Abe on the occasion of the appointment of the Minister of Self-Defense Forces on August 3, 2016. This is now the official position of Japan, defended by Shinzō Abe’s protégé, Sanae Takaichi [ 1 ] .
It was with full knowledge that Mrs. Takaichi violated the pacifism of the Japanese constitution and supplied military trucks to Ukrainian “integral nationalists” and soldiers to NATO HQ in Wiesbaden on May 29 [ 2 ] .
For the “revisionist Zionists,” it is time to resume the war against the “Zionists.”
The Kahanist (that is, the disciple of the terrorist rabbi Meir Kahane) Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security, announced on August 28 that his men had located the wreck of the Altalena. This was a ship, chartered by the “Revisionist Zionists,” with nearly 900 militiamen on board, which the “Zionist” Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion had sunk before it reached Israel on June 22, 1948.
The “revisionist Zionists,” that is, the followers of the Ukrainian Vladimir Zeev Jabotinsky, and the “Zionists” proper, that is, the followers of the Hungarian Theodor Herzl, engaged in a fierce hatred. Herzl wanted a homeland where Jews would escape pogroms, while Jabotinsky wanted a Jewish empire like the Italian and German empires………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………And now
We can no longer ignore what is happening. The forces of historical fascism — not some nostalgic eccentrics clinging to parades in uniform, but those who aspire to continue the Second World War — have awakened. They have begun to rewrite history. They have used our indifference to erase the memory of their crimes.
Our immediate responsibility is to deny them any political responsibility before they attempt to take their revenge and trigger the apocalypse. We must demand immediate elections in Ukraine and Japan. Elections have been called in Israel, but we must ensure that the election campaign is fair.
References:……………………………………………….. https://www.sott.net/article/508192-The-historical-fascists-are-preparing-to-take-their-revenge
Japan Govt Asks Eastern City to Accept N-Waste Site Survey
Hitachiomiya, Ibaraki Pref., Aug. 31 (Jiji Press), https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2026083100449
–The industry ministry Monday asked the city of Hitachiomiya in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, to accept a literature survey for selecting a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants.
If realized, Hitachiomiya would become the fifth site in the country to accept a literature survey, after the town of Suttsu and the village of Kamoenai, both in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, the town of Genkai in the southwestern prefecture of Saga and Minamitorishima, a remote Tokyo island in the Ogasawara chain in the Pacific.
This is the second case of the central government seeking approval for the survey without request from local communities.
Senior ministry officials visited Hitachiomiya and handed a written request to Mayor Sadayuki Suzuki.
“I view the request very positively,” he said, adding that he wants to make a final decision after hearing from the city assembly.
Evacuees from Fukushima nuclear meltdown reach settlement with Tepco
Aug 26, 2026, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/08/26/japan/crime-legal/tepco-fukushima-settlement/
SAPPORO – A total of 176 people who fled Fukushima Prefecture following the March 2011 nuclear disaster have reached a settlement with Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings in their damages lawsuit filed against the firm and the government.
The settlement was reached on Aug. 18 at the Sapporo High Court, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs.
All the plaintiffs withdrew their damages claims against the government. The decision came on the heels of the Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling, and a series of similar court decisions that followed, that the government was not liable for the nuclear accident.
The plaintiffs evacuated from Fukushima Prefecture to Hokkaido in the wake of the triple meltdown at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 plant.
Under the settlement, Tepco apologized for the irreparable damage the plaintiffs suffered because of the accident.
The settlement amount was not disclosed. The plaintiffs’ lawyers said the sum was “not sufficient but took into account their claims to a certain extent.”
Seiichi Nakate, head of the plaintiffs, and his family evacuated from the city of Fukushima to Sapporo in 2012.
“The settlement is far from enough to make up for our indescribable suffering, but we decided (to accept it) because we cannot endure any more exhaustion,” he said.
In its March 2020 ruling, the Sapporo District Court ordered the government and Tepco to pay about ¥53 million in total to some of the plaintiffs, finding both liable for the accident. The plaintiffs, Tepco and the government all appealed the ruling.
AI robots and drones to assist in Fukushima nuclear plant cleanup
Three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant contain 880 tons of debris. (Photo by Akitoshi Sugiura)
Japan government, TEPCO to launch consortium as decommissioning progresses
MASATOSHI IDA, August 30, 2026
AI robots and drones to assist in Fukushima nuclear plant cleanup. Japan
government, TEPCO to launch consortium as decommissioning progresses……..(Subscribers only)
Nikkei Asian Review 30th Aug 2026, https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/artificial-intelligence/ai-robots-and-drones-to-assist-in-fukushima-nuclear-plant-cleanup
Three years on, Fukushima’s fishers still deal with impact of treated water release
Japan Times, By Phoebe Amoroso, Aug 24, 2026
March 11 is a date of indescribable weight in Japan — one that conjures images of the devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami that killed nearly 20,000, displaced hundreds of thousands and caused catastrophic damage to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
But Aug. 24 has also become a date of significance for the Tohoku region and the rest of East Asia. On this day three years ago, power plant officials began releasing treated water into the Pacific Ocean — a move that, while necessary, is continuing to have an economic impact on the region’s seafood.
“There’s no single perfect method that will ensure understanding among the public (when it comes to the safety of Fukushima’s seafood),” says Tadaaki Sawada.
Sawada is deputy manager of the guidance section for the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (FS Gyoren). Even three years on, he laments the difficulty of eliminating the stigma attached to the northeastern coastal prefecture of Fukushima and its produce.
On the day Sawada spoke with The Japan Times, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (Tepco) completed its 21st discharge of treated water currently held in storage tanks at the No. 1 nuclear plant. Three years into this process expected to take three decades in total, fears of reputational damage have not explicitly emerged within the domestic market, but other consequences have been profound: geopolitical tensions and an exposure of the vulnerabilities that underlie Japan’s fishing industry as a whole.
Difficult choices
Though the primary disasters of March 2011 are in the past, the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is far from decommissioned.
Nuclear debris remains inside the damaged reactors and still produces heat, so water has to be circulated through the damaged reactors to keep them cool and eventually discarded. A method known as Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) can remove up to 62 radioactive compounds from this water to very low concentrations, but it can’t remove tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. After ALPS and dilution with seawater, the concentration of tritium in the water reaches 1/40 of the maximum threshold mandated by government regulations.
With on-site water tanks nearing capacity, Tepco — backed by the Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency — announced in 2021 that it would conduct periodic, controlled ocean discharges while monitoring the resulting tritium levels.
The decision provoked strong reactions, not least within Fukushima’s fishing industry. The government had promised fishermen that it wouldn’t release the water without the understanding of local communities, and the move was perceived by many as reneging on that commitment, provoking strong fears over further reputational damage.
But three years on, a strong consumer backlash within Japan has not materialized.
Takeshi Hamada, a professor of fisheries science at Sapporo’s Hokkai-Gakuen University, has studied the economic impact on Japan’s fishing industry. He argues that one key difference between domestic reaction in 2011 compared to the years that followed is related to media coverage.
“Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, most media outlets — including major ones — viewed government information with skepticism,” Hamada says via email. “However, during the ocean release of ALPS-treated water, there was relatively little coverage questioning its safety.”
Instead, criticism mostly emanated from somewhere far away from Japan’s northeastern coast: China.
On the day the first batch of ALPS-treated water was released, Beijing banned the import of all Japanese aquatic products (the ban was partially lifted in June 2025 before being reinstated that November after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Japan’s role in a hypothetical Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan).
The impact of the import ban on Japan’s fishing industry has been hard to quantify, but experts believe it has been significant. Compared to the year prior, Hamada calculates that Japanese seafood exports fell by about ¥75.8 billion (about $476 million) between September 2023 and August 2024. Analysis of the next 12 months found that exports had improved in some areas, but total seafood exports were still below the prerelease level.
For Fukushima, the exact costs cannot be isolated. Although it exported almost no seafood to China, export-bound Japanese seafood was redirected into the domestic market, weighing on prices. Based on shirasu (whitebait) prices, which were driven down by bumper catches elsewhere, Hamada estimates that average prices decreased by 8.2%.
The lack of clarity has a direct knock-on effect on compensation promised from Tepco as a condition of the water release. Fishers must demonstrate lower catch volume, catch value and sales value compared to pre-2011 to receive funds for the shortfall. Seafood processors, wholesalers and other retailers can also claim compensation by demonstrating reduced sales due to consumers or buyers avoiding their seafood products.
However, many of the costs remain hidden. In a November 2025 symposium held by the Tokyo Fisheries Promotion Foundation, Soichiro Kato, a lawyer representing affected businesses, said fishers were better placed to seek compensation because fishery federations could negotiate collectively, while many seafood processors without the same collective organizations in place had to deal with Tepco individually. He also criticized Tepco’s criteria as being too rigid and not capturing losses from reverse flow effects.
Fishing for solutions……………………………………………………………………..
Coastal landings are still subject to official radiation monitoring by Fukushima Prefecture, while FS Gyoren also conducts voluntary screening at fish markets to reassure buyers. After more than 100,000 inspections, the federation relaxed its system in April this year to cover fewer species and reduce screening from each landing or sales day to at least once a week. It hopes that this will speed up distribution and make the overall system more efficient, paving the way for expanded sales.
But each step back toward normalcy for Fukushima’s fisheries is a double-edged sword.
“When it comes to how wholesalers and distributors have reacted (to relaxed regulations), naturally, to be honest, no one directly criticizes us,” Sawada says. “But I think some people do have concerns internally. That may naturally result in transactions disappearing or decreasing. It does not appear openly, and it is difficult for us on the fisher and producer side to see.”…………………………………………………………………………….
Although Tepco has made progress toward reducing newly generated water, the discharges are set to continue for decades to come. However, FS Gyoren’s call for more support for Fukushima’s fishing industry is unchanged.
“We want to continue fishing in Fukushima Prefecture as a livelihood, not only in our generation but into our children’s and grandchildren’s generations,” says Sawada. “We want the government and Tepco to provide firm support for that.”
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/08/24/japan/fukushima-seafood-treated-water-three-years-impact/
Fukushima nuclear wastewater discharge marks three years amid concerns
In a statement issued on Sunday, Masanobu Sakamoto, head of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (JF Zengyoren), said the group’s position has not changed, stressing that it remains opposed to discharging wastewater without the understanding of fishermen and the public.
24-Aug-2026, CGTN
It has now been three years since the Japanese government began to discharge contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean despite strong opposition and concerns at home and abroad.
Japan unilaterally launched the ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi plant on August 24, 2023. Since then, Japan has conducted 22 rounds of ocean discharge, releasing around 173,000 tonnes of wastewater containing tritium, a radioactive substance that purification equipment cannot remove, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).
The latest round, held from July 30 to August 17, involved discharging nearly 8,000 tonnes of wastewater.
Over the past three years, TEPCO has paid a total of 96.7 billion yen (roughly $600 million) in compensation for about 1,100 claims as of August 5, including claims related to losses suffered by fishermen and businesses that have had to temporarily suspend or scale back their fishing activities due to the discharge plan.
According to The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun, people in the fishing industry said most of the compensation claims were filed by those outside Fukushima Prefecture, as fishermen in Fukushima receive separate compensation for temporarily suspending their operations.
Despite the compensation, opposition to the controversial operation and worries about local fisheries’ development remain.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Masanobu Sakamoto, head of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (JF Zengyoren), said the group’s position has not changed, stressing that it remains opposed to discharging wastewater without the understanding of fishermen and the public.
Sakamoto noted that some countries and regions continue to impose restrictions on imports of Japanese seafood, while products such as sea cucumbers have been affected by falling prices.
“The markets that have been lost have yet to fully recover, and there are concerns over whether they can be recovered at all,” Sakamoto said, underscoring the serious challenges facing the fishing industry.
He also said government support measures were “insufficient for fishermen.”
According to The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun, abalones from Iwate Prefecture had an average wholesale price of about 120,000 to 140,000 yen per 10 kilograms before the treated water discharge began. However, prices have remained low due to the suspension of exports. In 2025, the price fell as low as 60,000 yen per 10 kilograms.
To ensure food safety, fisheries cooperative associations in Fukushima Prefecture have set their own limit of 50 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram for shipping marine products, stricter than the Japanese government’s standard of 100 becquerels per kilogram, according to the report.
Local fishermen remain committed to ensuring the safety of their products based on scientific standards and rebuilding consumer trust, The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing the Soma Futaba Fisheries Cooperative Association.
Japan to Reuse Fukushima Soil in Regional Cities
Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)
https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2026082500738 —
The Japanese government decided Tuesday to begin the reuse of soil generated from decontamination work following the 2011 accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in regional cities.
At a meeting at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, the government decided to begin the soil reuse program at an early date for flowerbeds at buildings in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, and the city of Saitama, north of Tokyo, where central government branch offices are located.
It will be the first time for the soil from decontamination work to be used outside Tokyo, except for its use in demonstration projects in Fukushima Prefecture, home to the TEPCO plant, which suffered a triple meltdown following the massive earthquake and tsunami that mainly struck northeastern Japan in March 2011.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at the meeting that the reuse of soil from decontamination work will be key to achieving the government’s goal of completing the final disposal of the soil outside Fukushima by March 2045.
Kihara urged attendees to expand the reuse of the soil to regional branch offices in other cities and strengthen public communication about its safety.
1 This Month
23-25 October – on Zoom – World BEYOND War’s annual global conferenc
Shut down the radiation-damaged Heysham nuclear reactors now
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity – go to https://nuclearinformation.wordpress.com
Say No to NASA’s Reckless Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
Say No to NASA’s Reckless Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
-
Archives
- October 2026 (219)
- September 2026 (339)
- August 2026 (330)
- July 2026 (355)
- June 2026 (287)
- May 2026 (306)
- April 2026 (356)
- March 2026 (251)
- February 2026 (267)
- January 2026 (308)
- December 2025 (358)
- November 2025 (359)
-
Categories
- 1
- 1 NUCLEAR ISSUES
- business and costs
- climate change
- culture and arts
- ENERGY
- environment
- health
- history
- indigenous issues
- Legal
- marketing of nuclear
- media
- opposition to nuclear
- PERSONAL STORIES
- politics
- politics international
- Religion and ethics
- safety
- secrets,lies and civil liberties
- spinbuster
- technology
- Uranium
- wastes
- weapons and war
- Women
- 2 WORLD
- ACTION
- AFRICA
- Atrocities
- AUSTRALIA
- Christina's notes
- Christina's themes
- culture and arts
- Events
- Fuk 2022
- Fuk 2023
- Fukushima 2017
- Fukushima 2018
- fukushima 2019
- Fukushima 2020
- Fukushima 2021
- general
- global warming
- Humour (God we need it)
- Nuclear
- RARE EARTHS
- Reference
- resources – print
- Resources -audiovicual
- Weekly Newsletter
- World
- World Nuclear
- YouTube
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
