The inspection at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant began today (Wednesday), one day after the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) had installed the last piece of equipment needed for the release – namely, the outlet of the undersea tunnel dug to discharge the wastewater one kilometre offshore.
Tepco said the Nuclear Regulation Authority inspectors were to examine the equipment related to the treated water transfer and its safety systems as part of their three-day inspection from today until Friday.
The permit for releasing the water could be issued around one week later, allowing Tepco to start discharging the water soon after, although an exact date has not yet been decided.
The plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing groups concerned about safety and reputational damage.
In 2015, the Japanese government and Tepco promised not to release the water without consent from the fishing community, but many in the fishing...