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16 Apr 2021 TOKYO, Japan

Plan To Release Water From Fukushima Sparks Outrage

The Fukushima nuclear plant is running out of space to store radioactive water following its destruction in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Plans by owners TEPCO to begin discharging the "treated" water into the Pacific Ocean have been met with dismay by some but cautiously welcomed by others.

2 Sep 2020 MANILA

WASH Investment Role In Tackling Pandemics In Asia

Stronger and more integrated risk management is needed on health and water-related disasters in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, experts heard today at an international online conference held in the presence of the Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan. “The pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of water, sanitation, and adequate hygiene services—or WASH—which are the primary line of defense against the spread of COVID-19, as well as water-borne and other diseases,” ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said in welcome remarks...

25 May 2020 TOKYO

MRI Scanning Results In River Water Pollution

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have surveyed the amount of gadolinium found in river water in Tokyo. Gadolinium is contained in contrast agents given to patients undergoing medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and it has been shown in labs to become toxic when exposed to ultraviolet rays.

2 Mar 2020 OKINAWA

Japan Cracks Down On US Air Force Water Pollution

Japan plans to join other nations in officially setting its own water quality safety guidelines for banned pollutants that have been found around U.S. military bases near Tokyo and on Okinawa. The country’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced Feb. 19 a combined safety threshold of 0.05 micrograms per liter for synthetic, fully fluorinated organic acids commonly known as PFOS and PFOA, a ministry spokesman said last week.

11 Feb 2020 TOKYO

Tokyo Olympic Events Threatened By Bacterial Contamination Of Water

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has started work to improve water quality at a venue of this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games after higher-than-acceptable levels of E. coli bacteria were detected there last year. Odaiba Marine Park is the intended venue for the swimming leg of the triathlon for the Tokyo Games.

22 Jan 2020 GENEVA, Switzerland

WMO: 2019 Was Second Hottest Year On Record

The year 2019 was the second warmest on record and the average temperatures for the past 5 years and the past 10 years have been the highest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Each decade since 1980 has been warmer than the previous one and this trend is expected to continue given record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere...

13 Jan 2020 SEOUL, South Korea

Radioactive Fukushima Waste Destined For Pacific?

The government of Japan looks likely to proceed with a controlled ocean-release of radioactive wastewater associated with the Fukushima disaster, a move criticised by environmental groups in neighbouring countries.A draft report on how to dispose of treated water at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, released 31 December, includes two methods, narrowed down from five that had been under consideration...

2 Dec 2019 TOKYO, Japan

South Korea Seeks Additional Data On Release Of Contaminated Fukushima Water

The government of Japan government has sought to reassure neighboring countries that contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant will be dealt with “appropriately”. There has been critisism of Japan, however, for lack of specific detail about treatment and release after an information session for foreign diplomats on November 21 that included representatives from 17 countries including nearby Taiwan, China and South Korea...

15 Sep 2019 TOKYO, Japan

Dumping Radioactive Fukushima Water Into The Pacific May Be "Only Option": Minister

Yoshiaki Harada, Japan’s environment minister, commenting on Tokyo Electric Power's (TEPCO) lack of storage capacity for contaminated Fukushima water, has said "The only option will be to drain it into the sea and dilute it". In a 10 September 10 news briefing, Harada said "The whole of the government will discuss this, but I would like to offer my simple opinion...

3 Aug 2019 UKHIA

Japan Supports Water Supply, WASH Facilities For Rohingya In Bangladesh

On July 31 2019, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Government of Japan, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and related organizations held an inauguration ceremony to celebrate the completion of the construction of the water supply facilities they have supported at a camp for displaced people from Myanmar in Bangladesh (Kutupalong Camp)...

22 Jan 2019 TOKYO, Japan

Greenpeace Says Japan Government, TEPCO, Have Compounded Fukushima Water Disposal Crisis

The Fukushima nuclear water crisis has been compounded by multiple technical failures and flawed decision making by the Japanese government and the TEPCO utility according to a new Greenpeace report.The report follows an October 2018 announcement that the government of Japan will release radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean which left Fukushima fisherman wondering how they will ensure the safety of their livelihoods and the safety of the fish they now catch...

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8 Nov 2018 TOKYO, Japan

Radioactive Water Dump Threatens Fukushima Fisheries

Last month’s announcement that the government of Japan will release radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean has left Fukushima fisherman wondering how they will ensure the safety of their livelihoods and the safety of the fish they now catch.Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings and the Japanese government are faced with limited storage for water contaminated in the 2011 meltdown of the nuclear reactor in Fukushima...

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