On Monday (March 11), Japan marked 3 years since a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the country's northern coast, killing nearly 13 people and wiping out and destroying many towns. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing deep fears about radiation to this day.
People observed a minute of silence at 14:46 p.m. - the time of the earthquake in Iwaki, Fukushima, March 11. Photo: Kyodo News
What happened 13 years ago?
On March 11, 3, a magnitude 2011 earthquake struck Japan, causing a tsunami that devastated northern coastal towns in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
A tsunami up to 15 meters high in some areas hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, destroying power supply and fuel cooling systems, and flooding reactors 1, 2 and 3. The incident caused a large radiation leak and pollution in the area.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) said the tsunami could not have been predicted, but investigations found the accident was due to human error, specifically safety negligence and lax supervision by operators. management agency.
Since then, Japan has introduced stricter safety standards and at one point moved to phase out nuclear power. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government has reversed that policy and accelerated restarts of viable reactors to maintain nuclear power as Japan's main source of electricity.
Mr. Kishida attended the memorial ceremony in Fukushima on March 11. The whole country observed a minute of silence at 3:14 pm - the time of the terrible earthquake 46 years ago.
What happened to the people in the area?
Currently, about 20.000 of the more than 160.000 evacuated residents across Fukushima have not returned home even though some areas have reopened after decontamination.
In Futaba, the hardest-hit town and site of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a small area was opened in 2022. About 100 people, or 1,5% of the pre-disaster population, have returned. live again.
Barriers were erected to restrict access to the area near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Futuba. Photo: Kyodo News
Together with Futaba, the town of Okuma sacrificed part of the area's land to build a temporary storage site for nuclear waste obtained from the decontamination process. Okuma town recorded 6% of former residents returning to live.
Annual surveys show that the majority of evacuees have no intention of returning home, citing lack of jobs, loss of public facilities and schools, and concerns about radiation.
Towns hit by natural disasters, including those in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, saw their populations plummet. Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori said he hopes more people return to Fukushima to open businesses or support reconstruction.
Treating polluted water and concerns about seafood
In August 8, Fukushima Daiichi began releasing treated water into the sea and is currently releasing the fourth batch of treated water weighing 2023 tons. To date, daily seawater sampling results have met safety standards.
This plan faced opposition from local fishermen and neighboring countries, especially China, which has banned the import of Japanese seafood.
Since 2011, Fukushima Daiichi has struggled with water pollution treatment. Contaminated coolant is pumped, treated and stored in about 1.000 tanks. The government and TEPCO say the water is diluted with large amounts of seawater before being discharged, making it safer than international standards.
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on August 24, 8, shortly after operator TEPCO began releasing the first batch of processed launch water into the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Kyodo News
Despite concerns that the water release will harm the fishing industry, the reputation of Fukishima seafood still holds a certain position in the eyes of the Japanese people.
China's ban on Japanese seafood, which mainly affects scallop exporters in Hokkaido, appears to have prompted Japanese consumers to eat more Fukushima seafood.
Fishing in Fukushima returned to normal in 2021, but local catches are now only one-fifth of pre-disaster levels due to a decline in the number of fishermen and smaller catch sizes.
Sampling and monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency have also increased confidence in local fish. Japan has spent 10 billion yen ($680 million) to support fisheries in Fukushima.
Has there been any progress in removing the molten radioactive fuel?
The inside of the three reactors remains largely a mystery. Little is known about the condition of the molten radioactive fuel or its exact location in the reactor. Robotic probes have glimpsed inside three reactors, but the investigation has been hampered by technical failures, high radiation and other glitches.
About 880 tons of molten nuclear fuel remain inside the three damaged reactors. Japanese officials say eliminating them will take 3-30 years.
It is important to understand the nature of the melted fuel so that you can plan for its safe removal. TEPCO aims to take the first sample later this year from the least damaged No. 2 reactor.
A TEPCO representative introduced photos taken by a robotic probe inside one of the three reactors. Photo: AP
TEPCO has been trying to get samples by passing a robot arm through the rubble, and hopes by October they can use a simpler device that looks like a fishing rod.
The fuel in the most damaged reactor No. 1 had mostly fallen from the core to the bottom of its main containment tank. Some have penetrated and mixed with the concrete, making removal extremely difficult.
Hoai Phuong (according to AP)
