Crowds of Japanese protesters are gathering on Wednesday, the day after the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) published its final safety review report on Japan's plan to release nuclear-contaminated water from the power plant into the sea.

On Tuesday, the IAEA published its final comprehensive safety review report on Japan's ocean discharge plan, after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi handed over the report to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo as the former kicked off a four-day visit to Japan at the invitation of Japan's foreign ministry.

On Tuesday afternoon, Grossi stressed at a press conference held at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo following the IAEA report delivery that the option to discharge the nuclear wastewater into the sea is one made by the Japanese government.

The IAEA will have a continued presence at the Fukushima Daiichi plant site to review, monitor and assess the discharge activities for decades to come, Grossi said, the statement of which was repeated as the chief on Wednesday visited Fukushima to look at the water treatment facilities completed last month at the crippled plant.

Japan's government is preparing to begin to carry out its wastewater dumping plan as early as August, multiple local media outlets reported on Wednesday.

STORY: Amid concern over IAEA report, Japanese public protest against nuke wastewater dumping plan
DATELINE: July 6, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:27
LOCATION: Tokyo
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): Protester
2. STANDUP (English): YUE CHENXING, Xinhua correspondent
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Japanese): YAMAZAKI, Protester
4. various of the IAEA safety review report
5. various of the IAEA Director General presenting the report to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (Source: Prime minister's office of Japan)
6. various of the IAEA Director General at the press conference
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (Japanese): Protester
8. various of the IAEA Director General at the press conference
9. various of the press conference
10. various of protesters

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): Protester
"Do not discharge contaminated water into the sea."

STANDUP (English): YUE CHENXING, Xinhua correspondent
"I am now in front of the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, the operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Crowds of Japanese protesters are gathering on Wednesday, the day after the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) published its final safety review report on Japan's plan to release nuclear-contaminated water from the power plant into the sea.
They are here to oppose the ocean discharge, and to express their doubt and concern over the report's reliability."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Japanese): YAMAZAKI, Protester
"TEPCO's so-called safety standards were fundamentally flawed. There are no limitations on the total amount of nuclear-contaminated water to be discharged into the ocean, and the existing regulations on radioactive substance concentration are too lenient. It is intolerable to release such a large quantity of water containing radioactive materials into the ocean, considering the potential hazards it may cause in the future."

On Tuesday, the IAEA published its final comprehensive safety review report on Japan's ocean discharge plan, after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi handed over the report to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo as the former kicked off a four-day visit to Japan at the invitation of Japan's foreign ministry.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Japanese): Protester
"(The report) is like a permit for ocean discharge. The government, therefore, neglects the opposition from local residents, the fishing industry, and neighboring countries. It's unreasonable."

On Tuesday afternoon, Grossi stressed at a press conference held at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo following the IAEA report delivery that the option to discharge the nuclear wastewater into the sea is one made by the Japanese government.

The IAEA will have a continued presence at the Fukushima Daiichi plant site to review, monitor and assess the discharge activities for decades to come, Grossi said, the statement of which was repeated as the chief on Wednesday visited Fukushima to look at the water treatment facilities completed last month at the crippled plant.

Japan's government is preparing to begin to carry out its wastewater dumping plan as early as August, multiple local media outlets reported on Wednesday.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tokyo.
(XHTV)