TOKYO – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has a team of scientists in Japan from September 2 to 12, 2025, to conduct extensive marine sampling near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS). This mission is a crucial part of the agency’s long-term, multi-year safety review of the controversial release of ALPS-treated water into the Pacific Ocean, which began in August 2023.
Verifying Safety Standards
The IAEA team, joined by experts from France, Korea, and Switzerland, is observing the collection of samples including seawater, marine sediment, fish, and seaweed. These samples will be sent to a network of independent international laboratories for analysis to verify that the discharges are not harming the marine environment. The results will be compared to data from Japanese institutions in an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) to ensure consistency and accuracy.
The IAEA’s comprehensive safety report from July 2023 found Japan’s discharge plan to be consistent with international safety standards, concluding that the radiological impact would be negligible. The agency has maintained an office at the FDNPS site since the discharge began and has confirmed that the tritium concentration in all 14 batches released so far is well below operational limits.
Transparency and Accountability
The findings from this latest mission, which require complex testing and cross-checking, are expected to be published in the second half of 2026. This extended timeline is necessary for rigorous analysis and validation. The IAEA stresses that independent, science-based monitoring is essential to build confidence and ensure transparency for both local communities and the international public who have expressed skepticism about the safety of the water release since the 2011 disaster.