Japan approves dump of one million tonnes of radioactive water into ocean

Several countries have opposed the plans, which are set to start in two years' time

Japan has given the go-ahead to plans which will see more than one million tonnes of contaminated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power station being put into the sea over the course of two years, the Guardian reported. The decision, which was announced today, has reportedly angered nearby countries, including South Korea and China, as well as local fisherman. The plan, which comes more than ten years after the nuclear disaster, has been debated for several years and will come as a huge disappointment to the local fishing industry. Japan's Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, said in a meeting today that the government made the decision to release the contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean as it was the "most realistic" option, the Guardian reported. Suga added that the plan was  "unavoidable in order to achieve Fukushima’s recovery." As reported by the Guardian, Japan's Prime Minister told reporters: "The Japanese government has compiled basic policies to release the processed water into the ocean, after ensuring the safety levels of the water … and while the government takes measures to prevent reputational damage." In approximately two years, work will begin to release the diluted water, the government said. However, the whole process is estimated to take decades, it has been reported.