Following the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan, the only nuclear power plant in Japan's metropolitan area is the Tokai Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ibaraki Prefecturestation, which has raised new concerns. The latest report from Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan has revealed the possibility of radioactive contamination from the Tokai Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
The nuclear power plant was affected during the 2011 East Japan Event, but there were no major accidents. Currently, the plant is applying to be restarted, but it is opposed by residents in Ibaraki Prefecture and surrounding areas. The nuclear complex is only 110 kilometers away from Tokyo, and if a nuclear accident occurs, it will have a huge impact on the Tokyo metropolitan area.
At present, the Tokai Daiichi nuclear power plant has not officially restarted, but the Japanese nuclear power company has already begun relevant preparations.
The cities of Oji and Machida in Tokyo, as well as the cities of Yokohama and Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, will exceed the 40 kilograms per square meter of radioactive cesium fallout, which is the standard for residential restricted zones set by Japan**. This means that residents of these areas will be forced to evacuate and will not be able to return to their homes.
In the event of a minor nuclear accident, in which part of the radioactive material from a nuclear power plant is released into the atmosphere, then most of the Tokyo metropolitan area will not be seriously polluted, and the health risks to residents will be low, and the Shinjuku and Minato districts of Tokyo, as well as the cities of Chiba and Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture, will exceed the deposition of radioactive cesium by 1 kilogram per square meter, which is the standard for food restricted zones stipulated by Japan**. This means that agricultural products and water sources in these areas will be contaminated and will need to be tested and controlled.
** Report on the impact of the accident at the Tokai Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
The Japan Nuclear Power Corporation recently submitted a report to Ibaraki Prefecture, which considered the impact of radioactive contamination that may be caused by a major accident such as a nuclear leak at the Tokai Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, and obtained 11 different results after considering various factors such as rainfall and wind direction.
There are nearly 910,000 inhabitants within a 30-kilometer radius of Japan's Tokai Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the highest population density of any nuclear power plant in Japan.
The plant has not been restarted since the 311 nuclear disaster. In order to reopen the old nuclear power plant, an important condition is to have an effective evacuation plan in place.
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Commission has approved the restart of the plant as meeting the new safety standards, but the restart of the plant still faces many obstacles and opposition after the approval of Ibaraki Prefecture and Tokai Village, as well as a court review.
Ibaraki Prefecture Governor Kazuo Oikawa has said he will not easily agree to restart the Tokai Daiichi nuclear power plant unless there is a good reason and guarantees. Tokai Village Masanori Ono has also said that he will not agree to restart the Tokai Daiichi nuclear power plant if the safety of residents is not guaranteed.
Japan's nuclear energy policy and safety issues have been the subject of concern and questioning at home and abroad. After the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, Japan had suspended all nuclear power plants and carried out comprehensive safety inspections and modifications, and Japan** believes that nuclear energy is an important part of Japan's energy structure, helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure energy security and stability. Japan** aims for nuclear energy to account for 20% to 22% of Japan's energy mix by 2030.
However, Japan's nuclear energy policy also faces many challenges and difficulties, and the waste disposal and nuclear fuel cycle of Japan's nuclear power plants is also a thorny issue, raising environmental and safety concerns.