[Reuters] Environment Ministry: Seawater near Fukushima safe
Tests of seawater near Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant have not detected any radioactivity, days after authorities began discharging treated water used to cool damaged reactors into the sea.
The environment ministry's tests of samples from 11 points near the plant showed concentrations of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, below the lower limit of detection - 7 to 8 becquerels of tritium per litre.
The ministry said the water is safe after being filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium. Tritium is difficult to separate from water, so the Fukushima water is diluted until tritium levels fall below regulatory limits.
The ministry said it will publish test results weekly for at least the next three months and then review when further disclosures will be made.
The Japanese fisheries agency said tests of fish from near the plant did not show any abnormalities. Its test on Saturday found no detectable levels of tritium.
Tepco, the plant operator, said on Sunday it had not detected any significant change in the seawater near the plant. Fukushima prefecture also published tests from nine locations near the plant that showed tritium below limits.
