Breaking: Japan releases treated radioactive water from Fukushima

Japan has begun pumping out treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean – 12 years after the meltdown at the site.

The UN’s atomic regulator says the discharge meets safety standards and will have a “negligible” impact on humans and the environment.

But the decision has prompted concern in China, South Korea and the Pacific islands – with Hong Kong and Macau imposing bans on Japan’s seafood.

Japan says it has filtered the water to one main radioactive isotype – tritium can’t be removed from water so will be diluted.

The tritium limit of the Fukushima water will be 1,500 becquerel/litre – six times less than the World Health Organization’s limit for drinking water.

The discharge began at 13:00 local time (0500 BST), with the water piped through an underwater tunnel.

Details later….