Despite opposition from neighboring countries, Japan is set to begin the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was severely damaged by a tsunami in 2011. This decision follows approval from the UN's nuclear watchdog.

Approximately 1.34 million tonnes of water, equivalent to 500 Olympic-size pools, have accumulated at the plant since the disaster. Over a span of 30 years, the water will be gradually released into the Pacific Ocean after undergoing filtration and dilution.

Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, stated that the release will commence on August 24 if weather and sea conditions permit.

The government argues that this step is necessary for the decommissioning process of the plant, which is located about 220km northeast of Tokyo. Since 2011, Japan has been storing contaminated water in tanks, but space is becoming limited.

The Fukushima disaster, caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami, is considered one of the world's worst nuclear incidents since Chernobyl. It resulted in the evacuation of over 150,000 people and the establishment of an exclusion zone due to radiation leaks.

The plan to release water from the plant has caused alarm across Asia and the Pacific since it was approved by the Japanese government two years ago.

It was signed off by the UN's nuclear watchdog in July, with authorities concluding the impact on people and the environment would be negligible.

But many people, including fishermen in the region, fear that discharging the treated water will affect their livelihoods.

A crowd of protesters in Tokyo on Tuesday also staged a rally outside the prime minister's official residence, urging the government to stop the release.

Plant operators Tepco have been filtering the water to remove more than 60 radioactive substances but the water will not be entirely radiation-free as it will still contain tritium and carbon-14- radioactive isotopes of hydrogen and carbon that cannot be easily removed from water.

But experts have said they are not a danger unless consumed in large quantities, because they emit very low levels of radiation.

"As long as the discharge is carried out as planned, radiation doses to people will be vanishingly small - more than a thousand times less than doses we all get from natural radiation every year," says Prof Jim Smith, who teaches environmental science at the University of Portsmouth.

Experts also note that the contaminated water is being released into a massive body of water, the Pacific Ocean.

"Anything released from the site will therefore be massively diluted," says Prof Gerry Thomas, who teaches molecular pathology at the Imperial College London.

Tokyo has previously said the water that will be released into the Pacific Ocean, which has been mixed with seawater, has tritium and carbon 14 levels that meet safety standards.

Nuclear plants around the world regularly release wastewater with tritium levels above that of the treated water from Fukushima.

But the plan has caused uproar in neighboring countries, with China the most vocal opponent. It accused Japan of treating the ocean like its "private sewer."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterated Beijing's objection on Tuesday, adding it would take "necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety and public health".

Japan is "putting its own self-interest over the long-term well-being of all humankind" with the release of wastewater, Mr. Wang said.

Hong Kong said it would "immediately activate" import curbs on some Japanese food products.

Both South Korea and China have already banned fish imports from around Fukushima.

South Korea's government, however, has endorsed the plan and has accused protesters of scaremongering.

Oh! Another tragedy, I reaally feel for all the people around there.

Too bad

Bad