Japanese government step in to stem contaminated Fukushima groundwater

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has tried numerous techniques in order to stop the radioactive groundwater, which has leaked from the reactors of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, from reaching the sea. According to a Japanese government official, the attempts have been in vain as around 300 tonnes of the contaminated groundwater is finding its way into the ocean every day.

The amount of water leaking from the nuclear plant, which was damaged by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011, has caused a breach in the containment barrier that was erected to stem the flow. The build up of groundwater caused the breach and is likely to mean that the amount of water finding its way into the ocean is likely to continue to increase rapidly. The barrier was only put in place a month ago.

The Japanese government has now said it will be more actively involved in the efforts to stop radioactive water leaking into the Pacific Ocean. This news has been met with positivity on a number of fronts, following heavy criticism of Tepco's handling of the containment of the worst nuclear disaster seen since Chernobyl.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said, following a meeting with the government's Fukushima task force:  "The contaminated water problem is one that the Japanese people have a high level of interest in and is an urgent issue to deal with. Rather than relying on Tokyo Electric, the government will take measures."

According to Mr Abe, the clean up of the No.1 nuclear power plant is expected to take 40 years, but now the Japanese minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Toshimitsu Motegi, is stepping in to ensure the groundwater crisis is being dealt with swiftly. The minister will be making sure that Tepco take urgent and appropriate action to address the leaking contaminated water.

The next plan in an attempt to stem the groundwater flow out of the facilities vicinity is to build an encircling, sunken wall around the damaged reactors. It is expected that the Japanese government will be providing some monetary support to Tepco for this ambitious project.