Press Releases

1. Report of the results for the ILC on the determination of radionuclides in ALPS treated water
   (i) The IAEA compared analysis results among TEPCO, laboratories of the IAEA and the Republic of Korea selected by the IAEA on ALPS treated water taken from tanks used for the storage of ALPS treated water in October 2022 and released its result.
   (ii) This report is the second report following the results of the first interlaboratory comparison in ALPS treated water, published on 31 May 2023.
   (iii) In the published report, the IAEA concluded that TEPCO has the capability for undertaking accurate and precise measurements related to the discharge of ALPS treated water and the that TEPCO has demonstrated that they have a sustainable and robust analytical system in place to support the ongoing technical needs at FDNPS during the discharge of ALPS treated water.
2. Report of the results for the ILC on the determination of radionuclides in the Marine Environment
   (i) The IAEA has been conducting the interlaboratory comparison for ALPS treated water in order to corroborate the results of Japan's Sea Area monitoring since 2022. The IAEA compared analysis results among laboratories of Japan, the IAEA and the Republic of Korea selected by the IAEA on the collected samples in November 2022 and released its result.
   (ii) This IAEA review is based on the Terms of Reference (TOR) on reviews of safety aspects of handling ALPS treated water signed in July 2021 with the IAEA.
   (iii) In the published report, the IAEA concluded that “Japan’s sample collection procedures follow the appropriate methodological standars required to obtain representative samples” and “the results obtained in ILC 2022 demonstrate a high level of accuracy and competence on the part of the Japanese laboratories involved in the analyses of radionuclides in marine samples for environmental monitoring”.
   (iv) The ILC that is part of a project following the recommendations made on marine monitoring in a report by the IAEA in 2013 related to the decommissioning of FDNPS has been conducting since 2014 and last December, IAEA released the report on the results of the ILC organized in 2022.
3. The Government of Japan will continue to provide necessary information to the IAEA. The Government of Japan also remains committed to making efforts to promote better understanding in the international community regarding the handling of ALPS treated water.

［Related links］
(i)The IAEA Press Release
(ii)The report on the results for the IAEA’s Second Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Radionuclides in ALPS Treated Water (PDF)
(iii)The report on the results for the IAEA’s First Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Radionuclides in the Marine Environment (PDF)

(Reference 1) ALPS treated water
　ALPS treated water is water which is processed by devices such as ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System) to ensure that the concentration of the radioactive materials other than tritium surely meet the regulatory standards for safety. In addition, ALPS treated water is sufficiently diluted before the discharges into the sea so that radioactive materials including tritium will be far below the regulatory standards for safety.

(Reference 2) Interlaboratory Comparison (ILC)
ILC is a test to check if laboratories’ analytical methods and analysis results for radionuclides are appropriate, by confirming analytical methods and comparing analysis results between laboratories, using the identical samples during all the process from sampling to analysis.

(Reference 3) Publication of the Results for the IAEA’s First Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Radionuclides in ALPS Treated Water

(Reference 4) Release of IAEA report regarding Marine Monitoring