The operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant has announced the successful completion of the initial discharge of wastewater.

TOKYO (AP) — The operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant said Monday that it has safely completed the first release of treated radioactive water from the plant into the sea and will inspect and clean the facility before starting the second round in a few weeks.

On August 24, the Fukushima Daiichi plant initiated the release of treated and diluted wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. This water has been accumulating since the plant suffered extensive damage from a powerful earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The commencement of this release marks a significant step in the plant’s decommissioning process.

The discharge, which is expected to continue for decades until the decommissioning is finished, has been strongly opposed by fishing groups and by neighboring countries. China has banned all imports of Japanese seafood in response, hurting producers and exporters and prompting the Japanese government to compile an emergency relief fund. Groups in South Korea have also fiercely protested, demanding Japan stop the release.

During recent summits with Southeast Asian countries and the Group of 20 nations, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the importance of ensuring safety and transparency in the release process. He also urged for the prompt removal of China’s ban while seeking international support.

During the initial 17-day period of operation, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, the plant’s operator, stated that they released 7,800 tons of treated water from 10 tanks. The plant currently stores approximately 1.34 million tons of radioactive wastewater in around 1,000 tanks.

Plant workers will rinse the pipeline and other equipment and inspect the system over the next few weeks before starting the release of the second round of 7,800 tons stored in 10 other tanks, TEPCO spokesperson Teruaki Kobashi told reporters Monday.

Officials have stated that the sampling data collected from both seawater and fish since the beginning of the release has consistently remained well below the established safety limits.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has collaborated with Japan and assessed the safety of the project. Their conclusion is that if the release is executed exactly as planned, it will have an insignificant impact on the environment, marine life, and human health. On Monday, a group of experts from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, as part of an agreement between South Korea and the UN nuclear agency, visited an IAEA office established at the Fukushima plant. The purpose was to monitor the release and exchange information, as stated by the IAEA. The South Korean team has been in Japan for the past two weeks and has held meetings with IAEA officials at a different location.

TEPCO and the government claim that the wastewater undergoes treatment to decrease the levels of radioactive substances to a safe extent. Subsequently, it is mixed with seawater to further enhance its safety, surpassing international standards.

The radioactive wastewater has accumulated since three of the plant’s reactors were damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It continues to grow because cooling water used on the damaged reactors leaks into the reactor basements, where it mixes with groundwater.

TEPCO intends to discharge 31,200 tons of processed water by March 2024, with expectations of increasing the rate in the future.

The discharge is deemed inevitable by both the government and TEPCO, as the tanks will be full with 1.37 million tons next year, and there is a requirement for space at the plant for decommissioning purposes.