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 Japan has begun releasing treated radioactive water from its damaged Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean - 12 years after a nuclear meltdown.

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 Japan has begun releasing treated radioactive water from its damaged Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean - 12 years after a nuclear meltdown.

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  That's despite China slapping a ban on Japanese seafood and protests in Japan itself and South Korea.

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  That's despite China slapping a ban on Japanese seafood and protests in Japan itself and South Korea.

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  The UN's atomic regulator says the water will have "negligible" radiological impact on people and the environment.

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  The UN's atomic regulator says the water will have "negligible" radiological impact on people and the environment.

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 Experts say the waste water could be carried by ocean currents, particularly the cross-Pacific Kuroshio current.

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 Experts say the waste water could be carried by ocean currents, particularly the cross-Pacific Kuroshio current.

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  But some scientists say we cannot predict the impact of releasing the water.

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  But some scientists say we cannot predict the impact of releasing the water.

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  The message from experts is, overwhelmingly, that the release is safe - but not all scientists agree on the impact it will have.

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  The message from experts is, overwhelmingly, that the release is safe - but not all scientists agree on the impact it will have.

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  China has banned Japanese seafood as a result of the waste water release. Some media commentators believe this could be a political move, especially as experts say there is no scientific evidence backing concerns around seafood, as the radiation released is so low.

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  China has banned Japanese seafood as a result of the waste water release. Some media commentators believe this could be a political move, especially as experts say there is no scientific evidence backing concerns around seafood, as the radiation released is so low.

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  An earthquake followed by a tsunami in 2011 wrecked the nuclear power plant, destroying its cooling system and causing reactor cores to overheat and contaminate water within the facility with highly radioactive material.

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  An earthquake followed by a tsunami in 2011 wrecked the nuclear power plant, destroying its cooling system and causing reactor cores to overheat and contaminate water within the facility with highly radioactive material.

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  Tritium can be found in water all over the world. Many scientists argue if levels of tritium are low, the impact is minimal.

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  Tritium can be found in water all over the world. Many scientists argue if levels of tritium are low, the impact is minimal.

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 The IAEA, which has a permanent office at Fukushima, said an "independent, on-site analysis" had shown that the tritium concentration in the water discharged was "far below the operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre (Bq/L)".

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 The IAEA, which has a permanent office at Fukushima, said an "independent, on-site analysis" had shown that the tritium concentration in the water discharged was "far below the operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre (Bq/L)".

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 That limit is six times less than the World Health Organization's limit for drinking water, which is at 10,000 Bq/L, a measure of radioactivity.

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 That limit is six times less than the World Health Organization's limit for drinking water, which is at 10,000 Bq/L, a measure of radioactivity.

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  On Friday, Tepco said seawater samples taken on Thursday afternoon showed radioactivity levels were well within safe limits, with a tritium concentration below 1,500 Bq/L.

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  On Friday, Tepco said seawater samples taken on Thursday afternoon showed radioactivity levels were well within safe limits, with a tritium concentration below 1,500 Bq/L.

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  Japan's environment ministry said it had also collected seawater samples from 11 different locations on Friday and would release the results on Sunday.

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  Japan's environment ministry said it had also collected seawater samples from 11 different locations on Friday and would release the results on Sunday.

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  James Smith, professor of environment and geological sciences with Portsmouth University, said that "in theory, you could drink this water", because the waste water is already treated when it is stored and then diluted.

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  James Smith, professor of environment and geological sciences with Portsmouth University, said that "in theory, you could drink this water", because the waste water is already treated when it is stored and then diluted.

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 American professor Emily Hammond, an expert in energy and environmental law with George Washington University, said: "The challenge with radionuclides (such as tritium) is that they present a question that science cannot fully answer; that is, at very low levels of exposure, what can be counted as 'safe'? "

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 American professor Emily Hammond, an expert in energy and environmental law with George Washington University, said: "The challenge with radionuclides (such as tritium) is that they present a question that science cannot fully answer; that is, at very low levels of exposure, what can be counted as 'safe'? "

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 But many people who are exposed to the Pacific Ocean every day have concerns.

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 But many people who are exposed to the Pacific Ocean every day have concerns.

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  Since the disaster, power plant company Tepco has been pumping in water to cool down the reactors' fuel rods. This means every day the plant produces contaminated water, which is stored in more than 1,000 tanks, enough to fill more than 500 Olympic swimming pools.

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  Since the disaster, power plant company Tepco has been pumping in water to cool down the reactors' fuel rods. This means every day the plant produces contaminated water, which is stored in more than 1,000 tanks, enough to fill more than 500 Olympic swimming pools.

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 And fishermen have told the BBC they fear their reputation has been permanently damaged and worry for their jobs.

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 And fishermen have told the BBC they fear their reputation has been permanently damaged and worry for their jobs.

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  And marine biologist Robert Richmond, from the University of Hawaii, told the BBC: "We've seen an inadequate radiological, ecological impact assessment that makes us very concerned that Japan would not only be unable to detect what's getting into the water, sediment and organisms, but if it does, there is no recourse to remove it... there's no way to get the genie back in the bottle."

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  And marine biologist Robert Richmond, from the University of Hawaii, told the BBC: "We've seen an inadequate radiological, ecological impact assessment that makes us very concerned that Japan would not only be unable to detect what's getting into the water, sediment and organisms, but if it does, there is no recourse to remove it... there's no way to get the genie back in the bottle."

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  Japan says it needs the land occupied by the tanks to build new facilities to safely decommission the plant. It has also raised concerns about the consequences if the tanks were to collapse in a natural disaster.

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  Japan says it needs the land occupied by the tanks to build new facilities to safely decommission the plant. It has also raised concerns about the consequences if the tanks were to collapse in a natural disaster.

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  Japan is releasing the waste water into the ocean gradually, with a green light from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The first release is one of four, scheduled between now and the end of March 2024. The entire process will take at least 30 years.

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  Japan is releasing the waste water into the ocean gradually, with a green light from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The first release is one of four, scheduled between now and the end of March 2024. The entire process will take at least 30 years.

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  If Japan was able to remove all radioactive elements from the waste water before piping it into the ocean, perhaps it would not have been so controversial.

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  If Japan was able to remove all radioactive elements from the waste water before piping it into the ocean, perhaps it would not have been so controversial.

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Environmental groups such as Greenpeace go further, referring to a paper published by scientists at the University of South Carolina in April 2023.

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Environmental groups such as Greenpeace go further, referring to a paper published by scientists at the University of South Carolina in April 2023.

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The problem is being caused by a radioactive element of hydrogen called tritium, which can't be removed from the contaminated water because there is no technology to do it. Instead, the water is diluted.

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The problem is being caused by a radioactive element of hydrogen called tritium, which can't be removed from the contaminated water because there is no technology to do it. Instead, the water is diluted.

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 The Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, like the IAEA, says he believes it "meets international safety standards".

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 The Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, like the IAEA, says he believes it "meets international safety standards".

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  He added all nations across the region may not agree on the "complex" issue, but urged them to "assess the science".

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  He added all nations across the region may not agree on the "complex" issue, but urged them to "assess the science".

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 And physicist David Bailey, who runs a French laboratory measuring radioactivity, agreed, adding: "The key thing is how much tritium is there.  "At such levels, there is no issue with marine species, unless we see a severe decline in fish population, for instance," he said.

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 And physicist David Bailey, who runs a French laboratory measuring radioactivity, agreed, adding: "The key thing is how much tritium is there.  "At such levels, there is no issue with marine species, unless we see a severe decline in fish population, for instance," he said.

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  Shaun Burnie, a senior nuclear specialist with Greenpeace East Asia, says tritium can have "direct negative effects" on plants and animals if ingested, including "reduced fertility" and "damage to cell structures, including DNA".

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  Shaun Burnie, a senior nuclear specialist with Greenpeace East Asia, says tritium can have "direct negative effects" on plants and animals if ingested, including "reduced fertility" and "damage to cell structures, including DNA".

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 Traditional female divers in South Korea, known as "haenyeo", tell the BBC they are anxious.

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 Traditional female divers in South Korea, known as "haenyeo", tell the BBC they are anxious.

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  "Now I feel it's unsafe to dive in," says Kim Eun-ah, who has been doing the job off Jeju Island for six years. "We consider ourselves as part of the sea because we immerse ourselves in the water with our own bodies," she explains.

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  "Now I feel it's unsafe to dive in," says Kim Eun-ah, who has been doing the job off Jeju Island for six years. "We consider ourselves as part of the sea because we immerse ourselves in the water with our own bodies," she explains.