Engineers in Japan began a fresh attempt on Tuesday to extract radioactive debris from inside the damaged Fukushima nuclear power station, marking a critical phase in the long and complex decommissioning of the site.
The operation is only the second of its kind since the 2011 nuclear disaster, when a powerful 9.0-magnitude earthquake triggered a massive tsunami, leading to reactor meltdowns at the facility. The catastrophe remains one of the worst nuclear accidents in history.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which operates the plant, confirmed the start of the trial at 10:03 am local time (01:03 GMT), describing it as part of a carefully staged plan to assess the viability of large-scale debris removal.
Around 880 tonnes of radioactive debris remain inside the plant. Removing this material is widely regarded as the most challenging task in the decades-long decommissioning effort due to the high radiation levels within the reactors.
The first trial, carried out in November, saw engineers successfully extract a minuscule sample of the melted fuel debris — weighing just under 0.7 grams, roughly the size of a raisin. The debris was transferred to a research facility near Tokyo for analysis.
However, TEPCO said more samples were needed to evaluate the best methods for eventual full-scale removal. Since the first trial, the company has enhanced its extraction equipment, upgrading the extendible device with a new camera for better precision and monitoring.
The latest trial represents a cautious but important step toward resolving the most dangerous legacy of the 2011 disaster, in which three of the plant’s six reactors suffered meltdowns after the tsunami overwhelmed the site.
In related efforts, robots were recently deployed to remove sandbags placed in the facility’s underground areas to soak up radiation-tainted water. The work is part of ongoing attempts to manage contaminated materials across the site.
Last year, Japan began releasing treated wastewater from the plant into the Pacific Ocean — a process that has been approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The water release, however, has drawn criticism from some neighbouring countries.
China swiftly imposed a ban on Japanese seafood imports, citing safety concerns, and Russia later followed suit. Nonetheless, Beijing revealed this month that independent testing of seawater and marine samples taken near Fukushima in February found no abnormalities. Despite the results, Chinese officials said further assessments would be needed before the ban is reconsidered.
