Tritium Leak at Decommissioning Fugen Reactor Sparks Public Discussion on Nuclear Safety
On the 23rd, approximately 20 milliliters of water containing the radioactive substance tritium leaked at the Fugen prototype Advanced Thermal Reactor (ATR) in Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, which is currently undergoing decommissioning. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) announced that no exposure was confirmed among the three workers on site, and there was no impact on the external environment. According to JAEA, the incident occurred during dismantling work in an auxiliary building. Water containing tritium leaked while a pipe was being cut. The agency stated its intention to thoroughly investigate the cause, as water remained despite prior checks. Although the tritium concentration in the work area temporarily increased after the leak, workers had taken protective measures, and no adverse effects on their health were reported. This news was widely reported on the social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter), sparking various discussions. Many users responded calmly from...