Press Release
March 25, 2025
- Water & Soil
Publication of a report on Interlaboratory Comparison related to ALPS treated water conducted jointly with IAEA
1. At the request of the Government of Japan (GOJ), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been conducting Interlaboratory Comparison (ILC) to independently verify the results of Sea Area Monitoring in Japan.
The GOJ would like to announce that the IAEA has released a report presenting the results of an ILC for the purpose of corroboration on the Sea Area Monitoring related to ALPS treated water in 2023.
2. In the report, the IAEA concludes that "Japan's sample collection procedures follow the appropriate methodological standards required to obtain representative samples" and "the accurate results obtained in this ILC demonstrate a high degree of proficiency on the part of the Japanese laboratories involved in the analyses of radionuclides in marine samples for environmental monitoring related to the discharges of ALPS treated water as part of the Government of Japan’s CRMP".
■Outline of ILC
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Japan, conducts Sea Area Monitoring related to ALPS treated water based on the Comprehensive Radiation Monitoring Plan. Since 2022, this ILC has been started based on the Terms of Reference (TOR) on reviews of safety aspects handling ALPS treated water in July 2021 with the IAEA.
In addition to experts from the IAEA, experts from the laboratories of ALMERA*1 in Canada, China and the Republic of Korea visited Japan in October 2023 to jointly collect samples*2. This press release is to announce the publication of the report on the results of the ILC in 2023.
For the Sea Area Monitoring related to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, another ILC has been conducted by the IAEA since 2014. The press release was announced the report summarizing the results of this ILC in 2023 this January*3.
*1The ALMERA network (Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity) is a network established in 1995 and comprising about 200 member laboratories globally that is coordinated by the IAEA to maintain and develop capability for the determination of radionuclides in environmental samples.
*2 Collection of Marine Samples as part of Joint Project with IAEA (Press Release on October 11, 2023)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_02051.html
*3 Publication of a report on Interlaboratory Comparison conducted jointly with IAEA (Press Release on January 6, 2025)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_03609.html
In addition to experts from the IAEA, experts from the laboratories of ALMERA*1 in Canada, China and the Republic of Korea visited Japan in October 2023 to jointly collect samples*2. This press release is to announce the publication of the report on the results of the ILC in 2023.
For the Sea Area Monitoring related to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, another ILC has been conducted by the IAEA since 2014. The press release was announced the report summarizing the results of this ILC in 2023 this January*3.
*1The ALMERA network (Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity) is a network established in 1995 and comprising about 200 member laboratories globally that is coordinated by the IAEA to maintain and develop capability for the determination of radionuclides in environmental samples.
*2 Collection of Marine Samples as part of Joint Project with IAEA (Press Release on October 11, 2023)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_02051.html
*3 Publication of a report on Interlaboratory Comparison conducted jointly with IAEA (Press Release on January 6, 2025)
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_03609.html
■ Full report
The report is available on the IAEA website.
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/25/03/second-interlaboratory-comparison-on-the-determination-of-radionuclides-in-the-marine-environment-200325.pdf
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/25/03/second-interlaboratory-comparison-on-the-determination-of-radionuclides-in-the-marine-environment-200325.pdf
