Japan is set to begin releasing treated and diluted radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean as an initial step in the lengthy process of shutting down the facility, which suffered a meltdown disaster in 2011. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida approved the release and instructed the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, to begin the coastal release if weather and sea conditions permit. The move has faced opposition from fishing organizations concerned about their seafood’s reputation and has sparked political and diplomatic concerns in South Korea and China. The International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that the release, if conducted as designed, will have a negligible impact on the environment and human health.