Meanwhile, South Korea, Taiwan and China are all opposed to the plan. Via Bloomberg:

The three Asian governments, all with coastlines nearby, swiftly criticized Japan’s announcement Tuesday that it would conduct controlled releases that are expected to last for several decades. South Korea said the move posed a risk to the marine environment and the safety of neighboring countries, while China said it reserved the right to take further action.

“Despite doubts and opposition from home and abroad, Japan has unilaterally decided to release the Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the sea before exhausting all safe ways of disposal and without fully consulting with neighboring countries and the international community,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing. “This is highly irresponsible.”

The U.S., on the other hand, said the approach appeared to be in line with global standards while the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said the global body would help ensure the plan is carried out “without an adverse impact on human health and the environment.”

Is this a good thing? No. Is it an unequivocably bad thing? Maybe.

Japan lied about almost everything in how it handled the Fukuchima nuclear disaster. (One government photo op that featured schoolchildren frolicking in the nearby surf far too soon after the event comes to mind.) No one should take their word for anything.

But the Biden admininistration will be involved in this, and it won't happen for another two years. But there is already a lot of sensationalistic info all over social media this morning, so let's wait for the dust to settle and hopefully assess later.