Radioactive liquid waste leak suspected at QST's underground facility in Chiba due to record rainfall

According to Japanese media reports, due to record-breaking rainfall in Chiba Prefecture, an underground facility of the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) in Chiba City was flooded, and radioactive liquid waste in underground storage tanks at the facility may have mixed with rainwater and leaked outdoors.

QST stated that as of the 13th, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 liters of liquid waste had accumulated in the relevant underground storage tanks. After investigating water bodies around the tanks, the institute confirmed that detected radioactive material concentrations were below standard values, and no environmental impact has been indicated so far.

QST reported the incident to national and local governments the following day and plans to submit preventive measures to the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan.