On April 13, 2021, the Japanese government announced its decision to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean. This plan, set to begin in 2023, sparked international debate and concerns about the potential environmental impact.

By 2015, efforts to decommission the Fukushima Daiichi plant and manage the aftermath of the disaster were ongoing. The process involved removing spent fuel rods, managing radioactive water, and decontaminating affected areas, with an estimated timeline of several decades.

In September 2013, TEPCO, the operator of the Fukushima plant, reported a significant leak of radioactive water from a storage tank. This incident highlighted ongoing challenges in managing contaminated water at the site and raised concerns about the long-term environmental impact.

On December 16, 2011, the Japanese government declared that the Fukushima Daiichi plant had achieved a state of cold shutdown. This meant that the reactors were stable and the release of radioactive materials was under control, marking a significant milestone in the recovery efforts.

On April 12, 2011, the Japanese government raised the severity level of the Fukushima nuclear accident to Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. This is the highest level, indicating a major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects.

The Japanese government expanded the evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi plant to 20 kilometers on March 16, 2011. This decision was made to protect residents from the increasing levels of radiation being released from the damaged reactors.

On March 15, 2011, explosions occurred at Reactors 2 and 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. These explosions further exacerbated the release of radioactive materials, complicating efforts to control the situation and increasing the risk of widespread contamination.

On March 12, 2011, a hydrogen explosion occurred at Reactor 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The explosion was caused by the buildup of hydrogen gas, which had accumulated due to the failure of the cooling systems. This event marked the first of several explosions at the plant.

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, triggering a massive tsunami. This natural disaster caused widespread devastation and was the catalyst for the Fukushima nuclear accident, as it severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Following the earthquake, a tsunami with waves up to 15 meters high overwhelmed the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant's defenses. The plant's cooling systems failed, leading to the overheating of reactors and the release of radioactive materials into the environment.