The specialists will check the water-release system for possible leaks and other abnormalities by passing fresh water instead of treated water through an underwater tunnel, as well as inspecting the pumps and emergency shut-off valves, Japanese broadcaster reported.
The evaluation of the system's operation will last until the end of June, after which the discharge of wastewater into the Pacific Ocean will begin, the report said.
Japan had initially planned to begin discharging water purified of all radionuclides except tritium into the ocean 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the station this spring. However, the deadline was pushed back to the summer of 2023 due to adverse weather conditions and other delays.
The Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred on March 11, 2011. The plant was severely damaged by a magnitude 9 earthquake in the Pacific Ocean. This triggered a massive tsunami that hit the plant and caused three nuclear reactors to melt down. The accident is considered the worst nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and has resulted in widespread contamination of local soil and water. The disaster left 22,200 people dead or missing.