<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Police"><span>Police</span></a><span> were called to Byron Beach today to investigate what appeared at first glance to be a radioactive trunk washed up from half a world away – only for it to turn out to be far less sinister.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Beachgoers reportedly found the trunk branded with the words "Fukushima", "Japan Electric" and "Tepco" on the shore this morning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It appeared to be encrusted with barnacles and sealed shut with a heavy-duty lock.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/naplan-technical-issue-nation-wide-students-unable-to-sit-exam/de1a264a-ea5d-471c-8fa0-b0e6cc1cc32a"><strong><span>Tests paused, students escorted from exam halls amid widespread NAPLAN issue</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police investigated and taped the trunk, only to later confirm it was nothing more than a movie prop.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nine.com.au has contacted NSW police for additional details.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Which production the movie prop came from and how it ended up on Byron Beach remains unclear.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/fukushima-container-washed-up-byron-bay-beach-movie-prop/eadf0445-a671-4731-af7f-b19409f0c59d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fukushima was the site of a nuclear disaster in 2011 when the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami caused a catastrophic electrical grid failure.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It triggered meltdowns in multiple reactors at the Tepco-run Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, releasing radiation into the surrounding area.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-politics-new-nationals-leader/3e705dea-b553-47e3-9fad-9fe32d90d84b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Matt Canavan wins vote to become new Nationals leader</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's not the first unusual object to wash up on a NSW beach this year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In January, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-poo-balls-wash-up-malabar-foreshore-beach/e0c91674-c9f0-4e0f-b170-fb9e9a71a419" rel="" target="_blank" title="sewage debris balls washed onto Sydney beaches"><span>sewage debris balls washed onto Sydney beaches</span></a><span> near Malabar Wastewater Treatment System after a weekend of heavy rain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The mysterious balls also turned up at beaches across Sydney, the South Coast and the Central Coast in late 2024 and early 2025.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>