Beachgoers reportedly found the trunk branded with the words “Fukushima”, “Japan Electric” and “Tepco” on the shore this morning.
It appeared to be encrusted with barnacles and sealed shut with a heavy-duty lock.
Police investigated and taped the trunk, only to later confirm it was nothing more than a movie prop.
Nine.com.au has contacted NSW police for additional details.
Which production the movie prop came from and how it ended up on Byron Beach remains unclear.
Fukushima was the site of a nuclear disaster in 2011 when the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami caused a catastrophic electrical grid failure.
It triggered meltdowns in multiple reactors at the Tepco-run Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, releasing radiation into the surrounding area.
It’s not the first unusual object to wash up on a NSW beach this year.
The mysterious balls also turned up at beaches across Sydney, the South Coast and the Central Coast in late 2024 and early 2025.
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