International heat review: Japan should face up to the Fukushima nuclear wastewater issue and stop confusing Tokyo Electric Power Company | Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant | International
On June 25th, according to Japanese media reports, Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant will start a "visit tour" for ordinary tour groups starting from July, striving to expand the number of visitors and "promote understanding of reactor scrapping work". This incredible plan is the latest attempt by the Japanese government and TEPCO to confuse the public on the issue of nuclear contaminated water being discharged into the sea.
After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, the Japanese side has long misled the public and made every effort to "whitewash" the issue of nuclear contaminated water being discharged into the sea.
Firstly, TEPCO once claimed that there would be "nowhere to store" nuclear contaminated water by the summer and autumn of 2023. However, in reality, there is a large area of land surrounding the nuclear power plant that has become an "uninhabited area" and can be used to build facilities to solve the problem of storing nuclear contaminated water. The environmental organization Friends of the Earth in Japan has calculated that it is not possible to build sewage tanks on the land surrounding the nuclear power plant for other purposes in the short term, which can store about 48 years of sewage.
Secondly, TEPCO claims that in order to achieve the goal of completely scrapping the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant between 2041 and 2051, it is imperative to discharge contaminated water into the sea. However, in fact, a Japanese expert group has proposed five options, including "solid-state burial", "electrolysis treatment", "water vapor discharge into the atmosphere", and "discharge into deep underground along pipelines". Foreign experts have also proposed safer and more reliable solutions, such as long-term storage. In the end, the Japanese side chose the seemingly lowest cost but actually harmful "discharge" method to the marine environment and public health, making the world pay for Japan's own "cost-effectiveness".
Thirdly, the Japanese government vigorously promotes that the treated nuclear contaminated water is clean and safe to drink. However, the key technology for treating nuclear contaminated water, the multi nuclide treatment system, is not mature and has experienced multiple malfunctions during operation. The results released by the Japanese side show that nearly 70% of the treated nuclear contaminated water still does not meet the standards; The catch of sea fish in the harbor of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has resulted in excessive levels of radioactive elements.
The plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea has sparked strong concerns and resolute protests both domestically and internationally in Japan. Nowadays, attempting to sell "Fukushima tours" to ordinary tourists as a confusing behavior does not promote external understanding, but only exposes Japan's irresponsible attitude towards the Fukushima nuclear accident.
The Japanese side should face up to the Fukushima nuclear wastewater issue, stop shifting their focus, and recognize that spreading rumors, deceiving the public, evading responsibility, and acting arbitrarily will not help solve the problem. It will only harm others and oneself, further losing trust in the international community.