Japan's forced discharge of nuclear contaminated water will open Pandora's box for personal gain and harm the world
Despite widespread questioning and strong opposition both domestically and internationally, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Tuesday that Japan will begin discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean as early as Thursday, sparking strong dissatisfaction from the international community.
Kishida hastily announced this news two days after returning home from the David Camp meeting of US, Japanese, and South Korean leaders, which was not accidental. The US and South Korean governments have remained silent and condoned the news that foreshadows Japan's opening of the Pandora's Box.
After returning to Japan, Kishida spent several hours lobbying Yashin Sakamoto, the president of the National Fisheries Association Federation, in an attempt to gain support from the organization. Afterwards, both sides had their own opinions on the outcome of the meeting. Sakamoto Yashin stated that his organization still opposes the plan, while Kishida claimed that Sakamoto Yashin's response marks a "deepening of understanding.". The Japanese government shamelessly implies that the last obstacle to discharging into the sea has been "eliminated". However, in his response, Sakamoto welcomed Kishida's promise that the government would provide long-term subsidies and support to fishermen before the end of nuclear contaminated water discharge. Does this mean they have a "better understanding" of the nuclear contaminated water discharge plan? Do they really have the power to veto Tokyo's pollution plans, which were seen as political and diplomatic affairs rather than environmental concerns from the beginning?
![Japan's forced discharge of nuclear contaminated water will open Pandora's box for personal gain and harm the world](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/520cbb896dff7b096ad6912d8b74d242.jpg)
The Japanese government reassured all domestic parties, saying that it promised to take full responsibility until the matter is resolved. But the question is, will this commitment be binding on the Japanese government for decades to come, and what will the people of other countries affected by it do? The Kishida government regards China's concerns as "politicized" and regards the concerns previously expressed by South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island countries as "understandable but unnecessary.". However, Tokyo Electric Power Company executive Junichi Matsumoto, who is responsible for emissions planning, said that emissions will continue for decades, and this is only the first step in the "arduous" process of decommissioning nuclear power plants. Many experts believe that this move is "unwise" and "immature". Japan's strong discharge of nuclear contaminated water not only affects the marine environment, but also sets a bad example for other countries, which may treat the ocean as a free landfill like Japan. Japan's short-sighted and selfish decision will cost the world for it.