"Japan's selfish and selfish behavior should be condemned by all humanity" (International perspective) Fukushima | Ocean | Perspective
Recently, local residents from Fukushima and various parts of Japan held protests in Fukushima City, expressing their firm opposition to the discharge of nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima into the sea to the Fukushima Prefecture government.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant's nuclear contaminated water discharge equipment has recently completed trial operation, and the construction of the underwater tunnel for discharging nuclear contaminated water has also been completed. The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company have repeatedly pushed for preparations for the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea, which has been continuously opposed and criticized by both Japan and the international community. All parties urge Japan to address its concerns, effectively dispose of nuclear contaminated water in a scientific, safe, and transparent manner, and accept strict international supervision.
"The ocean is a common property of the world, and Japan cannot decide it alone."
On June 28th, Toshio Kobayakawa, President of TEPCO, emphasized at a general meeting of shareholders that in order to promote the retirement of Fukushima nuclear power units, the plan to discharge contaminated water into the sea cannot be postponed, and sought shareholder understanding in this regard. Some shareholders immediately harshly criticized this, stating that TEPCO forcibly completed the construction of the discharge tunnel, trampling on the promises made to fishing groups and deceiving Japanese fishermen. TBS TV broadcasted footage showing that some shareholders attending the shareholder meeting expressed their firm opposition to the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea outside the venue, stating that "nuclear contaminated water cannot be discharged into the sea freely after dilution.".
For a long time, TEPCO has been notorious in the safe operation of nuclear power plants, having repeatedly concealed incidents of nuclear power unit failures, tampered with technical data, and submitted false reports. Recently, Japanese experts have once again questioned whether the company can safely dispose of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water. Kodou Kawakami, a scholar at the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, told Tokyo Shimbun that third parties are still unable to confirm the radioactive values and other data inside the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, and can only discuss the data unilaterally released by TEPCO. "Whenever I see various malfunctions and problems at TEPCO, I cannot help but doubt whether the company can abide by the rules for the long-term disposal of nuclear contaminated water."
Professor Suzuki Ran, an honorary professor at the University of Tokyo who has been conducting fish surveys and research near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant for a long time, has once again issued a warning about the environmental impact of the discharge plan. He stated that it is currently unknown what long-term effects nuclear contaminated water containing radioactive tritium would have on marine life if discharged continuously for years. The Japanese government and TEPCO have only repeatedly emphasized that there is no short-term high concentration pollution, clearly ignoring the long-term impact of radioactive pollution.
"The issue of nuclear contaminated water and the health hazards of radiation may only show further impact in 100 years. The impact of nuclear contaminated water must be considered in 500 and 1000 years." Yoshitaka Ishikawa, representative director of the Japan China Common Market Promotion Association, recently called on the Japanese government to strengthen cooperation with the international community on the disposal of nuclear contaminated water, gather global wisdom, and study better disposal solutions beyond discharge into the sea during a speech at Meiji University in Japan. He stated that the long-term hazards of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water have not been fully studied and verified, and the Japanese government and TEPCO have not made maximum efforts to dispose of nuclear contaminated water. The current sea discharge plan cannot guarantee that the marine environment is not damaged and human health is not compromised. "The ocean is a common property of the world, and it cannot be decided solely by Japan."
On June 27th, Tetsuya Nozaki, President of the Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Cooperation Association Federation, reiterated his opposition to the nuclear contaminated water discharge plan at a meeting with relevant officials from TEPCO, stating that "no matter what happens, we will persist in our opposition for the survival of the fishing industry.". The coastal area of Iwate Prefecture, which is also located in the northeastern region of Japan, is one of the important fishing areas for Japanese fisheries. On June 28th, Seiji Oi, President of the Iwate Prefectural Fisheries Association Federation, reiterated his opposition to the sea discharge plan to the Japanese Cabinet's Minister of Reconstruction, Hiroshi Watanabe. Seiji Oi told the media that the relevant explanations provided by the Japanese government are not sufficient and cannot be trusted.
"The sea discharge plan is neither legitimate nor safe"
The leader of the Justice Party of South Korea, Lee Jung wai, began a protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea on June 26th, demanding that Japan withdraw its plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea. Li Zhenwei stated that she will convey the legitimate voice of the South Korean people against Japan's nuclear contaminated water discharge into the sea through protest actions. At the same time, multiple groups in Seoul, South Korea have also collected signatures from citizens opposing the plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea. They held a joint press conference in front of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea, strongly condemning Japan's erroneous behavior of ignoring numerous opposition voices at home and abroad to forcefully promote the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea.
The South Korean citizen group "National Action to Stop Japan's Radioactive Water Discharge into the Sea" recently held its third large-scale rally near the Seoul City Government since May this year, with thousands of people participating. People are holding up slogans such as "protecting the Pacific" and "suing Japan to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea", demanding that Japan adopt an alternative solution of storing Fukushima nuclear contaminated water on land, and calling on all parties to do their utmost to prevent Japan from promoting irresponsible actions to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea. The representative of the citizen group pointed out in his speech that once the sea discharge plan is launched, it will last for at least 30 years, and the defects of the key equipment for handling nuclear contaminated water, the "multi nuclide treatment system," have been exposed. "Various evidence of serious impact on the marine ecological environment is constantly emerging, which is worrying.".
The South Korean Aquatic Industry Operators Association and other fishing groups recently held a protest rally near the port of Guandao Port in Guandao County, Jeollanam do. More than 200 ships demonstrated at sea, and more than 700 fishermen and aquaculture practitioners held protest banners, condemning Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea, stating that this move will seriously damage the livelihoods of South Korean fishermen and aquaculture practitioners, and threaten the health and safety of the people.
"Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea is neither legitimate nor safe," said the Korean National Daily in a report. "Is it legitimate to discharge radioactive materials from the most serious nuclear power plant accident into the ocean, which is both a home for many organisms and a common property of humanity?"
"Anything that harms marine health deserves serious concern"
On June 26th, Pacific Island Forum Secretary General Puna issued a statement stating that Japan's plan to discharge radioactive waste into the Pacific is not only a nuclear safety issue, but also related to the marine environment, fisheries, public health, and the interests of future generations. Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea has significant cross-border and intergenerational impacts, which may constitute an international precedent for intentional discharge of nuclear waste into the ocean. Other disposal methods should be sought.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Malape stated that Papua New Guinea's opposition to Japan's discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea remains unchanged. Before Japan discharges nuclear contaminated water, it should first prove that these treated nuclear contaminated water have indeed removed radioactive elements and will not cause harm to Pacific coastal countries.
Kashmir Makun, a scholar at Jinan Pacific University in Fiji, said that the recent trial operation of Japan's nuclear contaminated water discharge equipment is "regrettable". Pacific countries have repeatedly expressed their clear opposition, believing that Japan should not discharge nuclear contaminated water into the ocean, as it would pose a threat to marine ecosystems and human health. Any harm to marine health deserves serious concern.
Joseph Villam, President of the Asia Research Institute for Pacific Island Countries in Jinan, Fiji, told our reporter, "Japan's selfish behavior should be condemned by all humanity for directly selecting a plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea without fully demonstrating other feasible disposal options."
Karinga Senavilatna, a consultant for the news program at the University of South Pacific, said that Japan should respect the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, respect the wishes of the people of Pacific island countries, and not allow nuclear contaminated water to pollute the oceans. He believes that radioactive materials discharged into the ocean will spread with ocean currents and tides, posing a risk of contaminating marine life.
Micronesia's editor in chief, Bill Jenns, stated in an interview with our reporter that Micronesia firmly opposes Japan's irresponsible actions in promoting its plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea. "Once Japan initiates the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea, it will also impact the sustainable development of fisheries and tourism in South Pacific island countries in the future."
Mudahayu Markmoor, a marine radioecologist at the Nuclear Energy Agency under the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency, said that with the large-scale discharge of nuclear contaminated water, there are concerns about whether the content of tritium in seawater will significantly increase and whether it will have an impact on ecology. After the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water is discharged into the sea, it will continue to spread under the drive of ocean currents, and marine organisms will move with the ocean currents, and marine fish will also migrate. If the tritium content in seawater and marine organisms continues to increase, the entire Pacific coast, including Indonesia, will be affected.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning recently stated that the international community has strongly questioned and opposed the unilateral erroneous decision of the Japanese government to discharge Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the ocean, and is seriously concerned about the impact on the marine environment, human health, and other aspects. Mao Ning said, "Discharging into the sea is by no means the safest and most optimal disposal method. Japan's choice is entirely based on economic cost considerations. Japan's discharge into the sea violates its obligations under international law such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect and preserve the marine environment, and also violates the provisions of the 1972 London Convention on the Dumping of Radioactive Waste, which prohibits the dumping of radioactive waste into the ocean through artificial structures at sea."
