Japanese politicians are ruthless and unjust. Xinhua News Review: Strongly promoting the society of nuclear contaminated water discharge into the sea | Global | Xinhua

The Japanese government announced on the 22nd that the contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be discharged into the sea starting from the 24th. The Japanese government disregards domestic and foreign opposition, disregards the international community's doubts about the legitimacy, legality, and safety of the sea discharge plan, ignores the risks of damaging the global marine environment and human health, and insists on promoting the nuclear contaminated water discharge plan. This is an extremely selfish and irresponsible behavior, highlighting the injustice of some Japanese politicians in facing global issues such as human survival.

The Fukushima nuclear accident that occurred in 2011 was one of the most serious nuclear accidents to date in the world, resulting in a large amount of radioactive material leakage. The nuclear contaminated water that the Japanese government is preparing to discharge into the Pacific has come into contact with the nuclear fuel melted from the core of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The radioactive substances contained in it are extremely complex, and the potential harm to the marine ecological environment, food safety, and human health cannot be ignored. The ocean currents along the coast of Fukushima are strong. If nuclear contaminated water is discharged into the sea, radioactive isotopes will gradually spread to global waters, posing a risk to all humanity.

This matter is of great importance. Since the Japanese government made the decision to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea, the international community has never ceased to question and oppose it. Henry Puner, Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum, said that "thinking about Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea is chilling.". The South Korean Democratic Party has decided to consider proposing legislation to completely ban Japanese seafood imports. More than 1.05 million South Koreans have participated in the party's signature campaign against Japan's nuclear contaminated water discharge into the sea. In Japan, the National Federation of Fisheries Associations, Fukushima Prefectural and Miyagi Prefectural Fisheries Associations all insist on opposing the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea. The co speaker of the Japanese National Assembly on the Prohibition of Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, Taisho Fujimoto, stated that radioactive materials cannot be allowed to further pollute the environment. The Ryukyu News commented that forcibly discharging nuclear contaminated water is a betrayal and abandonment of those who seek to restore their homes in Fukushima as soon as possible, and a significant violation of human rights.

Faced with doubts and concerns, Japanese politicians do not use patience and scientific reasoning to dispel doubts, but rather play tricks, perfunctory, and attempt to deceive the world and muddle through. The Japanese side insists on referring to the nuclear contaminated water treated by the "multi nuclide treatment system" as "treated water", believing that the so-called "treated water" has reached the standard for discharge. However, the international community has always had doubts about the safety, effectiveness, and sustainability of the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water treatment plant. In December 2022, the National Association of Marine Laboratories in the United States issued a statement stating that Japan lacks sufficient and accurate scientific data to support its safety assurance, and there is sufficient data to support serious concerns about Japan's discharge of nuclear contaminated water. The Japanese government also used occasions such as the NATO summit, the East Asian Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and the Eastern Caribbean Fisheries Ministers' Meeting to argue over the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water discharge plan. However, Japan's exaggeration cannot "bleach" its plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea. A recent poll released by Japanese media showed that over 80% of Japanese people believe that the Japanese government's explanation of the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea is insufficient.

The decision of Japan to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea disregards global public health is inhumane. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has proposed five disposal plans for nuclear contaminated water. The Japanese Government Expert Committee acknowledges that steam emissions, new storage tanks, cement solidification and other solutions are costly, and discharging into the sea is the cheapest method, with the least pollution risk to Japan itself. The Japanese side chose the least economically costly plan to discharge pollutants into the sea, but shifted the risk of nuclear pollution to the world. This behavior of prioritizing economic calculations over the health of people in various countries fully highlights the selfishness and indifference of some Japanese politicians.

The decision of the Japanese side to disregard relevant international obligations is unjust. According to the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, all States shall take all necessary measures to ensure that pollution caused by events or activities within their jurisdiction or management does not extend beyond the area of exercise of their sovereign rights. However, it is evident that the Japanese government has not taken "all necessary measures" regarding the issue of sewage discharge into the sea. The Japanese government disregards the reasonable concerns and objections of all parties, fails to fully consult with the international community, especially stakeholders, insists on strongly promoting the plan of sea discharge, and refuses to discuss other security disposal plans. As a member of the international community, Japan disregards its rightful international obligations, which is completely inconsistent with its self proclaimed responsibility for any member of the international community.

The discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea is an unprecedented adventure full of uncertainty. This is both a scientific issue and an attitude issue. The Japanese side should face the legitimate concerns of all parties and the differing opinions of experts, fulfill its moral and international legal obligations, stop the forced discharge plan into the sea, dispose of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water with a genuine and responsible attitude and in a safe and effective manner, and accept strict international supervision, rather than blindly acting alone. If Japan insists on its unjust actions, it will only further undermine its trust in the international community.