Overview: Fukushima Citizens Oppose Japanese Government's Decision to Initiate Weather for Nuclear Polluted Water Discharge into the Sea | Government | Fukushima

Fukushima, Japan, August 23 (Xinhua) -- Summary: Fukushima residents oppose the Japanese government's decision to initiate nuclear contaminated water discharge into the sea

Xinhua News Agency reporter

The Japanese government decided on August 22nd to start discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea on August 24th, as long as the weather and marine meteorology are not affected. From the 22nd to the 23rd, several residents of Fukushima Prefecture were interviewed by Xinhua News Agency and condemned the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company for violating their promise not to dispose of nuclear contaminated water without authorization, reiterating their firm opposition to the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea.

On August 23rd, Ono Haruno, who had returned from fishing, sat in a fishing port in Shinji cho, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu

On the 22nd, 71 year old fisherman Haruhiro Ono from Xindi Town, Fukushima Prefecture, told Xinhua News Agency reporters, "Discharging into the sea is a matter of survival for us. We have endured it and endured it for the past twelve to thirteen years. However, we have not yet recovered to the fishing level before the 3.11 earthquake. In this situation, does Fumio Kishida, as the Japanese Prime Minister, have the right to pollute our workplace?"

Haruno Ono said that after the 2011 earthquake, wholesalers at the Tsukuji Aquatic Market in Tokyo, Japan were unwilling to purchase fish produced in Fukushima. Fukushima fishermen worked hard for over 10 years until two years ago, when prices of seafood from Fukushima returned to levels higher than before the earthquake. At this point, if we discharge, are we worried that the fish can still be sold? Moreover, nuclear contaminated water cannot be discharged in a year or two, and will continue to be discharged for a long time.

On August 23rd, Ono Haruo, who had returned from fishing, processed the caught fish at the fishing port in Shinji cho, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu

Oda Chiyoshi, who lives in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, told Xinhua News Agency via email on the 22nd that the Japanese government's hasty decision to discharge into the sea violated its promise, and "this is an atrocity carried out without sufficient explanation to the people.".

Yoshimasa Ritsumi runs a hot spring hotel with a history of over 300 years in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. He told reporters on the 23rd that about 70% of the hotel guests originally came from Tokyo, but after the nuclear accident, the number of guests from other places has decreased, and it is even harder for foreign tourists to see them.

This is a catch captured by Haruno Ono at a fishing port in Shinji cho, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan on August 23rd. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu

When asked if he was worried that the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea would further reduce the number of tourists, Yoshitaka Rigi said that 12 years after the nuclear accident, tourists have finally started to increase. "This news has spread all over the world, and it's Fukushima, and I feel very sad," he said.

In 2015, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company promised the Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Cooperation Association Federation in the form of a document that "no disposal will be carried out without the understanding of stakeholders.". Yoshimasa Rikan stated that the government promised fishermen in Fukushima Prefecture not to discharge nuclear contaminated water without authorization, and now they have decided to discharge it, so the government lied. He emphasized that so far, the government has not gained the understanding of the people of Fukushima Prefecture. The local TV poll data footage he showed to reporters on the 22nd showed that over 70% of Fukushima Prefecture residents believed that the government's explanation did not help them better understand the sea discharge plan.

The plaintiff group composed of residents from Fukushima Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and other areas announced on the 23rd that they will file a lawsuit with the Fukushima District Court and demand that the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company cancel their plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea.

On August 23rd, fishermen who returned from fishing hung their fishing nets at the fishing port in Shinji cho, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu

The plaintiff and acting lawyer held a press conference in Pancheng City on the afternoon of the 23rd to announce this news. The plaintiff pointed out in the lawsuit that the discharge of pollutants into the sea violates the principle that the polluter is not allowed to spread pollutants, and infringes on the right of residents to a stable life. The acting lawyer pointed out that the Japanese authorities and Tokyo Electric Power Company had already made significant mistakes in the Fukushima nuclear accident, and now intentionally discharging pollutants into the sea is a "double harm".

On August 23rd, fishermen returned from fishing at a fishing port in Shinji cho, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu

On August 23rd, fishermen who returned from fishing cleaned up the fishing port in Xindi Town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu