Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the International Atomic Energy Agency's release of the comprehensive assessment report on the disposal of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water in Japan
Q: According to reports, the International Atomic Energy Agency has released a comprehensive assessment report on the disposal of nuclear contaminated water in Fukushima, Japan. It believes that Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea generally meets international safety standards, and the agency will conduct long-term supervision and monitoring of Japan's discharge activities into the sea. What is China's comment on this?
Answer: China has taken note of the comprehensive evaluation report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea. It is understood that this report did not fully reflect the opinions of all experts involved in the evaluation work, and the relevant conclusions were not unanimously recognized by all experts. China regrets the hasty release of reports by institutions.
We believe that institutional reports cannot serve as a "talisman" or "passport" for Japan's discharge into the sea. Due to authorization limitations, the institution did not review the legitimacy and legality of the Japanese sea discharge plan, did not evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the Japanese purification device, and did not confirm the true accuracy of the data on Japanese nuclear contaminated water. The relevant conclusions have significant limitations and one sidedness. We have noticed that Director General Grossy has stated that the institution should conduct a review and evaluation at the request of the Japanese government, and is not endorsing Japan's discharge into the sea.
Due to economic cost considerations and ignoring the concerns and opposition of the international community, the Japanese side insists on discharging nuclear contaminated water into the sea and treating the Pacific Ocean as a "sewer". No matter what the content of the report is, it cannot change the fact that Japan will continue to discharge millions of tons of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean for the next 30 years. Can Japan's purification equipment remain effective for a long time? Can the international community timely grasp the situation of excessive emissions? What are the impacts of long-term accumulation and enrichment of radioactive isotopes on marine ecological environment, food safety, and public health? The reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency have not provided answers to these questions.
12 years ago, Japan received global support due to the Fukushima nuclear accident. 12 years later, Japan chose to transfer the risk of nuclear pollution to all humanity. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea imposes obligations to protect and preserve the marine environment, and the 1972 London Convention on Dumping prohibits the dumping of radioactive waste into the ocean through artificial structures at sea. The Japanese approach violates international moral responsibility and international legal obligations.
China once again urges Japan to stop its plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea and to dispose of it in a scientific, safe, and transparent manner. If the Japanese side persists in their actions, they must bear all consequences for it. China urges Japan to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and establish a long-term international monitoring mechanism that includes the participation of stakeholders such as Japan's neighboring countries as soon as possible.
