Taiwan Reporter Observation | Multiple Opponents Against Japan's Forced Release of Nuclear Polluted Water into the Sea | Japanese Government | Fukushima | Reporter
The Japanese government decided on August 22nd to discharge the contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea starting from August 24th. Japan's strong push to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea has sparked multiple doubts and opposition.
CCTV reporter He Xinlei: On the 22nd, after a meeting of relevant officials, the Japanese government announced that it will discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean starting from August 24th. According to the plan, the discharge into the sea will last for at least 30 years and will affect the entire Pacific and even global waters. Due to the large time span and wide impact of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water being discharged into the sea, once this decision is announced, various sectors in Japan have once again expressed strong opposition. The opposition of Japanese fishing industry practitioners has received particular attention.
Japanese Public Opinion: The Government Ignores Opposing Voices and Violates Promises
On the 22nd, Yasushin Sakamoto, President of the National Fisheries Association of Japan, issued a statement strongly urging the Japanese government to fulfill its previous commitments. Haruhiko Terazawa, President of the Miyagi Prefectural Fisheries Association in Japan, also expressed dissatisfaction on the same day and stated that it is still difficult to understand the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea, and pointed out that there has been actual damage to Japan's fishing industry.
The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company promised Fukushima fishermen in 2015 that they would not dispose of nuclear contaminated water without the understanding of stakeholders. The Communist Party of Japan issued a statement on its official website on the 22nd, stating that the actions of the Japanese government are a blatant abandonment of the government's commitments to the people and Fukushima Prefecture residents, and cannot be tolerated. It strongly demands the cessation of marine emissions. The leader of the Japanese Social Democratic Party, Mizuo Fukushima, criticized the government for trampling on agreements reached with stakeholders. The Japanese government disregarded opposition and decided to launch a sea discharge, which is a blatant move.
CCTV reporter He Xinlei: Since the Japanese government announced its decision to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea in April 2021, we have been continuously monitoring the dynamics of the discharge of nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima. We have interviewed local fishing groups, citizen groups, experts, and scholars in Fukushima. All parties have a common opinion, which is to hope that the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company can abide by the written commitments made to the Fukushima fishermen's group.
Expert: Nuclear contaminated water discharged into the sea opens the "Pandora's Box"
Regarding TEPCO's statement that it will start with cautious emissions from a small amount, some netizens pointed out that "this is to confirm whether there is any impact, right? That is to say, if there is a large amount of emissions, there will be adverse effects." "After the discharge, immediately go to the waters around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to fish and make sashimi, and let Kishida and TEPCO's management eat and see. This is the best way to prove safety.".
Japanese environmental radiation expert Hiroshi Amano, who has previously been interviewed by Taiwan, once commented that the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea is like opening Pandora's box, and the potential risks it may bring to the marine ecological environment and human health are still a big question mark.
