"The ocean is not a trash can!" Fukushima residents angrily criticized the government for being untrustworthy
Starting from the age of 15, following his father's generation to go fishing at sea, Fukushima Prefecture's Shinji cho fisherman Haruo Ono has been making a living in the sea for 56 years.
The eastern Pacific coastal area of Fukushima Prefecture and most of Ibaraki Prefecture, to which Shinji belongs, are collectively known as Joban. The sea area here is the intersection of the Japanese Warm Current and the Kuril Cold Current, and is a natural high-quality fishing ground. "Chang Pan Huo" used to be synonymous with high-quality and delicious seafood, and was the "darling" of seafood wholesale markets in major cities such as Tokyo.
However, after the 2011 3.11 earthquake, wholesalers at Tokyo Tsukuji Market were unwilling to purchase fish products from Fukushima. It was not until a few years ago that the prices of Fukushima seafood returned to pre earthquake levels. On the 24th of this month, despite strong opposition from the international community, Japan initiated the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. This has caused many fishery practitioners to worry about their livelihoods.
"Discharging the sea is a survival issue for us," said Haruhiro Ono. The Japanese Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry have visited Fukushima several times, but have not met directly with fishermen or asked for their opinions.
What is even more unacceptable to fishermen is the government's lack of credibility. Haruhiro Ono said that fishermen have always expressed opposition, but the government still hastily made a decision, which is unacceptable to fishermen.
Another person who also expressed his inability to accept it was Rijian Xisheng, who lives in Iwaki City. Pancheng City is more than 50 kilometers away from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Li Jian Xisheng runs a hot spring hotel with a history of over 300 years in the city. On the 23rd, he told Xinhua News Agency reporters that after the 2011 nuclear accident, the number of guests from outside Fukushima decreased, and foreign tourists were almost zero. In recent years, the number of tourists has finally begun to gradually increase, but news of nuclear contaminated water being discharged into the sea has spread all over the world, and Fukushima is also affected. "The government promised the fishermen in Fukushima Prefecture not to discharge nuclear contaminated water without authorization, and now they want to discharge it again, so the government lied," said Yoshimasa Rikan
The Japanese government claims that without emptying and removing the water tanks storing nuclear contaminated water from the nuclear power plant, there will be insufficient space for the decommissioning of the reactor, and Fukushima will not be able to revive. In the eyes of Li Jian Xisheng, this is simply a lie.
He told reporters that the government has continuously invested a large amount of funds and built many beautiful houses in the towns of Shuangye and Oita, where the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is located. However, only 10% of them are currently living, and the majority of those who left Fukushima 12 years ago have already settled outside. "So, no matter how much money is spent, the government says they want to revive, but the reality is that people don't come back," he said.
Pediatrician Tanitsu Taniya was one of the residents who migrated back to Shuangye Town. After the Fukushima nuclear accident, evacuation orders were issued for 42 municipalities and villages around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Starting from June last year, the Japanese government gradually lifted evacuation orders in areas such as Shuangye Town. Tanitsu Taniya told reporters that there were originally over 7000 residents in Shuangye Town, but so far only over 80 have returned. He and his wife felt that their hometown was difficult to leave, and they returned shortly after the evacuation order was lifted last year. However, the children chose to stay in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture to the north.
Haruno Ono, who has been a fisherman for his whole life, said that he has no other career options, and even if the price of fish is low, he will continue to be a fisherman. He said, "This is both a pride as a fisherman and a desire for consumers to taste delicious sea fish... Do politicians understand these? The ocean is not a garbage bin." He said that he has joined the plaintiff's team demanding that the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company cancel the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea and will file a lawsuit with the Fukushima District Court in early September. Haruo Ono's three sons are all fishermen. "I oppose now because my sons will not be forced by life in the future."
