Frequent leaks and lack of transparency damage Japan's reputation after Fukushima water discharge exceeds one year

Beijing [China]August 26: A year has passed since Japan began discharging nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea despite widespread opposition. To date, about 60,000 tons of water have been discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant as part of Japan's 30-year plan to discharge about one million tons of contaminated water into the sea, Global Times reported.

The persistent discharges, frequent leaks and lack of transparency over the past year have severely damaged the reputation of TEPCO and the Japanese government, leading to a significant loss of public confidence and widespread backlash, according to observers.

As the Asahi Shimbun reported on Saturday, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) drained 60,000 tons of treated water from the damaged Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant last year.

On the eve of the first anniversary, the National Federation of Fishermen's Cooperatives of Japan reiterated its strong opposition to the water release.

The group warned that in the event of a major accident or problem in the future, the trust and understanding built among fishermen and the public could be lost immediately, and urged the Japanese government and TEPCO to keep this in mind, according to local media.

The disposal of the contaminated water has caused several countries, including China and Russia, to stop importing seafood from Japan, Global Times reported.

Throughout the year, Japan has been urging these countries to lift the bans, citing data from water treated using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which it claims meets international standards. ALPS is the system used to treat water from Fukushima before it is discharged.

In response to Japan's appeals to ease import restrictions, Hong Kong's Environment and Ecology Office said on Facebook that given the unprecedented scale and duration of the oil spill discharge, as well as the potentially catastrophic consequences for marine ecology and food safety if mistakes were made, Hong Kong had taken preventive measures, including restricting imports of seafood and related products from Japan's most vulnerable areas.

Several incidents related to the Fukushima power plant were reported last year, including seven cases of employees being hospitalized due to accidents, and environmental pollution was detected. The most recent incident occurred two weeks ago, with an average of one incident occurring every two months. Given the challenges Japan faces in managing and supervising the Fukushima power plant and the potential serious consequences, Hong Kong's preventive measures are necessary and scientifically justified, the office said.

The office also pointed out that if the situation worsens, additional measures may be needed to improve food safety in Hong Kong.

In South Korea, opponents of the sea discharge held a press conference outside the National Assembly on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of Japan's discharge of contaminated water, South Korean media reported.

In Japan, NHK broadcast a special prime-time documentary on Saturday aimed at restoring the reputation of Japanese seafood, said Chang Yen-chiang, director of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea Research Institute at Dalian Maritime University, who was in Fukushima for international meetings against the water discharge.

However, opposition is growing across the country. Protests were held on Saturday in several cities and prefectures, including Tokyo and Fukushima, demanding an end to the dumping, Global Times reported.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor.

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