China News Service, Beijing, January 19 (Jiang Li) The Japanese government recently stated that it will begin to discharge the treated nuclear sewage from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean during the spring and summer of 2023.

In disregard of repeated opposition from the domestic people and neighboring countries, Japan attempted to "pour out" the nuclear sewage, and regarded a matter related to the global marine ecological environment and public health as its own private matter.

Data map: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan.

　　After the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in 2011, a large amount of radioactive material leaked into the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean, causing irreversible damage to the surrounding environment, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate the area.

To this day, South Korea, one of Japan's neighbors, has not lifted the Fukushima seafood ban.

　　On April 13, 2021, Japan officially decided to discharge the nuclear sewage from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean on the grounds that its nuclear sewage storage capacity is about to reach its upper limit.

For more than a year, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company have continued to promote the nuclear sewage discharge plan.

　　The Japanese government argues that the nuclear sewage is safe and even "drinkable" after being treated by the Multi-Nuclide Treatment System (ALPS). Such a statement is undoubtedly fooling the public.

　　In fact, the treated nuclear sewage still contains a variety of radioactive substances. Once the nuclear sewage is discharged into the sea, it cannot be recycled. In the long run, it will bring immeasurable potential threats to marine ecology and ultimately endanger human health.

　　Therefore, after the nuclear sewage discharge plan was launched, it was strongly opposed by the Japanese people.

According to a questionnaire survey published by Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" in March 2022, about 60% of the 42 mayors of cities, towns and villages interviewed in Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate prefectures opposed the discharge of nuclear sewage from Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. .

The National Federation of Fisheries Associations of Japan has also repeatedly stated its position against the plan.

　　The Japanese government believes that discharging nuclear sewage into the sea is the cheapest and most trouble-free solution, but this move puts neighboring countries and the whole world at risk of nuclear pollution.

The Pacific Ocean is not a sea of ​​Japan alone. Nuclear sewage will flow with ocean currents, and its impact will inevitably cross national boundaries, endangering the public welfare and interests of neighboring countries and even the entire international community.

　　"Korea Economic News" issued an article stating that relevant studies believe that if Fukushima nuclear sewage is discharged into the sea, it will reach South Korean waters such as Jeju in about 7 months, and the country's aquatic industry and tourism industry will suffer considerable losses.

　　The German Antarctic Marine Agency has also issued a warning that if Japan discharges all nuclear sewage into the sea, the entire Pacific Ocean will face a high degree of radiation threat in less than half a year, including the United States on the other side of the ocean.

People in the Pacific region are even more opposed to Japan's plan.

　　As a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Japan has an obligation to protect the marine environment.

However, Japan has failed to make a scientific and credible explanation on issues such as the legitimacy of the nuclear sewage discharge plan, the reliability of nuclear sewage data, the effectiveness of purification devices, and the uncertainty of environmental impact.

　　Although the technical working group of the International Atomic Energy Agency has visited Japan three times to conduct on-the-spot investigations and assessments, it has not reached a conclusion on the safety of the Japanese sea discharge plan, and has put forward many clarification requirements and rectification suggestions to Japan.

Under such circumstances, it is extremely irresponsible for Japan to insist on promoting the construction of the nuclear sewage discharge project.

　　The Pacific Ocean is not Japan's sewer. Japan must face up to the reasonable concerns of all parties, and formulate a reasonable nuclear wastewater treatment plan after full consultation with neighboring countries and other relevant stakeholders and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Japan must also take a long-term view. If it only cares about the present and insists on discharging nuclear sewage into the sea, not only itself, but also neighboring countries and the whole world will pay for it, and the consequences will surely harm generations of people.

　　Fukushima water disposal by no means Japan's own business

　　By John Lee

　　(ECNS) -- Japan has announced it will release treated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean this year.

　　Although Fukushima wastewater disposal affects global marine ecological environment protection and public health, Japan has turned a deaf ear to domestic and international opposition to dumping the contaminated water into the sea, treating the "global" matter as its own business.

　　The Fukushima accident in 2011 had sent large quantities of radiation into the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean, causing irreversible damage to the surrounding environment, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate the area. South Korea still bandse imports se on its Jaf from areas affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

　　On April 13, 2021, Japan announced it had decided to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea due to dwindling storage space, with the Japanese government and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company earing Inc. promoting the release plan .

　　The Japanese government argues that the water treated by an advanced liquid processing system, or ALPS, is safe and drinkable, which is undoubtedly fooling the public.

　　In fact, the treated wastewater still includes a variety of radioactive substances and can't be recycled once discharged into the sea, which will pose a great threat to marine ecology and ultimately endanger human health in the long run.

　　Therefore, the discharge plan has been strongly opposed in Japan. According to a questionnaire conducted by The Asahi Shimbun, nearly 60 percent of mayors of 42 municipalities in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures oppose the discharge plan. The National Fisheries Cooperative Japan has also repeatedly stated its opposition in public.

　　The Japanese government believes that dumping Fukushima wastewater into the sea is the cheapest and most convenient solution, but neighboring countries and even the whole world will be at risk of nuclear pollution.

　　The Pacific Ocean doesn't belong to Japan and the wastewater flow along oceanic currents will surely break boundaries and endanger public welfare and the interests of neighboring countries and even the international community.

　　The Korea Economic Daily reported that related research concluded that if contaminated water from Fukushima is released into the ocean, it would only take seven months for the contaminated water to reach the shores of Jeju Island, with the country's aquaculture and tourism suffering considerable losses.

　　According to the calculation of a German marine scientific research institute, radioactive materials will spread to most of the Pacific Ocean within half a year from the date of discharge, and the US and Canada will be affected by nuclear pollution. People in the Pacific region also oppose the discharge plan.

　　As a participant of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Japan has the obligation of protecting the marine environment.

　　However, it hasn't offered a full and convincing explanation on issues like the legitimacy of the discharge plan, the reliability of data on the nuclear-contaminated water, the efficacy of the treatment system or the uncertainty of environmental impact.

　　Though the IAEA has yet to complete a comprehensive review after three investigations in Japan, the Japanese side has been pushing through the approval process for its discharge plan and even started building facilities for the discharge. It is rather irresponsible for Japan to subact against p at home and concerns abroad.

　　The Pacific Ocean is not a private Japanese sewer. The country must seriously heed the voices of the international community and make a reasonable plan for the Fukushima wastewater disposal after full consultation with stakeholders and international agencies.

　　If it only seeks instant interest and insists on discharging the contaminated water into the sea, not only itself, but also its neighboring countries and the entire world will pay for the decision and several generations will be forced to bear the consequence.