Twelve years after the earthquake, Japan insisted on discharging sewage into the sea, and they were angry!

　　China News Service, March 11 (Sweet) Twelve years ago today, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a tsunami off the coast of northeastern Japan and led to the worst nuclear leak since the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

　　To this day, Fukushima victims are still traumatized, and they are still worried about follow-up issues such as compensation lawsuits and reconstruction of the disaster area.

　　On the other hand, knowing that the legacy of the nuclear accident may continue to endanger mankind, the Japanese government still insists on promoting the plan to discharge nuclear sewage into the sea, spreading it to the Pacific Ocean and even the world.

Data map: On March 11, 2011, after the "3.11 Earthquake", the ruins of the disaster area in Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, were hit by a tsunami.

Three sets of data

　　Disclosing traumatic "aftereffects"

　　"(Daughter) Nionagi is really here! You can go home!" After Norio Kimura carefully dug out a child's thigh bone in a wild grass in Okuma Town, Fukushima Prefecture, tears welled up in his eyes.

　　At this time, more than ten years have passed since the "311" earthquake in Japan.

Like Kimura, many disaster victims are still searching for missing relatives and trying to heal homes shattered by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.

　　At the same time, these disaster victims are still worried about many practical issues such as compensation lawsuits, reconstruction of disaster areas, and follow-up treatment of nuclear power plants.

　　In fact, through three sets of data, it can be seen that the "sequelae" of the disaster are still shocking:

　　· Casualties

　　As of March 1, 2023, the earthquake has caused 15,900 deaths and 2,523 missing people in Japan.

　　In Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures affected by the strong earthquake, 53 remains have yet to be identified.

　　· Litigation compensation

　　So far, at least tens of thousands of disaster victims have initiated more than 30 class action lawsuits.

　　As of December 2021, Tepco has only paid 50% of the total compensation amount.

Data map: After the "311 Earthquake", many places in the disaster area were deserted.

Photo by Sun Ran, published by China News Agency

　　·Nuclear sewage problem

　　The storage capacity of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is 1.37 million tons, and now the nuclear sewage has increased to 1.32 million tons, which is close to the limit.

　　If the nuclear sewage is discharged into the ocean, it may last for 30 years.

More than 60 kinds of radionuclides will spread to the global seas 10 years after they are discharged into the sea.

　　The trauma has not yet healed, but as time goes by, the number of special programs related to the earthquake in the Japanese media continues to decrease. The Japanese government has gradually lifted the evacuation order for areas where it is difficult to return home, and announced that it will no longer hold earthquake memorial ceremonies...

　　All this makes the victims feel powerless.

Data map: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan.

overdraft trust

　　TEPCO's frequent accidents have been questioned

　　However, what makes some Japanese people even more angry is that the Fukushima disaster area was devastated by the nuclear accident. The Japanese government not only failed to make every effort to repair it, but continued to promote the plan to discharge sewage into the sea, "blaming the blame" to the world.

　　Although Taro Aso, then Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, once argued that nuclear sewage "drinking is fine."

However, when the former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was inspecting the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, after TEPCO staff said the same thing as Aso, Yoshihide Suga did not drink the "purified" nuclear sewage.

Data map: On April 13, 2021, Japanese people protested against the discharge of nuclear sewage into the sea outside the prime minister's residence in Tokyo.

　　Although TEPCO, which is in charge of specific operations, tried its best to publicize the safety of Fukushima nuclear sewage, the company has repeatedly exploded safety scandals and overdrawn public trust.

　　In 2002, Tepco admitted to being involved in 29 incidents of fabricating false inspection reports.

　　In 2007, Tepco once again admitted that for a long time, it tampered with the detection data in nearly 200 routine inspections of Fukushima Daiichi and Niji nuclear power plants, and concealed reactor failures.

　　In 2021, it was revealed that as many as 24 of the 25 filters of the "multi-nuclides removal device" used to purify nuclear-contaminated water were damaged.

　　For this reason, the person in charge of the National Fisheries Cooperative Association of Japan has bluntly stated that it is difficult to believe that TEPCO can truly discharge nuclear sewage safely.

　　The joint representative of the Japanese non-profit organization Nuclear Energy Information Office also criticized that "it is irresponsible to insist on promoting the nuclear sewage discharge plan. Japan has not learned the lessons of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident."

　　Ready to "dump the pot"?

　　China: Do not start sewage discharge without authorization

　　Despite facing many doubts, Japan still insists on going its own way, which has aroused strong opposition from many neighboring countries.

　　South Korea's foreign ministry has repeatedly urged the Japanese government to take a responsible attitude towards the issue of nuclear sewage discharge into the sea.

South Korean non-government groups also dispatched hundreds of fishing boats to protest against Yi Sun-shin Park in Tongyeong City, Gyeongsangnam-do and its offshore areas.

Data map: On April 26, 2021, in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, hundreds of fishing boats went to sea collectively to protest Japan's nuclear sewage discharge plan.

Photo provided by China News Agency, South Korea Tongyeong-Geoje Environmental Movement Federation

　　The Pacific Islands Forum Scientist Group participated by several Pacific island countries such as New Zealand and Fiji pointed out that TEPCO’s nuclear contaminated water test data cannot be used as the basis for deciding to discharge. “The discharge of nuclear contaminated water takes a lot of time and cross-border matters. Thoughtful."

　　North Korea criticized the Japanese government for "making an incredibly shameless decision."

The Russian Foreign Ministry is also concerned about the decision of the Japanese government and hopes that the Japanese government will show due transparency.

　　The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly stated that the Japanese government has ignored the strong concerns of its own people and the international community and insisted on forcing the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea, which violated its obligations under international law and endangered the marine environment and public health. This is by no means a responsible state behavior.

　　China urges Japan to face up to the legitimate concerns of all parties, earnestly fulfill its obligations, accept strict international supervision, and dispose of nuclear-contaminated water in a scientific, open, transparent and safe manner, including research on disposal options other than discharge into the sea.

Before fully consulting with neighboring countries and other stakeholders and relevant international agencies and reaching an agreement, the Japanese side must not initiate the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea without authorization.

Data map: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

　　Recently, at a meeting of the Senate Budget Committee, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida insisted that the emissions plan will not change.

　　The United States also expressed its support for Japan early.

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken once issued a document stating that the U.S. appreciates Japan's "obvious efforts" to deal with the issue of Fukushima nuclear sewage.

　　It was revealed that Japan is also seeking the support of the "Group of Seven" (G7), hoping to issue a draft joint statement after the Sapporo meeting, which may include, G7 ministers agreeing that Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant "has been treated without any harm to humans and the environment." The water process is transparent," while welcoming Japan's progress in "recycling and removing nuclear-contaminated soil."

　　On the special anniversary of March 11, is Japan planning to heal the wounds of the victims, or is it preparing to throw new disasters on the world?

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