(International Observation) The Shadow of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident on the 12th Anniversary of the "3.11" Earthquake in Japan Has Not Dissipated

　　China News Agency, Tokyo, March 12th: The shadow of the Fukushima nuclear accident has not dissipated on the 12th anniversary of the "3.11" earthquake in Japan

　　China News Agency reporter Zhu Chenxi

　　The 11th is the 12th anniversary of the "3.11" earthquake disaster in Japan.

As of now, the impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident continues, including issues such as the treatment of nuclear-contaminated water and the reconstruction of disaster areas.

On the afternoon of the 11th, Japanese people held a rally near the Tokyo Electric Power Company to oppose the plan of the Japanese government and TEPCO to discharge Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea during the spring and summer of this year.

Data map: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

More than 30,000 people are still forced to leave their homes

　　On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in the northeastern sea area of ​​Japan and triggered a huge tsunami. Affected by both the earthquake and the tsunami, a large amount of radioactive materials leaked from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in the latest nuclear accident since the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Soviet Union. serious nuclear accident.

According to statistics from the Japanese National Police Agency, as of the end of February this year, 15,900 people were killed and 2,523 people were missing in Japan due to the earthquake.

　　At present, the reconstruction work in the disaster area is still full of difficulties, and the refuge life of the affected people tends to be long-term.

According to Japan's Kyodo News Agency, despite the progress in infrastructure construction in the disaster area, due to factors such as the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, there are still about 31,000 people in Japan who are still evacuated and unable to go home.

According to Japanese media reports, since June last year, in the "difficult return area" with the largest amount of radiation in Fukushima Prefecture, some locations have lifted the "evacuation instructions" after decontamination operations, but there are very few returnees.

　　In addition, how to dispose of soil and waste generated from decontamination operations in Fukushima Prefecture remains to be resolved.

According to Japan's "Mainichi Shimbun", the nuclear decontaminated soil in Fukushima Prefecture is kept in a transitional storage facility and will be transported to outside Fukushima Prefecture for final disposal in 2045 at the latest.

However, the specific disposal location has not been determined so far.

　　On April 13, 2021, the Japanese government officially decided to filter and dilute the nuclear contaminated water and discharge it into the sea.

The Japanese people are worried that the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea will deal a serious blow to local fisheries, cold chain, aquatic product processing and other related industries.

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.

Nuclear contaminated water nears containment limit

　　The water storage tanks in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant can hold a total of 1.37 million tons of nuclear-contaminated water. The current nuclear-contaminated water has increased to 1.32 million tons, and the nuclear-contaminated water is close to the capacity limit.

Regarding the response measures when the water storage tank is full, Tepco stated that there is currently no plan to build more water storage tanks.

　　At the beginning of considering the issue of dealing with nuclear-contaminated water, an expert group organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan proposed five options.

The Japanese side said that the two options of discharging into the sea and evaporating into the atmosphere are the "most practical solutions", and finally chose the option of discharging into the sea that "requires the shortest time and costs the least".

　　Makoto Yanagida, head of the civic group "Dandelion House", which has insisted on opposing the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water for many years, told reporters on the 11th that it is safe to use more than ten 100,000-ton large-scale water storage tanks to store nuclear-contaminated water on land for a long time. feasible solution.

But the Japanese government and Tepco ignored it, which is regrettable.

　　Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently stated that the plan to start discharging nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant during the spring and summer of this year has not changed.

According to the sea discharge plan given by the Japanese government and Tepco, nuclear contaminated water will be discharged from the spring and summer of this year and last for 30 to 40 years.

On April 13, 2021, Japanese people protested against the Japanese authorities' decision to discharge nuclear sewage into the sea outside the prime minister's residence in Tokyo.

Japanese people protest against the discharge of sewage into the sea

　　From March 10 to 11, Japanese people held rallies near the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Tepco to protest against the Japanese government and Tepco's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea.

Mizuho Fukushima, leader of Japan's Social Democratic Party, said at the rally that the impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident is still ongoing, and the government's declaration of a state of emergency has not been lifted.

Nuclear contaminated water must never be discharged into the sea, and radioactive substances must be managed centrally.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at the rally that the sea discharge plan has aroused concerns from all parties in Japan and abroad, and should be treated with caution.

　　A resident of Fukushima Prefecture and head of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Victims Liaison Association made a written appeal on the 10th at a rally against the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water. She said that where nuclear-contaminated water flows, people live on the sea. There are people in the sea, and there are creatures that make the sea their home.

The discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea is a violation of life.

　　Keiko Kise, who came to Tokyo from Kawasaki City to participate in the rally, told reporters on the 11th that she firmly opposes the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea.

It is absolutely unacceptable for Japan to decide on the sea discharge plan without the consent of other neighboring countries in Asia.

She said that more and more Japanese people will voice their strong opposition to the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea.

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