Highlights: The beginning of the discharge of contaminated and treated water from Fukushima into the ocean continues to make waves in Japan's neighboring countries. This is particularly the case in China, where state media are highly critical of Tokyo's decision. Chinese authorities have banned seafood imports from Japan after Tokyo dumped water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Ocean. As in 2011, fear of Fukushima discharges has also led to a salt rush in Hong Kong, but also in mainland China. Fines exceed 600,000 euros in central Hunan province for speculators seeking to take advantage of consumer fear.

The beginning of the discharge of contaminated and treated water from Fukushima into the ocean continues to make waves in Japan's neighboring countries. This is particularly the case in China, where the state media criticize...

Fukushima water discharge: Chinese propaganda fires red balls at Japan

Traders wait for customers at their seafood stalls in Shanghai on August 25, 2023. Chinese authorities have banned seafood imports from Japan after Tokyo dumped water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean. REUTERS - ALY SONG

By: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Beijing, Stéphane Lagarde

For three days, it has been a real deluge: caricatures, videos... The Chinese media had obviously prepared their cartridges. With a mixture of scary music and black humour, a short film broadcast by the foreign program subsidiary of state television features a Korean student in Japan facing a Japanese samurai, armed with a plastic water bottle. He offers to sell him "special water from Fukushima".

This was followed by a dialogue taking up the themes unfolded by Chinese diplomacy, which strongly condemned the discharge of water from the damaged Japanese power plant into the ocean. A decision described as "arbitrary" by Beijing and coming from a country "selfish and irresponsible", which makes the ocean, "heritage of humanity", its "garbage can".

" READ ALSO Discharge of Fukushima waters: in China, discontent rises vis-à-vis Japan

China has made Fukushima a geopolitical issue and has brought out the fanfare of external propaganda via its English-language media. But Beijing is careful not to go too far in messages to the national audience, because there is also a risk to jobs in China, in an economy that is not at its best.

Chinese customs have banned all seafood imports from Japan. A strong decision that has consequences for fishermen in the eastern Chinese provinces of Shandong and Zhejiang in China in particular, but also for waiters in Japanese restaurants, which the Chinese are very fond of, says a journalist from a news site specializing in the economy and tourism.

There is also concern for salt marshes. As in 2011, fear of Fukushima discharges has also led to a salt rush in Hong Kong, but also in mainland China, where local authorities have issued emergency notices regulating the price of salt. Fines exceed 600,000 euros in central Hunan province for speculators seeking to take advantage of consumer fear.

The speech is reassuring on the Sina Weibo platform, which ensures this Friday, August 25 that China has reserves of mountain salt and salt from mountain lakes sufficient to feed the Chinese population for 70 years.

See alsoJapan begins sewage discharge from Fukushima despite fear of fishermen and neighboring countries

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China
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Nuclear
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Environment
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Fukushima water discharge: Chinese propaganda fires red balls at Japan

Fukushima water discharge: Chinese propaganda fires red balls at Japan

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