Japan begins tests to dump toxic water

TOKYO — The operator of the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began tests on Monday of newly constructed facilities for discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, a plan strongly opposed by local fishermen and the international community.

According to the national broadcaster NHK, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, started the trial operation on Monday morning which mixes fresh water and seawater that does not contain radioactive substances to confirm whether the sea discharge equipment can operate reliably.

TEPCO says the voluntary tests are expected to continue for about two weeks ahead of mandatory pre-operation checks to be conducted by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, possibly in early July.

TEPCO finished sending seawater last week into an underwater tunnel built in front of the nuclear plant for its planned discharge, adding it plans to complete all facility-related preparations by the end of June.

On Saturday, Japanese Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura met with local fisheries representatives to seek their understanding for the planned release in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, where representatives expressed grave concerns over the move, saying they remain opposed to the release. They said the plan to release the radioactive wastewater over decades is "fueling anxiety about the future and doubts about continuous fishing operations".

"We stand by our opposition," Tetsu Nozaki, head of the Fukushima prefectural fisheries association, told Nishimura.

Despite opposition from domestic experts, civic groups and fishery organizations, Japan has been rushing to dump the contaminated water into the ocean, inciting protests from neighboring nations and communities within the Pacific islands.

In South Korea, about 2,000 fishermen and civic activists staged a rally in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday against the plan to release toxic water.

The fishermen held signs that read "Desperately oppose the Fukushima radioactive contaminated water discharge into the sea," and "SOS!! Pacific Ocean!"

"If the Fukushima contaminated water is safe (as Japan claimed), it can be left in Japan's soil rather than be released into the ocean," said Kim Kwang-shik, one of the fishermen who joined the protest rally.

Leaders from Pacific island countries, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea, are also calling upon the Japanese government to immediately stop its plans for dumping nuclear wastewater into the Pacific.

According to a Research View survey of 1,000 South Korean adults conducted last month, 85.4 percent of the respondents opposed Japan's nuclear-contaminated water dump, and 72 percent said they would reduce the consumption of marine products if radioactive wastewater is released into the ocean.

Sea salt demand soars

Sea salt demand in South Korea has soared for the past months on fears that Japan would push ahead with its discharge plan.

The association of the fishermen urged the South Korean government to immediately file a complaint with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea against Japan, saying that if the contaminated water is released, it will threaten the livelihoods of fishermen amid a sharp drop in demand for marine products.

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima nuclear plant's cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and release large amounts of radiation. The tanks storing the water used since the accident to cool the reactor cores will reach their capacity in early 2024.

Japan considers discharging into the sea as the cheapest option with the minimum risk of polluting Japan itself and claims the diluted water will be released into the ocean over decades, making it harmless to people and marine life.

Yet, some scientists say the impact of long-term, low-dose exposure to radionuclides is unknown and the release should be delayed.

Agencies - Xinhua