Lawmakers, activists rally against nuclear water plan

TOKYO — South Korean opposition lawmakers and fishermen, together with Japanese civic activists, held a protest rally on Monday in Tokyo to oppose the planned discharge of radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, demanding that the Japanese government scrap its plans.

About 20 demonstrators from South Korea were at the rally in front of the Japanese prime minister's official residence, including members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and nonpartisan members. They wore clothes and carried signs with the same slogan: "Our sea, let's protect it together."

The discharge of Fukushima's radioactive water goes beyond Japan's national interests and will lead to the contamination of seawater all over the world, which is an act against the world and humanity, said Ju Cheol-hyeon, a member of South Korea's National Assembly.

South Korean fishermen representative Ryang Wun-tek said the Japanese government's ocean discharge plan will lead to irreparable and serious consequences and will have a major impact on the world. He said until a safe solution is found, the Japanese government must stop the plan.

As soon as the South Korean lawmakers arrived in Japan on Monday, they immediately came to the prime minister's residence in Tokyo to participate in the protest rally.

During their three-day stay in Japan, they also planned to make protest visits to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency's regional office in Tokyo, and stage a sit-in in front of the National Diet.

Yasunari Fujimoto, from the Peace Forum citizen's group, said it is of special significance to hold a protest with South Korean lawmakers, stressing that the opinions of other countries along the Pacific Rim are very important and the Japanese government must listen to the views of these countries.

Under the scorching sun in Tokyo, South Korean lawmakers and Japanese people shouted in both Korean and Japanese, "Stop the ocean release!" and "Don't pollute the sea!"

Meanwhile on Monday, China once again urged Japan to stop its plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean at the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The UN Human Rights Council on Monday adopted the Universal Periodic Review outcome of Japan. Speaking during the discussion on the UPR outcome of Japan, a Chinese diplomat emphasized that China once again urges Japan to stop the nuclear water discharge plan.

The Chinese diplomat urged Japan to dispose of it in a science-based, safe and transparent manner, and cooperate with the IAEA to put in place a long-term international monitoring mechanism involving Japan's neighbors and other stakeholders as soon as possible.

Xinhua - Agencies