Fukushima plan sparks outrage in Japan

TOKYO — Japanese residents on Thursday held a rally in Tokyo to protest against the government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, two years after the decision was announced.

Ignoring opposition both at home and abroad, the Japanese government decided on April 13, 2021, to release millions of metric tons of nuclear-contaminated water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea.

Carrying signs such as "Do not let nuclear-tainted water pollute the sea" and "Do not spill poison into the sea", about 120 protesters rallied in front of the lower house of the Diet.

"The treatment of nuclear-contaminated water should not be left to the Japanese government to decide at its own discretion," Miyako Kumamoto said.

The 80-year-old moved to Fukushima Prefecture upon retirement, but was forced to seek refuge in Tokyo after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident.

"I wanted to retire to an idyllic life in Fukushima," she said. "The nuclear accident has not only devastated the lives of local residents, but also those who depend on the sea."

Kumamoto also said people should not remain silent on the government's decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, but instead should actively speak out against it.

Yoshiko Furukawa, who used to live near the Fukushima plant, said at the protest rally: "I don't want people pointing at me and saying, 'The contaminated water was discharged from near her house', even though dumping the contaminated water into the sea might allow us to return home earlier."

Toshihiro Inoue, organizer of Thursday's rally, said the contaminated water must first be stored to minimize radioactivity before the world works out how to deal with it.

If nuclear-contaminated water is allowed to be discharged into the sea, arbitrary discharges would take place whenever nuclear contamination occurs in the future, he said.

Thursday's protesters were from around Tokyo, while similar protests are being held across Japan, some by individuals and some by groups.

In the past two years, a variety of rallies, marches and protests have been held, along with online learning sessions on nuclear-contaminated water to spread the knowledge about its hazards, Inoue said.

The Japanese government said in January that starting this spring or summer, over 1 million metric tons of radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima plant will be released into the Pacific after being treated.

The decision has sparked widespread concern among neighboring countries and international organizations. China has, on different occasions, called on Japan to take all parties' legitimate concerns seriously, fulfill its obligations, fully consult with stakeholders and relevant international organizations, handle nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, open, transparent and safe manner, and fully subject itself to international oversight.

Xinhua