Controversy Mounts Over Fukushima Water Release: Global Criticism and Concerns Raised by Southeast Asian Nations and China

It has been over ten years since Fukushima experienced a devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake that inflicted severe damage on its local nuclear power plant. This event, known as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, occurred when a massive tsunami caused a major power failure within the plant, leading to the loss of cooling for the fuel rods contained in the reactors. As a consequence, substantial amounts of radiation were released, prompting the Japanese government to evacuate at least 154,000 residents from the area.

Fast forward to May 2023, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan has granted approval for the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to release the trapped water from the troubled nuclear plant during the upcoming summer. According to a report by Reuters, the disposal process will span several decades. At present, there are around 1.3 million tonnes of radioactive water stored in tanks on-site, which, if placed in 20 FLC containers, would be equivalent to nearly four Burj Khalifa towers.

Environmental Concerns

?Hajime Matsukubo, secretary general of Toyo-bases Citizens’ Nuclear Information Canter, expressed his concerns to release the wastewater and said that number of different options were available for TEPCO.

"There are no reasons why more tanks could not have been constructed at the site, underground reservoirs could have been constructed and better treatment systems could have been introduced to remove more radionuclides,"

?Matsukubo also questioned the independence of IAEA’s statement which was used by the Japanese Government as the main excuse to push the water release. IAEA is funded by nuclear power-producing countries and I am mainly tasked with promoting this industry. ?

?Global response

Japan's actions have drawn significant criticism from several Southeast Asian countries. South Korean officials have expressed renewed "grave concern" about the planned release of the water, with voices of apprehension also emerging from the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries in the region.

?China, accounting for 22.5 percent of all Japanese seafood exports last year, valued at 87 billion Yen, holds particular significance. Currently, ten out of Japan's 47 prefectures face bans on seafood exports, while nine prefectures are subject to restrictions on all food and feed products. On July 5, Hong Kong authorities announced immediate control measures, including import controls on aquatic products from high-risk prefectures. Japanese officials and ruling party lawmakers anticipate that China may further expand restrictions, potentially even implementing a blanket ban.

?Both the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson and Matsukubo express similar concerns. They question the effectiveness of the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), as no third-party tests have been conducted to verify its efficiency. Additionally, there are concerns regarding the authenticity of the report, further contributing to apprehension surrounding the situation.

Ocean Treasure is committed to the Quality of our Products. We pay a lot of attention not only to How products are made and What can be improved but Where these products come from and When is the best time to buy for our clients. Tracability of Ocean Treasure's products is guaranteed.

?In conclusion, food safety will become a much more important focus for many countries, especially, China. That’s why Ocean Treasure prepared the offer of Sea and Bay scallops imported from Japan at the beginning of this year. Contact us to get the quotation as soon as possible, since the quantity of Raw Materials is Limited.

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