Japan’s nuclear-contaminated water should be handled in a responsible way
12 July, 2023. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in 2011 is one of the most serious in world history. The leak of large amounts of radioactive materials has had far-reaching implications on the marine environment, food safety and human health.
On 13th April, the Japanese government decided to dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant accident by discharging it into the sea. This is highly irresponsible and will severely affect human health and the immediate interests of people in neighboring countries. As close neighbors and stakeholders, the Pacific island countries have expressed grave concern over this.
On 4th July, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released the Comprehensive Report on the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which concludes that Japan’s plan to discharge the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea complies with international safety standards. And the IAEA will conduct long-term monitoring over Japan’s discharge activities.
It is reported that the Report failed to fully reflect the views from experts that participated in the review, and the conclusion was not shared by all experts. Even the IAEA Director-General Grossi stated that the IAEA conducted the review at the request of the Japanese government and the report is neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of Japan’s ocean discharge policy. It is regrettable to have such a hasty release of the report.
Just on 26th June 2023, Henry Puna, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum, made a statement on the Fukushima treated nuclear wastewater, stating that “the Pacific Islands Forum remains fully committed to addressing strong concerns for the significance of the potential threat of nuclear contamination to the health and security of the Blue Pacific, its people, and prospects.” He said, “I remain heartened by the assurance that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has given the Forum Chair and Leaders, in that Japan will not discharge the ALPS treated nuclear wastewater until such time that all parties agree that it is verifiably safe to do so.”
Yet a few days later, with the IAEA releasing such a report, the Japanese Government may really start the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea as soon as in the coming months.
The Japanese government’s pushing ahead with the ocean discharge plan has raised widespread concerns and worries from the international community. Facts have shown that the report did not resolve the strong opposition to the ocean discharge both in Japan and the rest of the world. A survey conducted in 11 countries including China, the ROK, Japan, the Philippines and New Zealand indicates that of the 11,000 respondents, nearly 90 percent showed worries, fear and anger toward the plan, and more than 90 percent of them support their countries in taking measures to intervene in Japan’s ocean discharge plan. According to a joint survey by ROK’s Hankook Ilbo and Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspapers, over 80 percent of ROK people disapprove of Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. Experts and people in the Pacific island countries, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Africa, Peru and other countries protested and voiced their opposition. As neighbors, the Chinese people also have strong concerns over Japan’s discharge plan.
The IAEA report should not be used as the “shield” or “greenlight” for Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. Due to its limited mandate, the IAEA failed to review the justification and legitimacy of Japan’s ocean discharge plan, assess the long-term effectiveness of Japan’s purification facility and corroborate the authenticity and accuracy of Japan’s nuclear-contaminated water data. Therefore, the conclusion is largely limited and incomplete.
No matter what the report says, it will not change the fact that Japan will release millions of tonnes of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean in the next three decades. Will Japan’s purification facility be effective in the long-term? Can the international community be timely informed when the discharged water exceeds the discharge limit? What impact will the long term accumulation and concentration of radionuclides bring to the marine environment, food safety and people’s health? These are the questions that the IAEA Report failed to answer.
12 years ago, Japan received supports from all over the world in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident. 12 years later, Japan has chosen to shift the risk of nuclear contamination onto the whole of humanity, which contravenes both international moral responsibility and legal obligations under international law. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) stipulates that States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment, and the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter in 1972 prohibits the dumping of all radioactive wastes into the ocean from man-made structures at sea.
Pacific island countries, including Tonga, are made up 1% of land and 99% of the ocean, which will bear the consequences of the nuclear-contaminated water for the generations to come. The stakes are too high. No humanity can afford to ignore risks that might lead to a mishap.
Voices from the Pacific island countries need to be heard. The Japanese government must stop pushing forward its ocean discharge plan, and earnestly dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, safe and transparent manner, and faithfully fulfill its moral responsibility and obligations under international law
