Japan began releasing wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, prompting a furious China to ban all seafood imports from its neighbour.
It is an important step to decommission the site, which remains highly dangerous 12 years after the worst nuclear accident in history.
Live video provided by plant operator TEPCO showed two engineers clicking on computer mouses and an official saying – after a countdown – that the “valves near the seawater transport pumps are opening”.
Japan has repeatedly insisted the wastewater is treated and will be harmless, a position backed by UN atomic watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA announced on Thursday new tests on-site confirmed that levels of radioactive Tritium in water discharged are safe.
China warned that the release would contaminate oceans and Japan responded by calling it “extremely selfish” on Thursday.
It then banned all Japanese seafood imports “to comprehensively prevent the food safety risks of radioactive contamination” – with Japan hours later demanding China lift the ban.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the release, and asked Japan to stop it.
Local fishermen in Japan also voiced their opposition.
On Thursday, about 10 people demonstrated near Fukushima. Another 100 people gathered at the TEPCO headquarters outside Tokyo.
“It is like dropping an atomic weapon in the ocean.” Kenichi Sato, 68, said in Tokyo that Japan is the only country to have been attacked by an atomic weapon in the history of mankind.
Multiple meltdowns
Fukushima Daiichi, a nuclear power plant in the northeastern part of Japan, suffered a meltdown after a tsunami and earthquake that claimed around 18,000 lives in 2011.
TEPCO collected 1,34 million cubic meters of water contaminated by cooling the reactors that were destroyed, as well as groundwater and rain.
Japan says that all radioactive elements have been filtered out except the tritium, levels of which are harmless and lower than what is discharged by operational nuclear power plants – including in China.
Greenpeace, an environmental group, says the filtration system is defective. China and Russia suggest that water could be vaporised, and then released into the air instead.
The majority of experts support Japan’s view.
Tom Scott, from the University of Bristol, said that when tritium was released into the Pacific Ocean it would be further diluted and reach a level of radioactivity which is no different than normal seawater.
TEPCO will release four releases of treated water between Thursday and March 2024.
It is estimated that it will take 30 years to discharge all the wastewater.
TEPCO said that it needed to make room for the removal and disposal of the dangerous nuclear fuels, rubble, and highly radioactive nuclear material from the three nuclear reactors.
Sushi safety
China banned imports of seafood from 10 prefectures in Japan and conducted radiation tests even before the release on Thursday.
Hong Kong and Macau (both Chinese territories) followed suit in the same week.
China has extended its import prohibition to include all of Japan. Fumio KIshida, the Prime Minister, told reporters that Tokyo demanded Beijing “immediately” eliminate the ban. He called for scientific discussions.
Analysts say that although China may have real safety concerns, it’s strong reaction is at least partly motivated by its economic rivalry with Japan and its frosty relationship.
South Korean officials, who are trying to improve relations with Japan, have not raised objections, despite widespread concern and protests.
The police in Seoul arrested over 10 people Thursday for trying to break into the Japanese embassy.
Han Duck-soo, South Korean Premier Han Duck Soo said that there was no need to “be excessively worried” about the Plan.
Han also criticised a campaign he described as “politically motivated” that used “fake-news” to incite fears.
False claims have been made on social media in China and South Korea, including images of deformed or doctored fish that claim to be linked to Fukushima.
‘Future generations’
The Japanese fishing industry is also opposed to the release of the fish, as they are concerned that the government and consumers may shun their products.
Ruiko Muto (70) told AFP that he was worried about the future.
“We cannot pass the responsibility for what happened to our generation on to our children or future generations.”
