Japan’s nuclear-polluted water discharged from the sea on the 24th gathered to protest.

On August 22nd, the Japanese people held an emergency rally in front of the Tokyo Prime Minister’s residence to protest against the government’s disregard of public opinion to start discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea.

　　"No discharge of nuclear polluted water!" "Listen to the voice of fishermen!" "Don’t pollute the sea!" Yesterday, many Japanese people shouted slogans in front of the Japanese Prime Minister’s residence in Tokyo in the rain to protest against the government’s decision to start the Fukushima nuclear polluted water discharge into the sea on August 24 that morning. Earlier, Yasin Sakamoto, president of the National Federation of Fishery Associations, reiterated in a meeting with Prime Minister kishida fumio that the position of anti-nuclear pollution water discharging into the sea remained unchanged.

　　Kishida finalized the start date of sea discharge.

　　The Japanese government held a cabinet meeting on the morning of 22nd, and kishida fumio said that as long as the weather and marine meteorology are fine, the sea discharge will be started on 24th. He claimed that the Japanese government will be responsible for discharging the sea in the next few decades until all the so-called "treated water" is disposed of.

　　After returning home from the meeting at Camp David in the United States, Japan and South Korea on the 19th, kishida fumio accelerated the plan of discharging nuclear polluted water from Fukushima into the sea. On the 20th, he inspected the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant; On the 21st, he met with representatives of fishing groups such as Japan National Fisheries Association and Fukushima Fishery Association at the Prime Minister’s residence, trying to gain understanding. However, the delegates attending said that the fishing industry will continue to oppose the discharge of nuclear polluted water into the ocean without the understanding of the people.

　　On April 13, 2021, the Japanese government decided to filter and dilute millions of tons of nuclear contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and discharge it into the sea, on the grounds that the storage tank of nuclear contaminated water in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is almost full. According to Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, by the summer and autumn of this year, there will be "nowhere to store" nuclear polluted water, and failure to discharge it into the sea will delay the scrapping of nuclear power plants.

　　Trigger an emergency rally to protest.

　　On the morning of the 22nd, many Japanese people gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s residence to protest against the Japanese government’s decision to start discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea. One of the organizers, Xiu Xiushu, said that the Japanese government’s forced decision to promote the discharge of nuclear polluted water into the sea was extremely angry. The Japanese government calls the nuclear polluted water to be discharged "treated water", but no matter how it is treated, the nature of nuclear polluted water will not change. Long Xiushu stressed that people who oppose the sea exclusion will continue to speak out strongly and fight with all their strength in the future.

　　Koko Furukawa, whose hometown is near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, told reporters that she was forced to take refuge for a long time because of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Prime Minister kishida fumio claimed that he would be responsible for the whole process of discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea, but he was "not qualified, authorized or entitled" to take responsibility.

　　In 2015, the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company promised the fishermen in Fukushima that they would not dispose of the nuclear polluted water without authorization until they were understood by the stakeholders. Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, criticized that the government trampled on the agreement reached with stakeholders. The Japanese government ignored the opposition and decided to start the sea discharge, which is a "brazen move."

　　According to the results of a national public opinion survey conducted by Japan’s Kyodo News Agency from 19th to 20th, more than 80% of the respondents thought that the Japanese government’s explanation on nuclear polluted water was "insufficient".

　　Ignore fishing groups and reiterate their opposition

　　Masanobu Sakamoto, president of the National Federation of Fishery Associations of Japan, reiterated on the 21st that there is no change in his opposition to discharging Fukushima nuclear polluted water into the sea without national understanding.

　　Yasin Sakamoto made the above statement in a meeting with kishida fumio on the same day. Although kishida fumio promised during the meeting that he would continue to take necessary measures to help the fishermen, Sakamoto Yasin still expressed his position against the discharge of nuclear polluted water into the sea.

　　In addition, in a meeting with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura on the same day, Sakamoto said that once the nuclear polluted water starts to be discharged into the sea, it will probably last for decades, and Japanese fishermen are very uneasy and worried about this.

　　"The sea is the work place of fishermen, and no one has the right to pollute the sea." On July 30th, the first phase of the 2023 World Conference on the Prohibition of Atomic Bombs and Hydrogen Bombs, sponsored by the Japanese National Conference on the Prohibition of Atomic Bombs and Hydrogen Bombs, was held in Fukushima City. Xiao Ye Chunxiong, a fisherman from Shinichi-CHO, Fukushima Prefecture, said this at the meeting.

　　Regarding the scheme of discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea, Xiao Ye said that once the sea is polluted, it cannot be removed. "It is most reassuring to keep the nuclear polluted water in a water storage tank.".

　　Zhuangzi Gongjiang, whose husband is a fisherman, said that she was very shocked to hear people around her say that if she started to discharge, she would not let the children eat fish.

　　Suzuki, whose husband and son are fishermen, expressed anxiety about the future of Fukushima fishery. She said, I don’t know whether to let my son continue to engage in fishing, let alone what will happen to my grandson’s generation.

　　Wenhetu/Xinhua News Agency

　　pay close attention

　　Foreign Ministry spokesperson: We have made solemn representations to the Japanese side.

　　In response to the Japanese government’s decision to start the discharge of Fukushima nuclear polluted water into the sea recently, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on the 22nd that Japan’s move was extremely irresponsible. China has made solemn representations to Japan and will take all necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety and public health.

　　Wang Wenbin said that despite the serious concern and resolute opposition of the international community, the Japanese government insisted on announcing that the Fukushima nuclear polluted water would be discharged into the sea on August 24, openly transferring the risk of nuclear pollution to the whole world, and putting its own self-interest above the long-term well-being of all mankind. This is extremely selfish and irresponsible. China is seriously concerned and strongly opposed, and has made solemn representations to Japan.

　　He said that for more than two years, the legitimacy, legality and safety of the Fukushima nuclear pollution water discharge plan have been questioned by the international community. Up to now, the Japanese side has not solved the major concerns of the international community about the long-term reliability of the nuclear polluted water purification device, the authenticity and accuracy of the nuclear polluted water data, and the effectiveness of the monitoring arrangement for discharging the sea. China and other stakeholders have repeatedly pointed out that if the nuclear polluted water is safe, there is no need to discharge it into the sea, and if it is unsafe, it should not be discharged into the sea. It is unfair, unreasonable and unnecessary for Japan to force nuclear polluted water into the sea.

　　"Regrettably, the Japanese side turned a deaf ear to international voices, deliberately created the illusion that the sea discharge was safe and harmless, and even unreasonably accused neighboring countries that expressed legitimate concerns. What it did has aroused strong indignation among neighboring countries and domestic people." Wang Wenbin said.

　　Wang Wenbin said that the ocean is the common property of all mankind, and the Japanese side should not be allowed to dump nuclear polluted water. China strongly urges Japan to correct its wrong decision, cancel its plan to discharge nuclear polluted water into the sea, communicate with neighboring countries in good faith, dispose of nuclear polluted water in a responsible manner and accept strict international supervision. China will take all necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety and public health. Text/Xinhua News Agency