Tokyo [Japan], August 23: Japan said it will start releasing treated cooling water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea on Thursday, despite opposition from local fishermen, environmentalists and the Chinese government.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed the plans on Tuesday and said discharging the water into the Pacific - according to a plan which is expected to take some three decades - is a matter that "cannot be postponed."
Japan's nuclear regulatory authority had recently given the green light for the release. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), dumping the water does not pose any danger to humans or the environment. Japan's fishing associations, however, fear that the reputation of their products will be further damaged.
China is also strongly opposed to the plan and called on Japan to cancel the release of the treated radioactive water.
"China urges Japan to correct its wrong decision," a Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. The water must be disposed of responsibly and under strict international supervision, he said. China will take all necessary measures to protect the marine environment, food safety and public health, he added.
Beijing announced weeks ago that it would tighten import regulations for Japanese foodstuffs in the event of a launch.
Furthermore, the existing import ban on food from 10 Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, will be maintained, Chinese customs authorities said. Hisayo Takada of the environmental group Greenpeace Japan said the government had ignored the concerns of fishermen, citizens and the international community.
Source: Qatar Tribune