Japanese People Rally Against Discharge of Nuclear-Contaminated Water on Sea Day
Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo – July 17th
Japanese citizens marked the statutory holiday “Sea Day” on July 17th in a unique way this year. The Japanese people organized several events and activities to protest against the proposed discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea.
Under the scorching sun, the “Don’t Discharge (Nuclear) Contaminated Water into the Sea—Protect the Ocean and Life” rally took place in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Organized by citizen groups such as “Don’t pollute the ocean again! Citizens’ Meeting,” the rally saw the participation of fishermen and other concerned individuals who expressed their strong opposition to the government’s plan. They called on authorities to reconsider and find alternative solutions.
Simultaneously, the “Future Ocean” project was launched on the same day by non-profit organizations including the Fukushima Prefecture Peace Forum. The initiative aims to prevent the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea, thus safeguarding the ocean’s well-being.
Gu Masashi, director of the National Assembly for Prohibiting Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, one of the initiators of the “Future Ocean” project, announced in a press conference that the campaign would collect signatures and establish a homepage. Additionally, they plan to create short videos and use other means to spread awareness and opposition against the proposed discharge, both nationally and internationally.
The organization firmly believes that rather than immediate discharge, exploring the installation of additional water storage tanks is necessary. The radioactive substances resulting from the nuclear accident cannot be released into nature once again; instead, they should be stored securely. The end goal is to leave behind a clean and unpolluted ocean for future generations.
Gu Masashi highlighted that even if the Japanese government proceeds with the discharge plan, implementation would take a considerable amount of time. Therefore, the “Future Ocean” project vows to persist in its opposition and continue fighting against the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water.
“Leaving a clean ocean for the future is, of course, the responsibility of our generation,” said Gu Yazhi.
Meanwhile, the fishing industry remains steadfast in its opposition to the proposed discharge. Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura visited the National Federation of Fisheries Associations of Japan on the 14th to hold talks with its chairman, Masanobu Sakamoto. In a subsequent interview with Japanese media, Sakamoto emphasized that unless he is reassured about the emissions, his position of opposition will not change.
On the 11th, Nozaki Tetsu, president of the Fukushima Prefecture Federation of Fishery Cooperative Associations, also expressed his opposition to the discharge during discussions with Minister Nishimura. He stressed that the agreement states, “no disposal (of nuclear-contaminated water) will be carried out without the understanding of relevant parties,” and therefore, discharging into the sea cannot be tolerated.
According to a poll conducted by Japan’s Kyodo News on the 16th, over 80% of the respondents felt that the Japanese government’s explanation for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea was inadequate.
The opposition against the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water remains strong among the Japanese people, fishermen, and various civic groups. As the government continues to face mounting pressure, finding alternative solutions for the safe disposal of the contaminated water remains an urgent matter.