TOKYO: Japan authorities will release water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday. China has strongly criticized the plan of Japan. Japan’s fishing groups also said they feared the release of water would lead to reputational damages.
Tokyo Set to Release Fukushima Water Amid Seafood Import Bans
However, Tokyo said that the water release is harmless. Similarly, in a statement, the IAEA greenlighted the Japanese plan in July, adding it met global standards and the impact it would have on people in the area and the environment was “insignificant.”
Despite such pledges, Macau and Hong Kong said that they would executive a ban on Japan’s seafood from and Fukushima and Tokyo starting Thursday. Beijing will also take necessary steps to provide protection to the marine environment, public health, and food safety, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has termed the step “selfish.” He maintained Beijing was deeply concerned regarding the decision and had also registered a formal complaint.
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Similarly, the South Korean majority opposition political party and civil groups stepped up protest demonstrations on Wednesday against Tokyo’s plan. Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has also come under criticism for saying that its own valuation found no issues with the scientific aspects of the release of water.
In a statement, Hong Kong CEO John Lee termed the discharge as “irresponsible” and said the authorities in the city would impose a ban on the import of seaweed.
