Many parties continue to criticize Japan's "sewage discharge" plan! China will strengthen inspection and quarantine of seafood imports

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a comprehensive assessment report on the disposal of contaminated water in Fukushima, Japan, on the 4th. Many parties in the international community believe that the report fails to comprehensively assess the possible impact of Japan's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, and that Japan's use of this to advance the relevant plan will cause serious problems. China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration) said on the 5th that the ministry has found out the background of the current marine radiation environment in relevant sea areas. In response to the monitoring of the marine radiation environment after the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water is discharged into the sea, the Ministry has made arrangements to give timely warning if abnormalities are found, so as to effectively safeguard national interests and people's health. On the other hand, there is strong opposition in South Korea to Japan's exclusion of the sea, but the latest statement of the Yoon Seok-hyeol government has caused strong dissatisfaction in public opinion. Peter O'Neill, former Prime Minister of Pacific Island Papua New Guinea, said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times on the 5th that the country's citizens do not believe the report that "the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea is harmless to marine life and the safety of people in neighboring countries", and is disappointed with Japan. According to Japanese media reports, based on the IAEA report, the Japanese government plans to start discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea as early as August this year.

China will strengthen the inspection and quarantine of seafood imports

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on the 5th that the IAEA report cannot prove the legitimacy of Japan's sea drainage plan, give legitimacy to Japan's sea drainage plan, ensure the safety of Japan's sea drainage plan, and guarantee the effectiveness of monitoring arrangements. The relevant departments of the Chinese government will strengthen the monitoring of the marine environment, strengthen the inspection and quarantine of imported seafood, and ensure public health and food safety.

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration) said on the 5th that Japan's current monitoring arrangements still have the following problems: First, the monitoring before the discharge of nuclear contaminated water is delayed, and it is impossible to judge whether the discharge is qualified at the first time, which may lead to the direct discharge of nuclear contaminated water that does not meet the standards into the ocean. Second, the monitoring of nuclear contaminated water after mixing may cause unreasonable dilution, and the Japanese side will sample and monitor 10 cans of nuclear contaminated water after mixing, which may cause high concentration of nuclear contaminated water to be diluted into nuclear contaminated water that meets the standard by low concentration of nuclear contaminated water. Third, there should be open and transparent long-term international monitoring, and the discharge of Fukushima's contaminated water should be subject to open and transparent international monitoring and supervision with the participation of stakeholders, rather than just arranging "showcase" monitoring led by Japan.

"The wording of the IAEA report shows that internal experts have different opinions", Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao quoted Lu Binglin, chairman of the Hong Kong Nuclear Society in China, on the 5th, saying that some of the words of the IAEA report lacked certainty, the wording was not direct, or showed that the IAEA experts were not unanimous, hoping that the IAEA could further explain. For example, Lu Binglin said that the words "know" rather than "consent" are used in the IAEA report, which can be interpreted as saying that although the agency does not oppose Japan's discharge of treated water into the sea, it does not mean that it agrees with the relevant practices. Lu Binglin judged that although most of the experts in the organization agreed, some experts raised doubts, so they could not reach a consensus, which made the wording of the report more uncertain.

"Gross violation of national interests"

According to Yonhap News Agency reported on the 5th, Park Chaoran, the first director (vice minister) of the South Korean State Affairs Adjustment Office, said at a press conference on the same day that the IAEA is an internationally recognized authority, and respecting its conclusions is the basic position of the South Korean government. The South Korean government previously said that Grossi will visit South Korea for three days from 7 to 9. Regarding the possibility of lifting the ban on the import of Fukushima aquatic products, Park said that the important thing is not the deadline, and the government will never import until the people confirm their scientific safety and are mentally prepared.

"The South Korean government's attitude is ambiguous", the "Korea Times" said on the 5th, Seoul's position of respecting the IAEA's findings seems to be contradictory, South Korea's Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries announced on the same day that based on concerns about the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea, the South Korean government will launch an "unprecedented intensity of special inspection action" on the origin of imported seafood.

According to South Korea's KBS TV report on the 5th, South Korea's largest opposition party United Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said that it is absolutely impossible to accept a report tailored for Japan, no matter how it is packaged, Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant nuclear contaminated water discharge into the sea is a complete violation of national interests. On the same day, South Korea's "National Teachers' and Staff Labor Association" and a number of parent groups held a press conference in front of the president's office in Yongsan in Seoul, which was the first time that South Korea's education sector and students' parents formed a united front against the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea. A joint declaration signed by 18,735 teachers, students and parents against the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea was issued at the press conference. If Japan forcibly discharges nuclear-contaminated water, South Korean students will inevitably ingest seafood accumulated by radioactive materials, which will seriously threaten their right to life, the declaration said.

Due to geographical location and ocean currents, Pacific island countries are expected to be greatly affected by the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima. "We are disappointed that Japan still plans to discharge contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean because we are not convinced by scientific reports that claim that the discharge of contaminated water into the sea is harmless to marine life and the people involved." Former Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O'Neill told the Global Times reporter on the 5th that the country will continue to question the United Nations and other relevant international institutions and ask them to respond to the doubts of the people in the Pacific region.

Japan plans to start "pollutant discharge" in August

According to the "Japan Economic News" reported on the 5th, based on the report released by the IAEA on the 4th, the Japanese government plans to discharge the nuclear contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea as early as August this year. Japan's Atomic Energy Regulation Commission held a regular meeting on the same day, announcing that the pre-use inspection of the nuclear-contaminated water discharge facilities at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant "found no problems" at the site, and is expected to issue a "final certificate" to Tokyo Electric Power Company on the 7th, which means that the inspection has passed. According to Japan's NHK TV reported on the 5th, IAEA Director-General Grossi inspected the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on the same day and opened a permanent office for IAEA staff in the nuclear power plant.

On the evening of the 5th, nearly 100 Japanese citizens' groups held a protest rally near the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Company, and the people at the scene held up banners with slogans such as "Don't discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea" and shouted slogans such as "protect the sea", "protect the future" and "oppose the discharge of the sea", expressing their resolute opposition to the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. Yanagida, a representative of civil organizations, said at the scene that the IAEA report just released is neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water, but the Japanese government is trying to use this report to accelerate the process of discharging nuclear-contaminated water, which is unacceptable to many ordinary people. Another citizen group representative Yamazaki Hisutaka said that out of its own economic self-interest, the Japanese government and TEPCO insisted on promoting the plan to discharge the sea without regard to other feasible ways to dispose of nuclear-contaminated water. Tokyo citizen Sachiko One, who attended the rally, told the Global Times that once the contaminated water is discharged into the sea, it will inevitably cause a "grave crime" pollution risk to Japan itself and neighboring countries. The Japanese government and TEPCO should immediately halt the plan to drain the sea, and fully consult with relevant stakeholder groups and countries to find a better way to deal with it beyond the drainage.

【Global Times special correspondent in Japan and South Korea Yue Linwei, Lin Sen, Global Times reporter Bai Yunyi, Xie Wenting, Global Times special correspondent Wang Qiang, Zhen Xiang】

Source: Global Times