Recently, the discharge of contaminated water from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant has once again attracted global attention. In this regard, the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement that the import of aquatic products originating in Japan will be completely suspended from now on. In response to this matter, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's public tasting of Fukushima seafood caused widespread controversy and doubts.
According to media reports, Kishida and some officials personally went to the contaminated water discharge site in Fukushima Prefecture on August 30 to taste local seafood. Lunch includes a variety of ingredients such as bizi, sea bass, and octopus sashimi. Fumio Kishida said while eating, "It's really different to bite, the crunchy texture is so delicious." The purpose of the tasting campaign is said to be to promote the consumption of fishery products in Fukushima.
However, this act has caused concern and dissatisfaction among many people. First, the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant has always been a serious environmental problem, and although the Japanese government claims that the contaminated water is harmless after treatment, this has not completely allayed people's concerns. The act of tasting seafood was seen as an attempt by the government to convey to the public that nuclear-contaminated water is harmless, but it was questioned.
Second, after the Fukushima nuclear accident, many countries imposed import restrictions on Japanese aquatic products, including the General Administration of Customs of China, which immediately suspended the import of aquatic products originating from Japan. Kishida's attempt to eat Fukushima seafood is seen as an attempt to change public perception of Fukushima seafood in order to reopen the international market. However, this practice may not only be misleading to domestic consumers, but may also lead to international controversy.
For the tasting, the Japanese government and Kishida insisted that Fukushima's seafood was safe and said they were willing to prove to the public that the quality of Fukushima's aquatic products was good. However, many are skeptical, believing that the government is trying to cover up the truth and deliberately mislead the public.
In any case, the issue of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant is a serious environmental problem that needs global attention and solutions. The government should pay more attention to the public's concerns and doubts, and take proactive measures to address the problem, rather than trying to mask or change the public's perception through tasting.