When Japan began releasing treated radioactive water from Fukushima last month, Russia and China were quick to criticize the move and suggest it was unsafe. Now, in an interview with HuffPost, a Japanese government official accused the two countries of spreading disinformation.
“It’s political,” said an anonymous official. “Misinformation — disinformation — is causing reputational damage and adversely affecting the lives of people in Fukushima.”
In August, the state-owned Tokyo Electric Power Company started releasing heavily diluted and filtered water containing small amounts of tritium, a harmless radioactive isotope of hydrogen, into the Pacific Ocean. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said this method was safer than storing the water in tanks, which could pose risks such as leaks in an earthquake. They also promised to monitor the process independently. Despite the fact that China and Russia routinely release tritium from their own reactors, they criticized Japan’s actions.
Beijing accused Tokyo of treating the ocean as a “sewer” and even banned imports of Japanese seafood, which cut off a major market for the fishing industry. Russia also increased its criticism of Japan, expressing concerns about transparency. Moreover, Chinese and Russian governments sent questionnaires to Japan, which appeared to ignore previous responses.
Nuclear energy has long been associated with the dangers of atomic weapons, leading to misconceptions and panic over radiation. Surveys show a “perception gap” where respondents assume the public is more opposed to atomic energy than they actually are.
In Japan, a poll by Jiji Press showed that nearly 53% of respondents supported releasing treated water from Fukushima into the sea, representing a significant shift from previous polls. However, panic has intensified in China due to rumors spreading on social media about water from Fukushima causing cancer and other diseases. This sparked a rush to buy iodized salt, believed by many to protect against radiation sickness. However, table salt does not provide enough iodine for protection, and overeating it can harm the body.
The pressure from China and Russia coincides with Japan’s efforts to revive its nuclear energy industry. Japan recently restarted a reactor and is looking to generate more electricity from nuclear energy as a way to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and stabilize its grids. However, tensions within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could hinder the growth of the nuclear industry. Both China and the US have fallen behind on paying dues to the organization, creating a significant funding gap that could affect the agency’s work.
In conclusion, the release of treated water from Fukushima has sparked criticism from China and Russia, who have been accused of spreading disinformation. Despite the support for the release within Japan, panic and misconceptions about radiation persist. Japan’s revival of its nuclear energy industry could face challenges due to tensions within the IAEA and funding gaps.
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