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Japan has announced that it will initiate the release of radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on Thursday. This decision has prompted China to express concerns regarding food safety and led to Hong Kong banning certain Japanese seafood imports.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed that over 1 million tonnes of treated water will be discharged from the plant. The release process is expected to span several decades and is met with opposition from local fishermen who fear damage to their reputation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a review last month and concluded that Japan’s plan to release the water adheres to international safety standards. Tokyo strategically timed the release to avoid straining its recent improved relationship with South Korea.
Japan deliberately postponed the water release until after a trilateral summit at Camp David where it strengthened security ties with the US and South Korea to counter China’s growing assertiveness. South Korea has expressed no scientific or technical objections to the water release plans.
However, public opposition in Japan and neighboring countries remains strong due to concerns about potential contamination of ocean water and seafood.
China, which has been conducting radiation testing on seafood imports from Japan, reiterated its commitment to protecting food safety and warned Japan of the repercussions. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson stated that Japan’s actions prioritize its own interests at the expense of humanity’s well-being.
In response, Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, voiced strong opposition to the discharge plan, considering it to be a threat to food safety. Consequently, Hong Kong enacted a ban on aquatic products from Tokyo and nine Japanese prefectures. The prohibition encompasses live, frozen, chilled, and dried seafood products, as well as sea salt and seaweed. Macau, a Chinese territory, also imposed a ban on food products from the affected areas in Japan.
Japan’s consulate in Hong Kong expressed disappointment regarding the ban and refuted claims of irresponsibility, stating that the plans had undergone a six-year review by the IAEA.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant experienced nuclear meltdowns in 2011 due to a tsunami that disrupted its cooling systems. As a result, water used for cooling the reactors, as well as groundwater entering the site, became contaminated with radioactive substances.
Efforts have been made to treat the contaminated water and remove most radioactive material using advanced filtration systems. However, it is currently not feasible to eliminate tritium, a radioactive hydrogen isotope, from the water.
Japan maintains that the dose of radiation from the Fukushima water would be less than one-seventh of the World Health Organization’s drinking water standard. Tritium has a half-life of 12.3 years.
Simon Wong, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, expressed concern about the ban’s impact on Japanese restaurants and seafood importers in Hong Kong, despite the fact that many do not import seafood from the affected areas.
He remarked, “The negative news surrounding this issue might make people more cautious about dining at Japanese restaurants.”
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