Japan said Tuesday that it has decided to release more than 1 million tons of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. The release seems inevitable on the part of Japan; but is drawing a furious reaction from neighboring countries such as South Korea and China due to safety concerns.
The Japanese government and plant operator TEPCO argue that the release is safe as the contaminated water has been processed to remove almost all radioactive elements and will be diluted. They also said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has endorsed the planned water discharge. The U.S. is also supporting the release, saying the Japanese government “appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards.”
However, South Korea immediately expressed regret over Japan's decision. Koo Yoon-cheol, head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said that Seoul will take every necessary measure to keep the Korean people safe from the water to be released from the crippled Fukushima plant. He urged Japan to ensure transparent disclosure and verification of information related to the overall treatment process of the Fukushima water.
China has also lashed out at Japan for making an “irresponsible” decision that could seriously damage international public health and safety. Its foreign ministry pointed out that the decision had been taken “without regard for domestic and foreign doubts and opposition.”
Japan should pay more heed to growing voices against its plan to dump the water polluted with radioactive materials. It must take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of the people in neighboring countries and prevent damage to the marine environment. It is regrettable to see Japan trying to ignore concerns about the water release that could pose a grave threat to people as well as nature. Even its own people, particularly fishermen, are opposing the discharge of the water into the sea.
Japan said there is no safety problem because the polluted water will be treated through an extensive pumping and filtration system known as the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS). But it must realize that some radioactive materials cannot be removed. One such material is tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is harmful to human health. That's why international environmental groups such as Greenpeace are strongly against the dumping of the water into the ocean.
Now, the Japanese government needs to reconsider its ill-conceived decision. It should make efforts to find an alternative method for water disposal. Once the water is released, Japan cannot prevent unexpected consequences from taking place. Thus, it must work together with the international community more closely to look for viable options to deal with the contaminated water. We hope that Tokyo will not repeat the same mistake it made with the Fukushima reactor meltdown which was triggered by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.