{"id":235930,"date":"2023-05-29T12:00:26","date_gmt":"2023-05-29T11:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=235930"},"modified":"2023-05-23T06:06:06","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T05:06:06","slug":"japans-fukushima-water-release-plan-falls-short-of-full-g7-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2023\/05\/japans-fukushima-water-release-plan-falls-short-of-full-g7-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan\u2019s Fukushima Water Release Plan Falls Short of Full G7 Support"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An aerial photo of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima Prefecture on April 7, 2021.<\/p><\/div>\n

18 Apr 2023 – <\/em>Japan has failed to secure unanimous support from the Group of Seven (G7) for its planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant<\/a> into the ocean later this year due to opposition from Germany.<\/p>\n

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The two-day G7 ministers\u2019 meeting on climate, energy and environment wrapped up in Japan\u2019s Sapporo on Sunday, with the participants adopting a joint statement.<\/p>\n

The statement welcomed progress in the dismantlement of the plant and Tokyo\u2019s transparent efforts to scientifically conduct the process in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA). It also expressed support for the IAEA\u2019s safety verification regarding the water release.<\/p>\n

Experts said the split views within the G7 showed that Japan\u2019s reckless decision cannot even win the endorsement of its closest allies, not to mention among the international community.<\/p>\n

At a press conference after the two-day G7 Ministers\u2019 Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said that \u201cthe steady decommissioning progress including the release of treated water into the ocean will be welcomed,\u201d Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on Sunday.<\/p>\n

However, his remarks have been met with opposition from the German side.<\/p>\n

Germany\u2019s Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection Steffi Lemke said that she respects the efforts made by Tokyo Electric Power Co, operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and the Japanese government after the nuclear accident, but she \u201ccannot welcome the release of the treated water,\u201d the newspaper reported.<\/p>\n

Experts noted that Japan and Germany, which both belong to the G7 and developed countries club, normally would support each other on international occasions. However, the reason why Germany has voiced opposition this time is that, as an expert in this area, Germany knows that Japan\u2019s claim that the nuclear-contaminated wastewater has met the disposal standard after treatment is a big cover-up that has left out a significant part of the truth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are over 60 nuclear radioactive substances released from the tainted wastewater that cannot be completely removed. Only part of them can be filtered by devices, while the others were diluted by adding water,\u201d Zhou Yongsheng, deputy director of the Japanese Studies Center at the China Foreign Affairs University, explained to the Global Times on Monday.<\/p>\n

After the press conference, Nishimura admitted to the media that he was \u201cslightly wrong\u201d in saying that Japan\u2019s discharge plan was welcomed by everyone.<\/p>\n

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin commented on the German minister\u2019s remarks on Monday, saying that Japan has ignored legitimate safety concerns raised by the international community and attempted to downplay the hazards of dumping nuclear-contaminated water into the sea for political purposes, and tried to rope in other countries\u2019 endorsement of the plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch a deliberate attempt to whitewash wrong decisions is doomed to be futile,\u201d Wang noted.<\/p>\n

The Japanese government in January announced that its controversial plan to dump radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean will start to be carried out \u201cin the spring or summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The international community has expressed strong concern over and opposition to the plan. At home, it is also faced with a great number of protests by the public.<\/p>\n

According to a recent global poll by China Global Television Network, which drew the participation of over 30,000 netizens from various countries within 24 hours, as many as 93 percent of the respondents strongly opposed Japan\u2019s dumping plan, and 90 percent said they found it hard to believe Japan\u2019s claim that the treated nuclear-contaminated wastewater was safe and harmless.<\/p>\n

Some 86 percent of the respondents criticised Japan\u2019s disposal of the radioactive wastewater as unscientific and nontransparent.<\/p>\n

Greenpeace, an independent environmental campaigning organisation, said in an article published on Sunday that the nations of the G7 are choosing politics over science and the protection of the marine environment by supporting the Japanese government\u2019s dumping plan.<\/p>\n

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also cited the Greenpeace article at the Monday press briefing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Japanese government is desperate for international endorsement for its Pacific Ocean radioactive water dumping plans. It has failed to protect its own citizens as well as nations across the wider Asia-Pacific region,\u201d said Shaun Burnie, senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace East Asia. \u201cIts plans are a violation of the UN Convention Law of the Sea.\u201d<\/p>\n

The G7 Ministers\u2019 Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment serves as a prelude to the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan scheduled in May, where observers believe that Japan, as this year\u2019s chair, will seek to include a \u201cwelcome\u201d from G7 members on its controversial dumping plan.<\/p>\n

Based on the reactions from the German environmental minister, the May summit could again fall short of Japan\u2019s expectations, Zhou noted, as it is unlikely that a consensus could be reached to support, not to mention welcome, such a plan.<\/p>\n

However, experts said that opposition by the G7 is unlikely due to political considerations \u2013 such as pressure from the U.S for an ever-closer U.S-Japan alliance.<\/p>\n

Reacting to the G7 joint statement on Sunday, South Korea said it does not represent the final assessment of the safety of the program by IAEA, while reiterating its position that Japan\u2019s nuclear-contaminated wastewater discharge plan must ensure safety on a scientific and objective level and meet international standards. Transparency must also be ensured in all processes of the discharge, said a press release from the South Korean government.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Germany switched off its last three nuclear reactors on Saturday, exiting atomic power even as it seeks to wean itself off fossil fuels and manage an energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

While many Western countries are upping their investments in atomic energy to reduce their emissions, Germany brought an early end to its nuclear age. It\u2019s \u201cthe end of an era,\u201d the RWE energy firm said in a statement shortly after midnight confirming the three reactors had been disconnected from the electricity grid.<\/p>\n

Go to Original – islandsbusiness.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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