STORY: Japan's planned release of radioactive wastewater into sea "irresponsible": Fijian scholar
DATELINE: June 24, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:11
LOCATION: Suva
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of protests against Japan's planned release of radioactive wastewater
2. various of the Pacific Ocean
3. SOUNDBITE (English): KALINGA SENEVIRATNE, Consultant with journalism program at USP
4. various of Fiji islands

STORYLINE:

A Fijian scholar has slammed Japan for planning to dump radioactive wastewater from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.

He told Xinhua that Japan should not pollute the sea with nuclear waste, as it will harm the Pacific territories, including the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty areas.

SOUNDBITE (English): KALINGA SENEVIRATNE, Consultant with journalism program at USP
"What Japan is doing what I see is, in the international context, quite an irresponsible thing, because Japan is part of the Western alliance, which always talks about protecting a 'rules-based order.' And there's the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, which was signed by almost all the member states of the Pacific Islands Forum, which includes Australia and New Zealand. So under that treaty, it's very clear, especially in article 7, it says each party undertakes not to dump radioactive waste and other radioactive matter at sea anywhere within the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone.
And now, Japan is not a signature to it, but it's a dialogue partner to it. And Japan lies just on the border of the zone. But what Japan will be dumping would flow into this zone, and impact the water. It could pollute the water with nuclear substance. And in the long term, it could also have impact on the fisheries. So if you're talking about protecting a 'rules-based order,' Japan should be responsible in following the rules."

The livelihoods of Pacific Islanders depend heavily on the marine environment. These island countries that suffered from nuclear tests conducted by the United States and others in the Pacific Ocean now hold a strong stance against the discharge plan, making them critical targets of the Japanese government.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Suva.
(XHTV)