STORY: Concerns rage as Japan moves closer to discharging nuclear-contaminated wastewater DATELINE: Aug. 9, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:41
LOCATION: Tokyo
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): TOSHIMITSU KONNO, Head of Fukushima prefecture's Soma Futaba Fisheries Cooperative Association
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Korean): JU CHEOL-HYEON, South Korea's National Assembly
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Japanese): HIDEYUKI BAN, Co-director of Citizens' Nuclear Information Center
 
STORYLINE:
 
The Japanese government has been intensifying efforts to make final preparations to commence the discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean, increasing the world's concern over its controversial plan.
 
Local media reported on Monday that Japan is mulling the discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea beginning in between late August and early September.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (Japanese): TOSHIMITSU KONNO, Head of Fukushima prefecture's Soma Futaba Fisheries Cooperative Association
"We are dead against the release. The most important agreement the Japanese government and (the plant's operator) Tokyo Electric Power Company made with us was not to proceed with any disposal without the understanding of us people involved. Catches in the area are now equivalent to only 20 percent of the volume prior to the 2011 earthquake, although fish prices have recovered 70 to 80 percent of the pre-earthquake level in Kanto area, and only 50 percent in Kansai area. Once the contaminated water is discharged, our decade-long efforts have to start all over again."
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (Korean): JU CHEOL-HYEON, South Korea's National Assembly
"With 85 percent of the Korean people opposing the release of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, we have come here with the slogan 'resolutely oppose the ocean release' on behalf of all Korean people. The discharge of Fukushima radioactive water goes beyond Japan's national interests and will lead to the contamination of seawater all over the world, which is an act against the world and humanity. If the wastewater, which contains more than 60 types of radionuclides, is released into the sea, the world's oceans will face serious threats."
 
SOUNDBITE 3 (Japanese): HIDEYUKI BAN, Co-director of Citizens' Nuclear Information Center
"At present, there are 1.3 million tonnes of contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which will continue to increase in the future. Tokyo Electric Power Company plans to discharge the wastewater for more than 30 years, which will affect the marine ecology. If fish and shellfish are contaminated, it will ultimately damage the health of human beings, who are at the top of the food chain. Tokyo Electric Power Company only assessed the uniform spread of radioactive materials in the sea, but in fact, the ocean terrain and currents are complex, and it is not surprising that there will be places with high concentrations of radioactive materials."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tokyo.
(XHTV)