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Contaminated water storage tanks at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Okuma City, Fukushima Prefecture, January 20, 2023.
photo: Fong Philips/AFP
go through Ligeula Ribbon In Tokyo
Pacific leaders have reached a consensus with Japan on resolving the contentious issue of the discharge of treated nuclear waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Last August, Japan began releasing wastewater from about 1,000 storage tanks that held a total of 1.34 million metric tons of contaminated water collected after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
The agreement was reached on Thursday at the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting (PALM10) in the Japanese capital Tokyo, attended by leaders of most Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida assured Pacific Islands Forum leaders that the discharge activities were in line with international safety standards and practices.
He stressed Japan’s commitment to continued cooperation with the IAEA to ensure the safety and transparency of the process.
“This discharge complies with relevant international safety standards and practices, and we will continue to work closely with the IAEA,” Kishida said.
Cook Islands Prime Minister and Pacific Islands Forum Chairman Mark Brown led negotiations for the deal, which focused on decades of discharges of water treated by nuclear power plants owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company.
Pacific leaders stressed the importance of working together to protect the health, environment and marine resources of the Pacific region, and the need for Japan to maintain transparency.
Leaders of Pacific island countries and territories pose for a group photo at the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo on July 18, 2024.
photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
“This process must be based on scientific evidence and conducted with a high degree of transparency, ensuring it does not jeopardize the well-being and livelihoods of Pacific people, or have adverse impacts on human health and the marine environment,” Brown said.
Japan will support the development of regional scientific capabilities through the International Atomic Energy Agency, as requested by Pacific Islands Forum leaders.
“We appreciate Japan’s commitment to improving our scientific capabilities. The IAEA’s involvement is critical to ensuring the security and transparency of this process,” Brown said.
Tepco uses a process called the Advanced Liquid Processing System, in which special filters are used to remove most of the 62 radioactive substances, radionuclides such as cesium, strontium, iodine and cobalt, but not tritium, from the contaminated water.
Leaders agreed to make ALPS water treatment a standing agenda item for future PALM-Japan meetings and to support it through a continuing review process. Their decision reflects concerns about addressing long-term impacts and ensuring ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
Despite the consensus reached at the summit, wastewater discharge is still questioned by some scientists.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands during a joint press conference following the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo on July 18, 2024.
photo: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP
Robert Richmond, a research professor and director of the University of Hawaii’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory, said there are still concerns about the effectiveness of ALPS treatment and the contents of thousands of radioactive wastewater storage tanks.
“The long-term effects of this discharge on Pacific marine ecosystems and those who depend on them remain unknown,” Richmond said in a statement to BenarNews after the agreement was signed. “Even small doses of radiation could cause cancer or genetic damage.”
He criticized current monitoring programs as inadequate, poorly designed, and unable to protect ocean and human health.
“This release will last for decades and is irreversible. The radionuclides will accumulate in marine organisms and will be passed through the food web, affecting marine life and humans who consume the affected seafood,” Richmond said.
He also expressed concern about other stressors facing the Pacific Ocean, such as pollution, overfishing and climate change. He urged Japan to reconsider its approach and suggested that Japan could turn this challenge into an opportunity for responsible disaster management.
“Japan can set a new direction for responding to disasters like this one, supporting the health of people in Japan, the Pacific region, and the world,” he said. “True leaders will seize this unprecedented and critical opportunity.”
At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Brown reaffirmed the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ commitment to innovative and collective approaches to addressing the economic challenges facing the Pacific region.
“To realize the full potential of our people and resources, we must explore new strategies and work together to overcome the challenges we face together,” he said.
Copyright © 2015-2024, BenarNews. Used with permission from BenarNews.
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