Japan said on Tuesday that it had decided to gradually release tons of treatedwastewater from the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean, describing it as the best option for disposal despite fierce opposition from fishing crews at home and concern from governments abroad.
“Rather than using the best available technology to minimize radiation hazards by storing and processing the water over the long term,” the statement added, “they have opted for the cheapest option, dumping the water into the Pacific Ocean.”
中國日本是我國的近鄰，不論日本排放廢水是採取近岸排放還是遠洋公共海域排放，放射性核素都將隨洋流在北太平洋海域擴散，我國管轄海域不可避免會受到放射性物質的跨界污染影響。Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian urged Japan to “act in a responsible manner” over the discharge of the water.中國外交部發言人趙立堅敦促日本就排放廢水一事“請負起責任來”。“To safeguard international public interests and Chinese people’s health and safety, China has expressed grave concern to the Japanese side through diplomatic channels,” Zhao said Monday.
Greenpeace Japan said it “strongly condemned” the water’s release, which “completely disregards the human rights and interests of the people in Fukushima, wider Japan and the Asia-Pacific region”.綠色和平組織日本辦公室“強烈譴責”這次廢水排放，稱“完全無視福島、廣大日本和亞太地區人民的人權和利益”。“The Japanese government has once again failed the people of Fukushima,” said Kazue Suzuki, the group’s climate and energy campaigner.
The South Korean foreign ministry voiced “serious regret over this decision, which could have a direct or indirect impact on the safety of our people and the surrounding environment in the future”.韓國外交部表示“對這一決定深感遺憾，這一決定可能會在未來對我國人民和周圍環境的安全產生直接或間接的影響”。
Responding to Japan’s decision, the U.S. State Department said in a statement, “In this unique and challenging situation, Japan has weighed the options and effects, has been transparent about its decision, and appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards.”
