Ruling LDP in Japan Also Condemns Fukushima Contaminated Water Discharge

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Even within Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), voices of concern are emerging regarding the release of contaminated water from Fukushima.

According to Japanese media Nikkan Gendai on the 30th, led by LDP House of Representatives member Yamamoto Taku, there are ongoing objections within the LDP about the plan to discharge Fukushima contaminated water into the ocean.

Yamamoto, an eight-term veteran who has also served as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, stated that although he is a proponent of nuclear power and supports Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, he publicly expressed concerns about the ocean discharge plan.

He pointed out, "According to data published by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on December 24, 2020, even after secondary treatment of the treated water (contaminated water filtered by ALPS), 12 kinds of radionuclides other than tritium are not removed."

Yamamoto further explained, "Many of the radionuclides remaining after secondary treatment have long half-lives, such as iodine-129 at about 15.7 million years, cesium-135 at about 2.3 million years, and carbon-14 at about 5,700 years."

He also posted on his website a list of 13 radionuclides expected to be released into the ocean from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Regarding reports that normal nuclear power plants also discharge into the ocean, he pointed out, "Treated water from ALPS and discharge water from normal nuclear plants are completely different. Among the radionuclides that cannot be treated by ALPS, 11 are not included in the discharge water from normal nuclear plants."

Yamamoto emphasized, "In normal nuclear plants, fuel rods are covered with cladding, and cooling water does not directly contact the fuel rods. However, at Fukushima Daiichi, water directly contacts exposed fuel rods, and the radionuclides contained in the treated water originate from the accident."

Before the Japanese government decided on ocean discharge of contaminated water, Yamamoto publicly claimed that there are five additional spaces at Fukushima Daiichi where tanks can be installed, and if tanks are added in these spaces, the tanks would not be full until summer 2024.

Sankei Shimbun reported that Yamamoto, along with other lawmakers sharing similar concerns, plans to hold a study session on the 13th of next month by inviting officials from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and TEPCO to the National Diet.

He stated that ocean discharge of contaminated water is something the public cannot understand, and formed the "LDP TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Treated Water Policy Study Group," holding its first meeting last December.

The group includes LDP House of Representatives members Yamamoto Yuji, a former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Watanabe Hiromichi, a former Minister of Reconstruction.

However, within Japan, opposition or calls for caution regarding the ocean discharge of contaminated water have not received much attention.

Perhaps due to the Japanese government's emphasis on safety, local public opinion tends to accept ocean discharge as inevitable.

Accordingly, the key issue is how much support the activities of Yamamoto and others will gain from other lawmakers and voters.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.