Association of Island Area Basic Council Members Urges Ban on Japan's Nuclear Wastewater Discharge

Published 27 Feb.2023 15:20(KST)

Joint Resolution to Be Delivered to the Japanese Embassy

The National Association of Island Area Local Council Members (President: Jo In-ho, Wando County Council) held a regular meeting on the 23rd and decided to deliver a resolution urging the withdrawal of Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from its nuclear power plant to the Japanese Embassy.

The National Association of Basic Island Council Members is urging the withdrawal of Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the nuclear power plant.
[Photo by Wando County Council]

According to the association on the 27th, the Japanese government plans to discharge nuclear power plant contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean through an undersea tunnel over approximately 30 years.

The radioactive substances contained in the contaminated water can alter human DNA and pollute all ecosystems both at sea and on land. In particular, tritium is a radionuclide that cannot currently be removed by scientific technology.

Despite knowing these facts, the Japanese government is ignoring various treatment methods for the contaminated water proposed by experts for economic reasons and is choosing the worst-case scenario of ocean discharge, which will cause a global disaster.

Accordingly, the National Association of Island Area Local Council Members urges the Japanese government to immediately withdraw its decision to discharge nuclear power plant contaminated water into the ocean, which is opposed by both its own citizens and neighboring countries, and calls on the government to take all possible measures to strongly respond to Japan's irresponsible actions.

Jo In-ho, president of the National Association of Island Area Local Council Members and member of the Wando County Council, stated, “We hope for an active stance and action from the National Assembly and the government regarding the withdrawal of Japan’s nuclear contaminated water discharge,” and added, “We hope that conflicts between fishermen and non-fishermen will be resolved as soon as possible through amendments to the Fisheries Resource Management Act.”

The National Association of Island Area Local Council Members was established in June 2009 with the purpose of discussing the joint development of island areas among local councils and improving the quality of life and residential conditions of island residents.