Foreign Media: "South Korea and China Oppose Japan's Contaminated Water Discharge"... Diverging Safety Assessments

Foreign Media Focus on South Korea-China Public Opinion
"Korean Public Concerned About Food Safety Impact
Strong Opposition Also Expressed in China and Hong Kong"
Opinions Differ on Contaminated Water Safety

As the Japanese government announced on the 24th that it would begin discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean, major foreign media focused on the opposition from neighboring countries such as South Korea and China. While foreign media reported the reasons why neighboring countries oppose the discharge of contaminated water, they showed contrasting views regarding the safety of the ocean discharge.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Ahead of Contaminated Water Discharge [Image Source=Yonhap News]

On the 22nd, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Japanese government is facing significant opposition and concerns from neighboring countries regarding its plan to discharge contaminated water.

WSJ stated, "China argues that the discharge of contaminated water will pose unnecessary risks to other countries," and "In South Korea, President Yoon Suk-yeol has expressed sympathy with Japan's position, but the opposition party shares the same stance as China regarding the discharge of contaminated water, and the public is also expressing concerns."

The British Guardian also reported that neighboring countries such as China and South Korea have not softened their opposition to Japan's handling of the contaminated water. The Guardian said, "The discharge plan approved by the United Nations-affiliated International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has sparked fierce protests from China and raised concerns about the reputation of Japanese seafood," adding, "China is strongly opposed to this, and Hong Kong, a major market for Japanese seafood exports, is also discussing regulations."

Furthermore, the Guardian reported that in South Korea, "The government recently withdrew its opposition to the discharge, but the opposition party and many South Koreans still worry about the impact of the contaminated water discharge on food safety."

The New York Times (NYT) also gave significant coverage to the opposition sentiment rising in neighboring countries such as South Korea. NYT reported, "In China, the People's Daily, a state-owned media outlet owned by the Communist Party, described the treated water as Japan's 'nuclear wastewater,'" and stated that the Chinese government has expressed strong opposition.

Regarding South Korea, NYT conveyed that "opposition lawmakers warned that no one can be certain or predict what will happen if radioactive materials are discharged into the sea over a long period."

On the afternoon of the 22nd, when the Japanese government decided to begin discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as early as the 24th, members of the Joint Action to Stop the Ocean Dumping of Radioactive Wastewater from Japan held a press conference in front of the Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, demanding the cancellation of the ocean dumping schedule. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

However, foreign media showed differing views on the Japanese government's claim that the discharge of contaminated water meets international safety standards and is harmless to humans and the environment.

WSJ reported that some scientists still do not fully trust the claim that Japan's contaminated water has significantly reduced radioactive concentrations through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treatment process.

Ken Buesseler, a marine radiochemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a U.S. nonprofit research organization, told WSJ, "(Japan's claim) just seems like a 'trust us' statement," and added, "I want to see more detailed analysis of what remains in the contaminated water tanks."

He further expressed concern, saying, "Tritium is one of the least dangerous radioactive substances, but if substances like cesium or cobalt are released into the ocean, it could lead to more dangerous situations."

On the other hand, the Guardian emphasized safety by pointing out that the Fukushima contaminated water treatment process involves procedures similar to those used for tritium and radioactive nuclide treatment discharged from nuclear power plants worldwide.

The Guardian quoted Professor Tony Hooker, a nuclear power expert at the University of Adelaide in Australia, saying, "Tritium has been released by nuclear power plants over the past several decades," and "There has been no evidence found that it has harmful effects on the environment or health."

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