China: "Stop Japan's contaminated water discharge... Selfish and Irresponsible"

"Taking All Measures to Protect People's Health"

On the 24th, as Japan discharged contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, China criticized the act as irresponsible and urged its suspension.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement immediately after Japan began discharging the contaminated water, saying, "The Japanese government ignored the strong concerns and opposition from the international community and unilaterally proceeded with the discharge of contaminated water." The spokesperson added, "China expresses firm opposition and strong condemnation, and solemnly protests to stop this wrongful act."

On the 24th at 1 PM, news that the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan has begun is being reported on TV. Citizens and travelers at Seoul Station are watching the broadcast news. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

The spokesperson pointed out, "The treatment of contaminated water is a safety issue that transcends borders and is by no means a private matter for Japan alone," adding, "Since the use of nuclear power, there has been no precedent of artificially discharging contaminated water into the ocean, nor is there an accepted treatment standard." Furthermore, "The Fukushima nuclear accident 12 years ago already caused a serious disaster and released a large amount of radioactive material into the sea," and argued, "Japan must not cause secondary damage to local people and the world for its own benefit."

Additionally, the spokesperson criticized, "The Japanese government has not proven the legitimacy of the discharge decision, nor has it demonstrated the long-term reliability of the contaminated water purification system or the reliability and accuracy of the contaminated water data," calling the discharge "a selfish and irresponsible attitude that ignores international public interests."

The spokesperson also stated, "By irresponsibly discharging contaminated water, Japan has placed itself in the international defendant's seat and will face long-term condemnation from the international community," emphasizing, "The Chinese government will take all necessary measures to protect the health of its people."

News of Japan's contaminated water discharge has emerged as a major story on Chinese local portals, attracting attention. Videos showing the discharge and reports that consuming food contaminated by nuclear material has serious effects on human health are also being circulated. China has begun radiation inspections of Japanese seafood, and reports have been released stating that the number of cancer patients in Japan has been increasing annually since the Fukushima nuclear accident.

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