Japan has to pay price for discharge move.docx

Japanhastopaypricefordischargemove:ChinaDailyeditorialUpdated:2023-08-2420:03f.111+Thetsunami-crippledFukushimaDaiichinuclearpowerplantisseenfromNamieTown,Fukushimaprefecture,JapanAug24,2023,inthisphototakenbyKyodo.LPhotoZAgenciesOnehourafterJapanofficiallystarteddischargingtheFukushimanuclear-contaminatedwaterintotheoceanonThursday,theGeneralAdministrationofCustomsofChinaannouncedthecountrywillsuspendtheimportsofallaquaticproducts,includingedibleaquaticanimals,originatingfromJapan.ConsideringthatHongKonghadalreadysuspendedimportsofaquaticproductsfromJapan,theislandnationnowfacesthelossofitstoptwoaquaticfoodexportdestinations,whichhadacombinedvalueofover160billionyen($1.1billion)in2022.TojustifythedischargeofradioactivewaterfromtheincapacitatedFukushimaDaiichinuclearplantintotheocean,theJapanesegovernmenteuphemisticallyreferstoitas''treatedwater*'.WiththedischargegiventhenodbytheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency,whichsaidinJulythattheJapanesegovernment'splanmettheagency'ssafetystandards,thereleaseofthewaterfromtheplant,whichisexpectedtotakemorethan30yearstocomplete,hasnowbegun.GiventhelackoftransparencyfromtheJapanesegovernmentinthedecision-makingprocessandintherun-uptothedischargingofthewater,isthereanyreasontothinkitislikelytobeanymoreforthcomingnowthatitisreleasingthewaterintotheocean?IftheradioactivewaterisreallyassafeastheJapanesegovernmentandTokyoElectricPowerCompanyclaim,whydon,ttheyputthewaterintouseforruralirrigation?NowondersomescientistshaveraisedquestionsaboutwhethertheJapanesegovernmentandTEPCOhavebeensufficientlyforthcomingaboutwhatradioactivematerialsmayremaininthewaterevenafteritistreated.Notsurprisingly,opponentsoftheoceandischargeplaninJapanandinneighboringcountrieshaveurgedJapantochooseasaferdisposalmethod.Thelong-termeffectsonthemarineecosystemandthepotentialforbioaccumulationinthefoodchainareunknown.Andwhenreleasedintotheocean,the"treatedwater"couldcauseoceanacidification,whichhasbeendescribedasclimatechange'sequallyeviltwin".Beyondlossestotheecosystemandbiodiversity,acidificationwillaffectfisheriesandaquaculture,threateningthefoodsecurityformillionsofpeople.Japan'sreleaseofthewatermaybealong-lastingdisasterfortheworld,inwhichcaseitwillbeacrimeagainstnatureandhumanity.Thewaterwillspreadtoeverycorneroftheworld,whichmeansothercountriesandregionsfaceathreat.Henceit'shighlypossibleformoretofollowthestepsandissuebansonJapaneseaquaticfood.Thegovernmentthatputsthewholeofhumanity'shealthatriskshouldbetaughtalessonbythewholeworld.That'sthepriceJapanhastopayforitsirresponsiblemove,apricemuchhigherthanitspoliticiansanticipated.