A view of the Fukushima No.1 nuclear energy plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, August 19, 2025. /VCG
It has now been three years because the Japanese authorities started to discharge contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear energy station into the Pacific Ocean regardless of robust opposition and considerations at dwelling and overseas.
Japan unilaterally launched the ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi plant on August 24, 2023. Since then, Japan has carried out 22 rounds of ocean discharge, releasing round 173,000 tonnes of wastewater containing tritium, a radioactive substance that purification gear can not take away, in accordance with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).
The newest spherical, held from July 30 to August 17, concerned discharging almost 8,000 tonnes of wastewater.
Over the previous three years, TEPCO has paid a complete of 96.7 billion yen (roughly $600 million) in compensation for about 1,100 claims as of August 5, together with claims associated to losses suffered by fishermen and companies which have needed to briefly droop or cut back their fishing actions as a result of discharge plan.
According to The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun, individuals within the fishing trade stated a lot of the compensation claims had been filed by these outdoors Fukushima Prefecture, as fishermen in Fukushima obtain separate compensation for briefly suspending their operations.
Despite the compensation, opposition to the controversial operation and worries about native fisheries’ improvement stay.
In a press release issued on Sunday, Masanobu Sakamoto, head of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (JF Zengyoren), stated the group’s place has not modified, stressing that it stays against discharging wastewater with out the understanding of fishermen and the general public.
Sakamoto famous that some international locations and areas proceed to impose restrictions on imports of Japanese seafood, whereas merchandise reminiscent of sea cucumbers have been affected by falling costs.
“The markets that have been lost have yet to fully recover, and there are concerns over whether they can be recovered at all,” Sakamoto stated, underscoring the intense challenges going through the fishing trade.
He additionally stated authorities help measures had been “insufficient for fishermen.”
According to The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun, abalones from Iwate Prefecture had a median wholesale worth of about 120,000 to 140,000 yen per 10 kilograms earlier than the handled water discharge started. However, costs have remained low as a result of suspension of exports. In 2025, the value fell as little as 60,000 yen per 10 kilograms.
To guarantee meals security, fisheries cooperative associations in Fukushima Prefecture have set their very own restrict of fifty becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram for transport marine merchandise, stricter than the Japanese authorities’s customary of 100 becquerels per kilogram, in accordance with the report.
Local fishermen stay dedicated to making sure the security of their merchandise primarily based on scientific requirements and rebuilding shopper belief, The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing the Soma Futaba Fisheries Cooperative Association.
(With enter from businesses)
Source: CGTN