Greenpeace Criticizes Fukushima Contaminated Water Release

International Environmental Organization Raises Concerns Over Japan's Decision

International environmental organization Greenpeace has voiced strong criticism, warning that the imminent discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, referred to as "treated water" by the Japanese government, will lead to an irreversible catastrophe.

In a statement released on the 22nd, Greenpeace stated that the ocean release of radioactive waste resulting from the nuclear accident is an unprecedented event in the history of the planet. The organization emphasized that this action poses a grave threat to marine ecosystems and human safety.

Greenpeace argued that this decision not only endangers the livelihoods of Japanese fishermen but also violates international maritime law, threatening the rights of residents in coastal countries around the Pacific.

The organization condemned the Japanese government's decision as an irresponsible act to save costs from long-term storage of the contaminated water, labeling it a "collaborative effort between the irresponsible Japanese government and the complicit South Korean government."

The Japanese government has officially decided to begin the ocean discharge of contaminated water from the 24th. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, plans to release the water stored in tanks, which has passed through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) and diluted with seawater, into the sea via an underwater tunnel about 1 km in length in front of the nuclear power plant.

According to news from Kyodo News, TEPCO started preparations for the ocean discharge of contaminated water following a meeting of relevant officials on this day. Prime Minister Kishida stated in relation to this issue, "The government will take responsibility with a sense of duty until the disposal of contaminated water is completed over the long term of several decades."

Earlier, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a comprehensive report on the 4th of last month, stating that TEPCO's plan for the ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated water meets international safety standards, and the radiological impact of the discharge is negligible.

However, the IAEA report also made it clear that "ocean discharge is a decision of the Japanese government, and the IAEA does not endorse or recommend the policy," highlighting a certain level of distance from the responsibility for the decision.