Published September 4, 2023
More than 100 fishermen and locals living near Fukushima will file a lawsuit this week seeking to stop the release of wastewater from the stricken Japanese nuclear plant, they said on Monday.
Twelve years after one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents, Japan began on August 24 discharging treated cooling water diluted with seawater into the Pacific, insisting it was safe.
Many Japanese fishermen have been against the release, fearing that it will undo years of efforts to improve the industry’s image in the wake of the 2011 catastrophe.
The more than 100 plaintiffs in Fukushima and neighbouring prefectures will file the lawsuit in the Fukushima District Court on Friday, Sugie Tanji, a member of the group’s secretariat, told AFP.
“The government failed to keep to its promise of gaining agreement from fishermen before taking such a decision to release,” she said.
“This is a wrong policy as it ignores strong opposition from not only the Fukushima fishermen’s cooperative but also from cooperatives across the country,” a group statement said.
“The release to the ocean can never be tolerated as it brings about further suffering to victims of the nuclear accident,” it added.
The water release has generated a fierce backlash from China, including a blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports.
Japanese government offices and businesses have also been bombarded with thousands of nuisance calls from Chinese phone numbers.
The Tokyo city government alone received 34,300 calls from August 24-31, it says.
Japanese government officials have made efforts to reassure the public that fish and other produce from Fukushima is safe to eat.
Last week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the US envoy to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, among others, ate Fukushima fish in front of TV cameras.
‘Ours is the best’
Before the water release, China was Japan’s biggest export destination for seafood and Beijing’s ban has people in the sector worried.
Tokyo wholesaler Yoshinobu Yoshihashi’s business has seen shipments of items including oysters, sea urchins and splendid alfonsino to some Asian neighbours “more than half”.
“We’re having it quite rough,” Yoshihashi told AFP at the huge Toyosu fish market on Saturday.
“Especially in places like Hong Kong and Macau, the damage is quite acute. We’re hearing from our clients there that their customers aren’t coming in any more, and that they are shunning Japanese fish,” he said.
The Japanese government “should have done more to communicate globally the safety of the water before releasing it. There are some people even within Japan who say they’re scared,” he said.
“I have always been and still am proud of Japanese fish. Ours is the best,” he added.
Kishida has already promised aid for the industry and ministers were reportedly set to hash out details on Monday.
More than 100 fishermen and locals living near Fukushima will file a lawsuit this week seeking to stop the release of wastewater from the stricken Japanese nuclear plant, they said on Monday.
Twelve years after one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents, Japan began on August 24 discharging treated cooling water diluted with seawater into the Pacific, insisting it was safe.
Many Japanese fishermen have been against the release, fearing that it will undo years of efforts to improve the industry’s image in the wake of the 2011 catastrophe.
The more than 100 plaintiffs in Fukushima and neighbouring prefectures will file the lawsuit in the Fukushima District Court on Friday, Sugie Tanji, a member of the group’s secretariat, told AFP.
“The government failed to keep to its promise of gaining agreement from fishermen before taking such a decision to release,” she said.
“This is a wrong policy as it ignores strong opposition from not only the Fukushima fishermen’s cooperative but also from cooperatives across the country,” a group statement said.
“The release to the ocean can never be tolerated as it brings about further suffering to victims of the nuclear accident,” it added.
The water release has generated a fierce backlash from China, including a blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports.
Japanese government offices and businesses have also been bombarded with thousands of nuisance calls from Chinese phone numbers.
The Tokyo city government alone received 34,300 calls from August 24-31, it says.
Japanese government officials have made efforts to reassure the public that fish and other produce from Fukushima is safe to eat.
Last week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the US envoy to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, among others, ate Fukushima fish in front of TV cameras.
‘Ours is the best’
Before the water release, China was Japan’s biggest export destination for seafood and Beijing’s ban has people in the sector worried.
Tokyo wholesaler Yoshinobu Yoshihashi’s business has seen shipments of items including oysters, sea urchins and splendid alfonsino to some Asian neighbours “more than half”.
“We’re having it quite rough,” Yoshihashi told AFP at the huge Toyosu fish market on Saturday.
“Especially in places like Hong Kong and Macau, the damage is quite acute. We’re hearing from our clients there that their customers aren’t coming in any more, and that they are shunning Japanese fish,” he said.
The Japanese government “should have done more to communicate globally the safety of the water before releasing it. There are some people even within Japan who say they’re scared,” he said.
“I have always been and still am proud of Japanese fish. Ours is the best,” he added.
Kishida has already promised aid for the industry and ministers were reportedly set to hash out details on Monday.
Japan boosts aid to fish sector after Fukushima discharge
The release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant prompted China to ban Japan's seafood imports. Japanese officials say they are now looking to boost export markets in places such as Taiwan, the US and Europe.
How have the bans affected Japan's fish sector?
Before the release of the wastewater, China was the biggest export destination for Japanese fish, accounting for 22.5% of the total.
Hong Kong, the second-biggest market with 20%, has also blocked seafood imports from Fukushima and nine other prefectures.
The bans are a major blow to Japan's seafood industry, affecting prices and sales of products as far away from Fukushima as the northern island of Hokkaido.
Japan's Fukushima decision may impact fish exports
A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 caused core meltdowns at the Fukushima plant. Since then, the shut-down reactors have had to be cooled with water that was then stored in tanks.
The decision to start releasing that wastewater into the ocean, a process that is expected to take decades to complete, was met with an outcry at home and abroad.
The government has sought to reassure the public that seafood from Fukushima is safe to eat. Last week, Kishida and US envoy to Japan Rahm Emanuel visited the area to eat local fish in front of TV cameras.
Japanese officials say all seawater and fish samples taken since the release of the treated wastewater have been far below set safety limits for radioactivity.
nm/jcg (AP, AFP)
The release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant prompted China to ban Japan's seafood imports. Japanese officials say they are now looking to boost export markets in places such as Taiwan, the US and Europe.
Japan's government has announced a new aid package of 20.7 billion yen ($141 million; €130 million) to help the local fishery industry following a Chinese ban on all Japanese seafood exports.
Beijing imposed the blanket measure after Japan started discharging treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on August 24.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the funding came on top of an existing 80 billion yen set aside to help seafood businesses stay afloat and combat damage to the reputation of Japanese products.
"We will protect the Japanese fisheries industry at all costs," Kishida said.
The new aid package will be used to find markets for Japanese seafood to replace China and fund government purchases of seafood. Officials said they planned to foster new export destinations in Taiwan, the US, Europe, the Middle East, and some southeast Asian countries.
Beijing imposed the blanket measure after Japan started discharging treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on August 24.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the funding came on top of an existing 80 billion yen set aside to help seafood businesses stay afloat and combat damage to the reputation of Japanese products.
"We will protect the Japanese fisheries industry at all costs," Kishida said.
The new aid package will be used to find markets for Japanese seafood to replace China and fund government purchases of seafood. Officials said they planned to foster new export destinations in Taiwan, the US, Europe, the Middle East, and some southeast Asian countries.
How have the bans affected Japan's fish sector?
Before the release of the wastewater, China was the biggest export destination for Japanese fish, accounting for 22.5% of the total.
Hong Kong, the second-biggest market with 20%, has also blocked seafood imports from Fukushima and nine other prefectures.
The bans are a major blow to Japan's seafood industry, affecting prices and sales of products as far away from Fukushima as the northern island of Hokkaido.
Japan's Fukushima decision may impact fish exports
A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 caused core meltdowns at the Fukushima plant. Since then, the shut-down reactors have had to be cooled with water that was then stored in tanks.
The decision to start releasing that wastewater into the ocean, a process that is expected to take decades to complete, was met with an outcry at home and abroad.
The government has sought to reassure the public that seafood from Fukushima is safe to eat. Last week, Kishida and US envoy to Japan Rahm Emanuel visited the area to eat local fish in front of TV cameras.
Prime Minister Kishida wants the Japanese public to eat more seafood to help the local industry hit by China's ban
Kyodo/AP Photo/picture alliance
Japanese officials say all seawater and fish samples taken since the release of the treated wastewater have been far below set safety limits for radioactivity.
nm/jcg (AP, AFP)
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