Japan’s ‘730 billion won fund + direct compensation’ Neighboring countries ignore
The Yoon Seok-yeol government can’t say a word about damage compensation to Japan
Tokyo Electric Power Corporation officially announced that it would begin discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant at around 1:00 pm on the 24th. The photo is a view of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant taken this morning. yunhap news
Despite the concerns of neighboring countries and fishermen, the Japanese government pushed ahead with the release of contaminated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea. It is unprecedented in the world to discharge radioactively contaminated water (1.34 million tons) from the March 2011 nuclear power plant explosion into the sea for more than 30 years. In the aftermath of this, concerns about ‘fishery product safety’ are growing in both Korea and Japan, and related consumption is expected to decrease sharply. Japan is in the position that “the government takes full responsibility and responds” (Prime Minister Fumio Kishida) for damages to its own fishermen, etc., but it closes its eyes to the damage to neighboring countries such as Korea that have been put in the same position, which could shake the relationship between the two countries in the future. It seems that it will expand to ‘diplomatic problems’. At 1:00 p.m. on the 24th, TEPCO poured the contaminated water, which was purified with a multi-nuclide removal facility (ALPS) and mixed with seawater to lower the radioactive material concentration below the standard level, into the waters off the nuclear power plant through an undersea tunnel about 1km long.
On August 24, 2023, when the Japanese government starts to discharge contaminated water, the beach in Futaba, Fukushima Prefecture, about 5 km from the site of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. AFP Yonhap News
From this day, 7,800 tons of contaminated water will be discharged into the sea for 17 days at a rate of 460 tons per day. This year, a total of 31,200 tons, or 2.3% of the total contaminated water, is exported on four occasions. After the Japanese government officially decided to release the water to the sea in April 2021, it was released two years and four months later, but controversy over the safety of contaminated water is still ongoing. To confirm the safety of contaminated water, scientists from different countries need to take various samples and analyze changes in the concentration of radioactive substances. However, Japan consistently refuses to ‘directly collect samples’ from related countries such as Korea. Even after release, this policy is maintained. TEPCO recently told the Hankyoreh, “It would be appropriate to have the company confirm whether the results of collecting and analyzing (contaminated water samples) are accurate through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”
Japanese citizens protest against the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in front of Tokyo Electric Power’s headquarters in Tokyo on the morning of the 24th. Participants are holding a propaganda sign that reads, “Do not dump radioactive water into the sea.” Tokyo/AFP Yonhap News
Although the International Atomic Energy Agency, which will inspect the discharge process of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant site, has announced that it will share various data with the Korean government, the basic structure of having to rely on ‘sampling and analysis’ conducted by TEPCO does not change. World-renowned scientists who worked with Pacific island nations to verify the safety of contaminated water raised an issue, saying, “The data provided by Tokyo Electric Power Corporation are incomplete, inconsistent, and biased, making it unsuitable for making any judgment.” The South Korean government’s safety verification is also bound to be conducted within a limited scope. The ‘residence of Korean experts at the nuclear power plant’ requested by the Yoon Seok-yeol government while acquiescing in the discharge of contaminated water was not realized, and only ‘regular site visits’ were made. It is highly likely that only the contents that the Japanese government wants to show on a set date will be released, just like the ‘Nuclear Power Plant Inspection Group’ conducted by the Japanese government before release.
At the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant located in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan on the 22nd, TEPCO officials are working to check the concentration of tritium in contaminated water diluted with seawater to discharge radioactive material-contaminated water into the sea. Fukushima/AFP Yonhap News
As consumers’ concerns over the discharge of contaminated water grew, the fisheries industries of both Korea and Japan suffered enormous damage. The Japanese government, the party that caused the problem, insisted that ‘contaminated water is safe’, but prepared a ‘three-step support plan’ from the beginning, concerned about shrinking consumption. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has secured a total of 80 billion yen (approximately 730 billion won) of funds to counter damages to fishermen, including 30 billion yen in November 2021 and 50 billion yen in November last year. The 30 billion yen in the first stage is used for expenses such as purchasing seafood from fishermen and storing it in a freezer when consumption decreases due to ‘damage from rumors (pungpyeong)’ after the discharge of contaminated water. In the second stage, 50 billion yen will be invested in developing new fishing grounds and fostering successors for the sustainability of the shrinking Japanese fisheries industry. In the third step, TEPCO will directly compensate individual damages caused by the discharge of contaminated water in the fishing, agriculture, fish processing, fish wholesale, and tourism industries. If damage occurs regardless of region, industry, or period, it is a policy to compensate even if it takes 30 to 40 years. However, neighboring countries such as Korea and China, which suffered great damage due to the Japanese government’s decision to discharge the contaminated water, were excluded from the support. A Japanese government official said in a briefing for foreign correspondents in Tokyo on the 22nd, “The radiation effect from the ocean discharge is negligible. “I don’t think it will cause harm to people in neighboring countries,” he said. The Yoon Seok-yeol government has not been able to say a word to Japan about damage compensation. In the end, the damage was put in danger of being overturned by the fisheries industry, including Korean fishermen. South Korea’s consumption of seafood per capita ranks first in the world. The Korean fisheries industry predicts that seafood consumption will decrease to a level similar to that in 2011, when the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident occurred, and in 2013, when the Japanese government admitted that contaminated water from the nuclear power plant had been leaked. At that time, domestic consumption of seafood is estimated to have decreased by about 40%.
Contaminated water tanks being stored at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Fukushima/Reuters Yonhap News
Even though the discharge of contaminated water was expected this year, the Korean government only increased 100 billion won compared to last year in relation to the three major projects to prevent a decline in seafood consumption. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries recently requested a reserve fund, and the power of the people is on the 23rd, asking for an additional budget of 200 billion won related to support for fishermen affected by the discharge of contaminated water in the budget for next year. It seems difficult to avoid the criticism of ‘responding to the back book’ for rushing out after the release schedule has already been set. Correspondent Kim So-yeon, Tokyo/dandy@hani.co.kr
2023-08-24 04:17:55
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