Japanese civil groups petition against dumping nuclear-tainted wastewater

Several civic groups in Japan jointly submitted a petition signed by over 200,000 people to the government on Wednesday against the dumping of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea.

In August 2023, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began discharging water contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear accident.

So far, TEPCO has conducted six rounds of releases, discharging a total of about 46,000 tons of the contaminated wastewater, and in fiscal 2024, it plans to discharge a total of 46,800 tons of the water in six rounds.

In interviews with China Central Television (CCTV) after their meeting with Japanese officials, representatives of civil society groups expressed concern about the discharge process and its potential dangers.

"No matter how much they are diluted, toxic substances remain toxic substances. Therefore, I oppose the dumping of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. In order for our children and grandchildren to eat safe seafood in the future, we must ensure the safety of the marine environment. So no matter how [the substances] are diluted, no matter where they are discharged, I think it is not allowed," said a resident of Fukushima Prefecture.

"TEPCO has been discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the sea in the process of dismantling its nuclear reactors. We proposed many alternative treatment methods, but none of them was adopted. They chose only to discharge into the ocean without listening to the opinions of Fukushima residents," said Masashi Tsunoda, co-representative of the Fukushima Prefecture Peace Forum, a civil group.

Hit by a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and an ensuing tsunami on March 11, 2011, the Fukushima nuclear plant suffered core meltdowns that released radiation, resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

The plant has been generating a massive amount of water tainted with radioactive substances from cooling down the nuclear fuel in the reactor buildings, which is now stored in tanks at the nuclear plant.

Japanese civil groups petition against dumping nuclear-tainted wastewater

Japanese civil groups petition against dumping nuclear-tainted wastewater

China and Spain are set to deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, with a focus on expanding collaboration in emerging industries such as clean energy and cross-border e-commerce, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

During a regular press briefing, spokesperson He Yongqian said the ministry will work closely with Spanish authorities to strengthen ties and cement economic partnerships.

"Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez recently led a trade delegation to China, where he and Minister Wang Wentao delivered speeches at the second meeting of the China-Spain Business Advisory Council, joined by over 60 representatives from both countries. During the meeting, business leaders from China and Spain expressed their commitment not only to strengthening cooperation in traditional sectors but also to exploring opportunities in emerging industries such as clean energy, cross-border e-commerce, big data, and the low-altitude economy, while jointly expanding into other markets," He said.

The spokesperson said the next step is to provide more regular and practical platforms for exchanges between businesses from the two countries.

Sanchez visited China for a four-day trip that began on Sept. 8.

China, Spain to deepen economic cooperation, explore new sectors: commerce ministry