Frequent leaks and lack of transparency tarnish Japan's reputation as Fukushima water dumping hits one Year

Beijing [China], August 26 : One year has passed since Japan started releasing nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean, despite widespread opposition. To date, approximately 60,000 tons of water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have been discharged as part of Japan's 30-year plan to release about one million tons of contaminated water into the ocean, Global Times reported.
The continuous discharge, frequent leaks, and lack of transparency over the past year have severely damaged the reputations of TEPCO and the Japanese government, leading to a significant loss of public trust and widespread backlash, according to observers.
Over the past year, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has discharged 60,000 tons of treated water from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, as reported by Asahi Shimbun on Saturday.
On the eve of the first anniversary, the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations of Japan reiterated its firm opposition to the water release.
The group warned that in the event of a major accident or issue in the future, the trust and understanding built with fishermen and the public could be instantly lost, urging the Japanese government and TEPCO to keep this in mind, according to local media.
The disposal of contaminated water has led to several countries, including China and Russia, halting seafood imports from Japan, reported Global Times.
Throughout the year, Japan has urged these countries to lift the bans, citing data from the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS)-treated water that supposedly meets international standards. ALPS is the system used to treat the Fukushima water before discharge.
In response to Japan's appeals to ease import restrictions, Hong Kong's Environment and Ecology Bureau stated on Facebook that due to the unprecedented scale and duration of the discharge, and the potentially catastrophic consequences for marine ecology and food safety, if mistakes occur, Hong Kong has implemented preventive measures, including restricting imports of seafood and related products from Japan's highest-risk areas.
In the past year, several incidents related to the Fukushima plant have been reported, including seven cases where employees were hospitalized due to accidents, and environmental pollution was noted. The latest incident occurred two weeks ago, averaging one incident every two months. Given Japan's management and monitoring challenges over the Fukushima plant and the potential serious consequences, Hong Kong's preventive measures are necessary and scientifically justified, the bureau stated.
The Bureau also indicated that if the situation worsens, additional measures may be needed to enhance food safety protection in Hong Kong.
In South Korea, opponents of the ocean discharge held a press conference outside the National Assembly on Thursday, marking the first anniversary of Japan's release of contaminated water, as reported by South Korean media.
In Japan, NHK aired a special documentary during prime time on Saturday, aiming to restore the reputation of Japanese seafood, according to Chang Yen-chiang, director of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea Research Institute of Dalian Maritime University, who was in Fukushima for international meetings against the water dumping.
However, opposition continues to grow across the country, with protests taking place in multiple cities and prefectures, including Tokyo and Fukushima, on Saturday, calling for an end to the dumping., Global Times reported.