Fears rise over Japan’s upcoming release of Fukushima nuclear wastewater
Fears rise over Japan’s upcoming release of Fukushima nuclear wastewater
Japan could soon start releasing treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean. They’re running out of space to store the radiation-tainted water at the plant, which was damaged by the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami, but both locals and neighboring countries worry about the effect on their health and livelihoods. Special correspondent Rebecca Bundhun reports.
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Content
0.322 -> nuclear power plant into the ocean. They're
running out of space to store the radiation
4.762 -> tatted water at the plant, which was damaged
by the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
9.682 -> As special correspondent Rebecca Bundhun
reports, both locals and neighboring
14.182 -> countries are worried about the effect
on their health and their livelihoods.
17.722 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN:
20.122 -> As the day breaks over the land of the rising sun.
Fisherman Haruo Ono has already been working hard
26.242 -> for hours. It's been a way of life for Fukushima's
fishing community for generations. But the once
32.662 -> thriving industry has struggled since the 2011
earthquake and tsunami, which destroyed the
37.882 -> Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, nearly
40 miles south of where Ono lives and works.
43.642 -> The release of radioactive substances into the
environment triggered international bans on the
49.102 -> sale of fish from Fukushima. And it's only in
the past few years that some countries have
53.722 -> lifted those restrictions. But now Fukushima's
fishermen are facing a fresh threat as Japan
60.142 -> plans to release more than 1 million tons of
wastewater from the damaged plant into the ocean.
65.362 -> HARUO ONO, Fisherman (through translator):
When they release the wastewater,
69.202 -> I think we won't be able to sell our fish at
the main market again. What happens to us then?
75.682 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN: He worries that the water
could contaminate the ocean and fish,
79.522 -> and even if it doesn't, people may avoid buying
seafood from Fukushima because of the move.
85.462 -> The Japanese government insists that
the plan to release the wastewater is
89.362 -> completely safe. The water will
be heavily diluted and treated,
93.082 -> and samples will be tested on a daily
basis, the plant's operator, TEPCO, says.
98.542 -> The only radioactive element which
will remain, it says, will be treatium,
102.742 -> which cannot be removed. But TEPCO says these
will be at such minute levels that it won't
108.322 -> harm people or the environment. Officials
argue the water has to be released because
113.182 -> the tanks storing the water used to cool the
damaged nuclear reactors are almost full.
118.102 -> The 1.3 million metric tons of liquid would
be pumped out over a few decades. TEPCO
124.462 -> says it looked into alternative options,
including burying the water underground,
128.722 -> before deciding on the plan to
discharge the water into the ocean.
132.502 -> Some experts say that there
might not be a better option,
135.622 -> but the problem is that public trust is lacking.
138.28 -> KYLE CLEVELAND, Temple University, Japan: I
think among a group of really bad options,
141.682 -> maybe the best bad option is to actually put
it into the ocean. The problem is they don't
149.842 -> have a lot of trust and credibility on their
messaging, which is that actually the levels
155.182 -> of radiation are going to be quite small and will
not have an appreciable impact on public health.
159.725 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN: Some nuclear analysts,
however, highlight that such a move to
163.582 -> release treated wastewater from a damaged plant
is unprecedented, and therefore the long term
168.982 -> risks in particular are unknown. For residents
of Fukushima, the decision has stirred up bad
175.222 -> memories of the earthquake and tsunami that has
had a lasting impact on so many people's lives.
180.622 -> Official figures show that 18,500 people were
killed or are still unaccounted for due to
186.442 -> the disaster. Here in Soma, a coastal district in
Fukushima, people are still scarred by the event.
193.102 -> This memorial displays the names of the
458 people who were killed in Soma alone
198.562 -> by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. More
than 1,000 homes were destroyed here,
203.602 -> and the area year has never fully
recovered from the disaster.
206.662 -> Kowata Hironabu's entire village
was swept away by the tsunami. He
212.962 -> says the plan to discharge water from the
plant leaves him worried for Fukushima's
216.862 -> farming and fishing industries, but
he accepts the authority's decision.
220.395 -> KOWATA HIRONOBU, Construction Business
Owner (through translator): I understand
223.102 -> other countries may blame us, but
I don't see any other solutions. I
228.862 -> wish that it wouldn't have to happen,
but I think we have no other options.
232.522 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN: Some countries,
including China and South Korea,
236.122 -> have voiced opposition to the water release
plan. Beijing, which still has bans in
240.802 -> place on imports of food and agricultural
products from Fukushima and nearby regions,
245.182 -> is reported to be conducting radiation
testing on seafood products coming in
249.622 -> from Japan as it tries to pressure the
country to reconsider its decision.
254.482 -> China is the biggest buyer of seafood exports
from Japan, and in South Korea, people have
259.462 -> been panic buying sea salt because of fears the
product could be contaminated once the water
264.022 -> starts being released. But a two-year independent
safety review gave the green light for the plan.
269.302 -> The biggest vindication for Japan's plan to
release the wastewater may have come from the
274.102 -> International Atomic Energy Agency's final
report. The U.N. nuclear watchdog says the
279.142 -> plan meets international standards and would
have a negligible impact on the environment.
284.902 -> Many still remain unconvinced. These
activists in Fukushima City have been
290.062 -> staging protests against the
use of nuclear power since
293.062 -> the disaster. Now they're holding regular
demonstrations against the water release,
297.322 -> raising concern about the effects of exposure to
radiation on people's health and the environment.
302.782 -> KAORU WATANABE, Activist (through
translator): The government is
305.242 -> saying that they will release the
water because the tanks are full,
308.062 -> and this holds back the decommissioning process
of the power plant. But at the site of the plant,
312.862 -> there is a lot of land and places where
more tanks can be built for the water.
316.925 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN: Officials, however, argue that
continuing to store the water is also a risk. If,
321.862 -> for example, another earthquake were to
cause leakage. Shoji Outa in Fukushima is
329.122 -> setting up his beach restaurant
for the peak summer season.
331.522 -> His business has struggled since the 2011 disaster
hit, driving away tourists. When things did start
338.242 -> to pick up, the COVID-19 Pandemic came along.
He had been hopeful that this year might better
343.282 -> as Japan's COVID restrictions have been
eased and people are travelling again.
346.711 -> SHOJI AOTA, Restaurant Owner (through translator):
After the Pandemic crisis has settled down and
352.882 -> the beach has finally opened, customers will come
back, the contaminated water will be released. And
359.002 -> I'm worried about the perception issue. Families
bring their children, so I'm worried about that.
363.802 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN: Many in Japan's fishing industry
still live with nightmares of the disaster and
369.202 -> its aftermath. Haruo Ono's younger brother was out
at sea when the tsunami struck and lost his life.
376.162 -> He's worked hard to rebuild his livelihood since,
379.582 -> but he fears that Fukushima will be
paying the price for years to come.
384.022 -> HAROU ONO (trough translator):
It's a lifelong problem.
388.342 -> This is our children's problem.
This is our grandchildren's problem.
392.842 -> It will affect everyone who can say
with certainty that this will be fine.
399.579 -> REBECCA BUNDHUN: For PBS News Weekend,
I'm Rebecca Bundhun in Fukushima, Japan.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPjMkut5MB4