Protesters Rally Against Fukushima Water Discharge in Tokyo
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo to protest against the discharge of treated radioactive water from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Protesters held banners and chaned as the Fukushima plant began releasing its first batch of treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, Ruptly reported.
Miwako Kitamura, the organizer of the demonstration, expressed her concerns saying: "I think that the release of contaminated water will surely lead to a collapse. Besides, I think it is absolutely possible to say that really contaminated fish will be pulled up, since such a large amount of contaminated water and contaminants must have accumulated."
"So, I would absolutely like to seek with the people of Fukushima to fight to have the government withdraw the plan while protecting the fishermen's livelihood and other things," She added.
The Japanese government announced on Tuesday its plan to discharge over a million metric tons of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on August 24. This operation is anticipated to last around 17 days.
An inquiry conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) determined that the proposal to release the water was "consistent" with international safety standards and would have a "negligible" impact on people and the environment.
The Fukushima nuclear power plant experienced a catastrophic meltdown following a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent devastating tsunami in 2011.
The plan has faced significant opposition from the fishing community and neighboring countries, including China.
