The representative of China urged Japan to reverse the wrong decision to discharge the water polluted by Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea

Xinhua news agency, UN June 25 - Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, exercised the right of reply at the 31st meeting of the States parties to the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea, refuted the wrong remarks made by the Japanese representative, and urged Japan to withdraw the wrong decision to dispose of the polluted water in the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident by means of marine discharge.

He said that the representative of Japan made a false statement on the nuclear pollution water issue in Fukushima when he just made a statement, trying to emphasize that the treated nuclear polluted water discharged from the sea is harmless, the Japanese side has made it transparent and the relevant practices have been recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency. These are totally inconsistent with the facts and are totally misleading. China would like to stress that:

First, the Fukushima nuclear accident is one of the most serious nuclear accidents in the world so far. The polluted water comes from the cooling water, groundwater and rainwater flowing through the damaged reactor core, which contains a large number of radionuclides produced by nuclear fission. These nuclides do not exist in nature, and there is no international emission precedent. The impact on the marine environment, food safety and public health can not be ignored. If the water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant is as harmless as Japan says, why does Japan not leave it for its own use instead of discharging it into the sea?

Second, Japan is not as transparent as it claims to be. Before the announcement of the decision, Japan did not fully consult with neighboring countries and other stakeholders. After the decision was released by Japan, organizations such as the Pacific Rim countries including China and the Pacific Island Forum expressed concern about the decision to release nuclear polluted water from the Japanese ocean. The Japanese side has not responded seriously and has not yet resolved the concerns of all parties.

Thirdly, the International Atomic Energy Agency has never approved or approved the decision of Japan to discharge nuclear polluted water to the sea. At present, the International Atomic Energy Agency is preparing to build relevant technical working groups and has confirmed that experts from China and South Korea will be invited to participate. China will fully support the relevant work and push Japan to respond to the concerns of stakeholders and the international community. Japan should earnestly show sincerity, take a highly responsible attitude towards international public interests, and handle relevant issues prudently in an open, transparent and scientific manner.

Fourth, the disposal of nuclear polluted water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident is not just a domestic problem in Japan. The relevant practices will have a serious impact on international public health and safety and the vital interests of the people of neighboring countries. China strongly urges Japan to withdraw its erroneous decision and not to start sea discharge without authorization until consultation and consensus with stakeholders, including neighboring countries and relevant international institutions, are reached（ (end)