Save the Pacific: NFLA lobbies Japanese Ministers and TEPCO to oppose plans to dump Fukushima radioactive water at sea
Posted: 16th March 2023
NFLA media release, 15 March 2023, For immediate use
On the twelfth anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster, the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) have once again joined the international chorus of voices opposed to the Japanese Government’s plan to dump over one million tonnes of radioactive waste from the disaster site in the Pacific Ocean by writing to Ministers and to nuclear company bosses to protest.
Operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the Fukushima Plant was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami on 11 March 2011. A disaster unfolded with three nuclear meltdowns, three hydrogen explosions and a release of radiation from three reactors, and Government authorities were forced to evacuate 154,000 people from the surrounding area over a 20-mile radius.
Since the disaster water used to cool the destroyed reactors, along with rain- and groundwater that has leached into the damaged plant, has accumulated on site with over 1.3 million tons now being stored in barrels.
Last year, the Japanese government confirmed its intention to build an underwater pipe 1km out to sea to discharge the radioactive water there, and, although the plan has been delayed by domestic and international pressure, this remains the government’s plan, with the dumping scheduled to take place over the Spring and Summer.
Although the contaminated water is treated it cannot remove deadly tritium, a beta-emitting radioactive isotope of hydrogen, and other radioactive materials, and appeals to stop this process citing the environmental damage that will result have been expressed by the local fishing and farming community, Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan, the Pacific Islands Council, regional governments, and anti-nuclear activists everywhere.
Now the NFLA is for the second time registering its protest as it promised to do when signing an agreement last Friday to work in partnership with Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan. NFLA Steering Committee Chair, Councillor Lawrence O’Neill explained why:
“Radioactive tritium is toxic to fish and seafood, and to farm animals raised on shoreline pastoral land. Consequently, the discharge of the water will not only cause irreparable damage to the marine environment, but it will decimate the livelihoods of the Japanese fishing and farming community in the region.
“Nor will the impact be localized for scientists have also predicted that the contaminated water will spread throughout the entire Pacific Ocean within ten years, blighting the region.
“Dumping is not the solution; instead, it represents an ecological disaster and is simply putting the problem out of immediate sight and mind. Once again, in support of the people of Fukushima and of the people of Japan the NFLA says ‘No’”.
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For more information, please contact NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email on [email protected] or mobile 07583097793
Notes to Editors
This media release can also be found on the NFLA website at:
The following letter has been sent today to the following Japanese government ministers:
The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida
The Minister of the Environment, Akihiro Nishimura
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Taku Etō
The Minister in charge of the Response to the Economic Impact caused by the Nuclear Accident and Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, Hiroshi Kajiyama
C/o The Cabinet Public Affairs Office, Cabinet Secretariat, Tokyo.
Your Excellencies,
And also to the following TEPCO executives:
Chairman, Yoshimitsu Kobayashi
President, Tomoaki Kobayakawa
C/o TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.), Tokyo.
Dear Mr Chairman and Mr President,
At this time, when the international community joins the Japanese people in marking the twelfth anniversary of the Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Station disaster, I am writing to you as Chair of the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities to register our condemnation of the most regrettable plan by the Japanese Government and nuclear operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) to discharge into the Pacific Ocean over one million tons of radioactive water which has accumulated since the disaster.
My predecessor, Councillor David Blackburn, wrote to you in similar vein last year. I wish to reaffirm that we are opposed to this proposal because the Advanced Liquid Processing System, which shall be used to treat this water, will not filter out tritium and other toxic industrial chemicals and contaminants prior to its release into the sea. Radioactive tritium is toxic to fish and seafood populations and ultimately to the humans who consume them.
The discharge of the water will have a disastrous impact upon the livelihoods of Japanese fisherfolk and it will also contaminate tide-washed coastal pastures, affecting dairy and meat products from animals reared on them. In addition, during storm surges, contact with and inhalation of water particles will be dangerous to humans; such contact can occur up to ten miles inland. Scientists have also predicted that the contaminated water will spread throughout the entire Pacific Ocean within ten years blighting the region.
The NFLA joins our partners, Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan, nuclear activists everywhere, the Japanese domestic fishing and farming industries, the Pacific Islands Council, and Pacific regional governments in condemning this plan. I am authorised to register our protest with you and urge you to halt this plan which will cause irreparable harm to the Pacific Ocean marine environment and to the livelihoods of all of those who are reliant upon it.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Lawrence O’Neill,
Chair, UK/Ireland NFLA Steering Committee
Sent by
Richard Outram, BA (Hons),
Secretary, UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities and Mayors for Peace Chapter Secretary,
City Policy, Manchester City Council
+44 (0) 7583 097793