Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, August 24th-China’s ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, lodged a solemn protest with Japan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Masayoshi Okano on the 24th, regarding Japan’s launching of the Fukushima nuclear polluted water discharge into the sea.
Wu Jianghao said that today, Japan ignored strong doubts and opposition at home and abroad, shifted the risk of nuclear pollution to neighboring countries including China and the international community, put its own self-interest above the long-term well-being of people in the region and around the world, put the global marine environment and the health of all mankind as a dangerous bet, and insisted on officially launching the Fukushima nuclear pollution water discharge. China resolutely opposed this and once again lodged a solemn protest with Japan, demanding that Japan immediately stop this extremely selfish and irresponsible behavior.
Wu Jianghao pointed out that the Fukushima nuclear accident is one of the most serious nuclear accidents in the world so far, causing a large amount of radioactive materials to leak. There is no precedent in the world to deal with it by discharging the sea, and there is still a lack of technology that has been tested by science and practice and proved to be "safe and harmless". Without fully demonstrating the long-term safety and reliability of the existing sea-discharging technology, gaining extensive understanding from all stakeholders, and establishing a complete international supervision and compensation mechanism, Japan insists on forcibly starting sea-discharging, which contains huge risks and unpredictable hazards.
Wu Jianghao emphasized that the ocean is the blue home on which all mankind depends, and all countries have the obligation of international law to protect and preserve the marine environment. Japan has no right to decide to dump nuclear polluted water into the sea without authorization, and must bear full responsibility for the consequences caused by it. China seriously urges Japan to immediately stop discharging the sea, communicate honestly with its neighboring countries in a responsible manner, accept strict supervision by the international community, and effectively dispose of nuclear polluted water in a scientific, safe and transparent way. If Japan insists on doing it, it will bear long-term moral and legal responsibilities.
Wu Jianghao pointed out that’s exclusion from the sea has aroused strong concerns of Japanese consumers about food safety. China government has always adhered to the people first, and must resolutely respond to people’s concerns and safeguard the marine environment, food safety and public health. It is natural and necessary for the China government to announce a total suspension of the import of Japanese aquatic products. The responsibility for this situation lies entirely with the Japanese side, which should reflect on itself.