• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Thursday, October 2, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The NY Journals
  • Home
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Trending
  • Home
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Trending
No Result
View All Result
The NY Journals
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

China’s Allies Lead Pacific Criticism Of Fukushima Water Release

by Sarkiya Ranen
in Politics
China’s Allies Lead Pacific Criticism Of Fukushima Water Release
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Protestors march on the streets of Fiji’s capital Suva against Japan’s release of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant
AFP

China’s Pacific allies — from Solomon Islands’ government to Fiji’s opposition — on Friday echoed Beijing’s criticism of Japan releasing wastewater from its disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant.

More than 500 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of treated wastewater will be released into the Pacific over decades in a plan endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

But China has issued a furious response, and its allies in the Pacific have backed that criticism despite safety assurances from Japan and the IAEA.

Solomons’ Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare — who has delayed elections and scolded Western powers while embracing Beijing’s chequebook diplomacy — issued a “strong statement against Japan’s decision”.

The water release, he said, “has an impact on our people, ocean, economy and livelihood.”

There was a similar message in the Fijian capital Suva on Friday, where a rare protest attracted hundreds.

Demonstrators carried placards saying “Nuclear-free sea!” and “Pacific Lives Matter”.

The protest was promoted by FijiFirst, an opposition party whose leader, ousted prime minister Frank Bainimarama, courted closer ties with China while in office.

The party accused Fiji’s government of “failing future generations by allowing Japan to dump its nuclear waste into our ocean”.

Other leaders appeared convinced by the safety assessments.

“Japan has reassured the region that the water has been treated,” said Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who is currently chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, a regional bloc.

“I believe that the discharge meets international safety standards.”

China has repeatedly and strongly criticised the release plan, banned Japanese seafood imports and cast doubt on the expert assessments that concluded the operation poses no harm to the environment.

Nigel Marks, a physics professor at Australia’s Curtin University, said the released water contains negligible amounts of radioactive tritium.

“The Pacific Ocean contains 8,400 grams of pure tritium, while Japan will release 0.06 grams of tritium every year,” he said.

“The minuscule amount of extra radiation won’t make the tiniest jot of difference.”

Regardless of the science, the Fukushima release has created a political opening for Beijing, according to Mihai Sora, a former Australian diplomat who is now with the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

Japan has “done a lot of diplomacy to win over as many Pacific leaders as they can”, he said, but “almost universally this will be an unpopular decision among Pacific communities”.

“You can imagine Beijing using its diplomatic access to encourage some of its partners to speak out about this strongly, because it serves Beijing’s interests.”

As well as fears about damaging vital fish supplies and sensitive marine ecosystems, the Fukushima water release has caused disquiet in a region where nuclear issues are highly sensitive.

For decades, major powers including the United States, Britain and France used the sparsely populated South Pacific to test atomic weapons — with consequences that linger to this day.

The Fukushima water release plan has been endorsed by the IAEA but has still caused concern across the Pacific
The Fukushima water release plan has been endorsed by the IAEA but has still caused concern across the Pacific
AFP
Graphic on tritium, a by-product of operating nuclear power plants, which emits very weak radiation.
Graphic on tritium, a by-product of operating nuclear power plants, which emits very weak radiation.
AFP



Source link

Tags: AlliesChinasCriticismFukushimaLeadPacificReleaseWater
Sarkiya Ranen

Sarkiya Ranen

I am an editor for Ny Journals, focusing on business and entrepreneurship. I love uncovering emerging trends and crafting stories that inspire and inform readers about innovative ventures and industry insights.

Next Post
“Global South To Drive 2/3 Of World’s Growth, Big Chance For India”: G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant

"Global South To Drive 2/3 Of World's Growth, Big Chance For India": G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Family offices bet on Nvidia before US9 billion DeepSeek rout

Family offices bet on Nvidia before US$589 billion DeepSeek rout

8 months ago
“Maha Kumbh Will Inspire New Achievements”: PM Modi In Lok Sabha

“Maha Kumbh Will Inspire New Achievements”: PM Modi In Lok Sabha

7 months ago

Popular News

    Connect with us

    The NY Journals pride themselves on assembling a proficient and dedicated team comprising seasoned journalists and editors. This collective commitment drives us to provide our esteemed readership with nothing short of the most comprehensive, accurate, and captivating news coverage available.

    Transcending the bounds of New York City to encompass a broader scope, we ensure that our audience remains well-informed and engaged with the latest developments, both locally and beyond.

    NEWS

    • Business
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Real Estate
    Instagram Youtube

    © 2025 The New York Journals. All Rights Reserved.

    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • Business
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Trending

    Copyright © 2023 The Nyjournals

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In