Double standards equally risky on nuclear issues.docx

DoublestandardsequallyriskyonnuclearissuesByMarioCavoloUpdated:2023-09-0614:54f.l11+SHIYUChinaDaily1.ikemanyacrosstheworld,Ialsohadthoughttheissueofthenuclear-contaminatedwaterfromthedamagedFukushimanuclearpowerplanthadbeensettled.ButwhenIrecentlyreadinaChannelNewsAsiareportthatJapanesegovernmentofficialshadsaidtheradioactivewaterhadtobedischargedintotheseatoavoidaccidentalleaksandcreatespaceforstoringmorewastewaterthatwasaccumulatinginthedestroyednuclearreactoroftheFukushimaplant,Irealizedsomethingwasseriouslywrong.ThattheJapanesegovernmentisconcernedaboutanyaccidentalleaksmeanstheradioactivewaterisobviouslyisnotsafe.Andifthatisthecase,whyisJapandumpingitintothesea?TheJapanesegovernmentthentoldtheworldthattheradioactivewaterwouldbetreatedbeforebeingdischargedintothesea,andthereisnothingtoworryaboutbecausethetreatmentwillremoveallthenuclidesfromthewater.ButthisassurancecamefromTokyoElectricPowerCompany,whichownsthedamagedFukushimaplant,andhasliedabouttheradioactivewaterandthenuclearreactorscountlesstimesbefore.ThenIlearnedthatJapanhadinvitedtheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgencytostudythesituation.ThisshouldhavemademebelievethedecisionoftheJapanesegovernmentandTEPCOtodumptheradioactivewaterintotheseawasbasedonfoolproofscientificstudies.ButtheIAEA,scorestatementontheFukushimacrisisexplicitlystatesthatitdoesnotendorseorrecommendthedischargeplan,whichraisestwoveryimportantquestions.First,whydorecentheadlinesinTheNewYorkTimessuggestitistreatingJapanwithkidgloves?WhyistheWest'sapproachtoJapanverydifferentfromthewayitdealtwithRussiain1993whenthelatterfacedaninternationaluproarafterannouncingitwasplanningtoreleasenuclear-contaminatedwaterintothesea?Russiawasforcedtoabandonitsplan,heedingthecalloftheinternationalcommunity.Andsecond,whydoesn'tJapantreattheradioactivewaterfromtheFukushimafacilityanduseitdomesticallyitifitissafetodrinkaftertreatment,asTEPCOclaimed?Wouldn'tthatbebetterthanJapandumpingtheradioactivewaterintotheseaandcontaminatingthemarineenvironmentandecologyandthreateningthehealthofpeoplearoundtheworld?IfChinadidthesame,theUnitedStatesanditsallieswouldhavelaunchedascathingattack.Toputitsimply,Japanisbeingirresponsible,becauseitwantstosavemoneyandmaketherestoftheworld,especiallyitsneighboringcountries,todealwiththethreatthenuclear-contaminatedwaterwillpose.Somepeoplehavebeentryingtoconfusepeoplebyfocusingonlyontheexistenceoftritiumintheradioactivewater,claimingthecoolingwaterChinareleasesfromitsnuclearplantshasthesameradioactiveelement.Thiscomparisonismisplaced,becausenuclearplantsnotonlyinChinabutalsointherestoftheworld,includingthoseintheUS,Franceandmanyothercountries,releasecoolingwaterwiththesamecontentsintothesea.Coolingwaterisnotthesameasthenuclear-contaminatedwaterfromdamagednuclearpowerplantssuchasChemobylandFukushima.Japan'sdischargeplanwillcostabout$100billioninlostseafoodexportsbecausemostofthepeoplearoundtheworldhavesaidtheywillnolongerconsumeseafoodfromJapanbecauseofhealthconcerns,butalsobecausetheywanttopunishJapanforreleasingtheradioactivewaterintotheseawithoutconsultingothercountries.Also,ifyouaccuseonlyChinaofbadgeringJapanbybanningtheimportofJapaneseagriculturalproducts,seafoodinparticular,beawarethatoverthepastyear,USimportsofJapaneseseafoodhaveplummeted.SowhileUSpoliticiansaresuspiciouslysilent,USconsumersarenot.TheUSmilitary,backin2011,filedacaseseekingcompensationtocoverthecostofthecatastrophicdamageservicemenontheUSSReaganhadsufferedduetoradiationfromtheFukushimaplant.Accordingtoacomplaintlawyersfiledincourt,"Atalltimesrelevantherein,theJapanesegovernment(TEPCO)keptrepresentingthattherewasnodangerofradiationcontaminationtotheUSSReagan(CVN-76)and/oritscrew,that'everythingisundercontrol,1,allisOK,youcantrustus,*andthereis,noimmediatedanger'orthreattohumanlife,allthewhilelyingthroughtheirteethaboutthereactormeltdownsatFNPP."Infact,inOctober2012,TEPCOacknowledgedthatithadplayeddownthesafetyrisksattheFukushimafacilityoutoffearthattheywouldleadtotheshutdownoftheplant.Worse,reportsrevealedthatbeforethe2011earthquakecatastropheJapan,snuclearregulatorslobbedaccusationsofmassnegligenceagainstTEPCO,andTEPCOhadfailedtoinspect33piecesofequipmentattheFukushima-Daiichiplant.Somethingiscertainlynotrighthere.IsuggestJapaneseofficialsmakeadecisionthatdoesn,tharmanypartyandshowstheinternationalcommunitytherespectitwarrants.Theauthorisanon-residentseniorfellowattheCenterforChinaandGlobalization.Theviewsdon'tnecessarilyreflectthoseofChinaDaily.TheopinionsexpressedherearethoseofthewriteranddonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsofChinaDailyandChinaDailywebsite.Ifyouhaveaspecificexpertise,orwouldliketoshareyourthoughtaboutourstories,thensendusyourwritingsatopinion,andcomment.