Last Friday, a group of approximately 150 Japanese fishermen from Fukushima Prefecture filed a lawsuit against the government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The lawsuit disputes the release of treated, but still radioactive, water from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant.
Arguing that discharging the hazardous material infringes on their right to fish, the fishermen signal a significant step in this ongoing matter, marking the first collective lawsuit. The plaintiffs are from various prefectures including Fukushima, Tokyo, Miyagi, Iwate, Ibaraki, Chiba, and Niigata. According to them, the suit’s key demands call for revocation of the permit for modification to the water discharge plan, conducting preliminary inspections of the facilities, and ultimately ceasing the water discharge.
Prior to this, the government had presented a detailed execution plan to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA confirmed the plan’s approval, stating that it strictly adhered to the established safety standards of the global organization.
The contentious water originates from the partially damaged Fukushima-1 nuclear reactor. As per the Japanese plan, the radioactive water will go through gradual filtration to remove multivalent ions. The water will then be released into the ocean in larger quantities, mixed proportionally with non-radioactive water. However, such plans have incited doubt on the international stage due to the presence of tritium, a radioactive substance whose chemical properties make it impossible to effectively purify and eliminate.
Voices of opposition are amplified by South Korea and China. Both nations, relying on the potentially tritium-contaminated water, expressed their disapproval. China has in fact imposed an all-out embargo on Japanese seafood. As a countermeasure, Japan has dedicated around 100 billion yen to bolster its fishing industry. The unfolding of this lawsuit adds yet another layer to the ongoing international discourse over the treatment of water discharge following nuclear accidents.