Japan’s Fukushima nuclear waste disposal still remains concern for Pacific Island Nations

The just-concluded regional meeting saw leaders of the Pacific island countries meet with Japanese leaders to talk about strengthening economic, diplomatic ties and feathering their bilateral relationships.

However, the issue of Japan's Fukushima nuclear waste disposal into the Pacific Ocean was a sticky point.

Pacific leaders called on Japan to have regular testing done on the Pacific Ocean in light of this discharge and that there be transparency in the reporting process.

Prime Minister James Marape said Japan has agreed to this call.

“You know; the entire Pacific island nation is concerned about any discharges into our Pacific Ocean. Japan themselves live and share the same ocean with us, in any case, and there was transparency in the discussions.

“The discharge from Fukushima right now meets the International Energy Autonomic Energy Authority regulations and requirements. So the discussions went in from a PIF perspective. They request that regular tests be made and a transparency of the report be made known to all of us concerned,” Marape said.

Japan had no problem with this one.

Coordinator of the Pacific Network on Globalization or PANG, Joey Tao, told NBC National News Japan through its Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Limited or TEPCO has released seven rounds of nuclear waste water into the Pacific Ocean since beginning last year between July and August.

There are plans to release another five rounds this year with two releases already.

“The expert panel put together by the PIF Secretariat had suggested scientific alternatives for Japan to hold off and look at on land stockpiling.

“There are alternatives to what Japan currently has. As civil society, we stand firm on the scientific alternative options that the expert panel has provided and we hope our leaders will continue to ensure that Prime Minister Kishida does not ignore the concerns of Pacific peoples,” Tao said.

Mr. Tao has called for the suspension of Japan as a forum dialogue partner and that Japan adhere to the concerns of the Pacific leaders and the people.

Japan and the Pacific Island countries were urged to consider other scientific alternatives such as stockpiling the waste on land.

It's anticipated that about 1.28 million tons of radioactive waste will be dumped into the Pacific Ocean with about 31,200 tons of waste released since August 2023 and a further 54,600 tons this year.