Advertisement
Opinion
Japan needs to rethink the dumping of Fukushima nuclear plant’s waste water into the sea
- Given the potentially serious environmental fallout and its legal obligations against marine pollution, Japan should pause, consult its neighbours – and consider being safe rather than sorry
3-MIN READ3-MIN
9
Francisco José Leandro is an associate professor in international relations and associate dean at the Institute for Research on Portuguese-Speaking Countries, at the City University of Macau.
Japan plans to start releasing the 1.3 million cubic metres of contaminated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea sometime this spring or summer, according to recent statements by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.
Although the government has said it would not proceed before receiving a comprehensive report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are four important arguments why it should mull over this dumping of waste water and consider revoking its plan.
First, there is the argument for precaution. Environmentally risky activity should be avoided, even when there is a lack of scientific certainty over the serious or irreversible damage it could cause.
This precautionary principle is part of several international legal instruments and a pillar of environmental law. It is enshrined in principle 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which states: “In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by states according to their capabilities.
Select Voice
Select Speed
1x
AI-generated voice