Japan has officially expressed its concerns to China as local businesses and institutions grapple with a barrage of harassing phone calls following the Fukushima plant’s treated wastewater discharge.
These calls, originating from numbers with Chinese dialing codes, have inundated establishments in Japan. Notably, a restaurant chain in Fukushima reported receiving over 1,000 such calls since last Thursday.
As a response, Tokyo has issued a warning to its citizens traveling to China, advising them to exercise caution and refrain from speaking Japanese loudly.
The contentious release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant has elicited criticism from multiple quarters, spearheaded by Beijing.
While Japanese authorities provide daily updates indicating that the seawater surrounding the nuclear facility registers no discernible radioactivity levels, the abusive phone calls began after the water discharge. Targets of these calls have included government entities, schools, and even an aquarium.
The calls, delivered in Chinese, Japanese, and English, often involve vitriolic language and express opposition to Japan’s decision to release the treated nuclear water.
China, condemning the act as “extremely selfish and irresponsible,” announced a ban on Japanese seafood imports last Thursday in response.
Meanwhile, Tokyo is embarking on a strategy to quell concerns. Regular radiation assessments of waters adjacent to the nuclear plant will be conducted, with the results published weekly over the next three months. This approach is aimed at reassuring neighboring countries and fishing communities.
Over the next three decades, more than one million tonnes of stored water at the nuclear plant will be systematically discharged. The discourse around this practice, coupled with the tumultuous reaction it has elicited, underscores the complex interplay between environmental responsibility and international relations.
