Taiwan "Claims for Damages to Fisheries if Japan Discharges Fukushima Contaminated Water"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Taiwanese government has announced that it will seek compensation from the Japanese government if the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima into the ocean causes damage to its fisheries.

According to local media such as Liberty Times on the 15th, Chen Zhizhong, Director (minister-level) of the Taiwan Council of Agriculture, stated, "If our country's fisheries suffer damage due to the nuclear wastewater discharged by Japan, we will seek compensation from the Japanese government."

Director Chen explained, "Based on preliminary assessments, the fish species affected by the radioactive contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant flowing into the sea include 25 species such as hairtail and mackerel pike," adding, "The scale of Taiwan's related fisheries amounts to 14 billion New Taiwan dollars (approximately 550 billion Korean won) annually."

He further added that to verify the impact of Japan's radioactive contaminated water, the number of monitoring sites in the nearby sea will be increased from the current 33 to 95, and the sampling of caught fish will be expanded, significantly strengthening the continuous monitoring system.

Meanwhile, the Atomic Energy Council, an agency under Taiwan's Executive Yuan, stated in a press release on the 13th, "The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association had explained prior to the Japanese government's official decision that the nuclear wastewater would be diluted and discharged into the sea in stages," adding, "Although we expressed opposition at the time, we regret that Japan has maintained this decision."