Japan Fukushima Fishermen's Association Conducts First Inspection of Contaminated Water Discharge Facility... Possible Discharge Next Month

Japanese Government Begins Persuasion for Discharge Next Month
Fear Spreads... Abalone Prices Drop Over 30%

Officials from the Fukushima Fishermen's Association in Japan conducted their first inspection of the contaminated water discharge facility at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Fishermen from Fukushima and neighboring areas have maintained their opposition to the discharge plan amid expanding fishing industry damages following the Japanese government's announcement of the contaminated water release plan. Meanwhile, the Japanese government is expected to actively persuade fishermen with the goal of starting the discharge next month, raising concerns over the controversy.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 21st, NHK reported, citing Tokyo Electric Power Company officials, that executives from the Fukushima Fisheries Cooperative Federation (hereafter referred to as the Federation) inspected the contaminated water treatment and discharge facility at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant for the first time yesterday. NHK stated that this was the first time in three years that local fishermen representatives visited the nuclear plant, and it was at the request of the Japanese government.

However, it is known that fishermen from the Fukushima Federation and neighboring areas still strongly oppose the discharge of contaminated water. In 2015, the Japanese government announced a policy not to discharge contaminated water without persuading and gaining the understanding of local fishermen, making unauthorized discharge without such persuasion difficult.

Fishermen from Fukushima and other parts of the Tohoku region in Japan have suffered damages as seafood prices have plummeted due to expanded seafood import bans imposed by China and Hong Kong, the largest importers of Japanese seafood. The price of abalone in the Tohoku region, including Miyagi Prefecture, has fallen from about 14,000 yen (approximately 128,000 won) per kilogram last month to around 9,500 yen currently, a drop of more than 32%.

The Japanese government plans to persuade fishermen to the greatest extent possible and proceed with the contaminated water discharge next month. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to meet with Masanobu Sakamoto, chairman of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations, within this month to try to change the minds of fishermen opposing the discharge.

Prime Minister Kishida intends to meet with fishermen to explain the safety of the contaminated water discharge plan and measures against reputational (rumor) damage, seek their understanding, and then decide on the timing of the discharge. Considering the Japanese government's stance to carry out the discharge within the summer, it is analyzed that the start of the discharge is likely to be no later than the end of August. Nikkei forecasted, "Prime Minister Kishida is expected to coordinate with fishermen opposing the discharge and proceed with the contaminated water release as early as next month."