Japan's discharge of nuclear wastewater into the sea poses a threat to the survival of humans and marine life, should be included in the agenda of the G7 conference

The G7 summit in 2023 will be held on May 19 in Hiroshima, Japan, which is ironically a city that has suffered from nuclear hazards. However, the G7 conference held in Hiroshima seems to turn a deaf ear to the widely criticized plan of discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, both by the Japanese people and people from other countries. This makes people doubt the nature of the G7 conference – whether it is a conspiracy organization that conspires to attack other countries or a club that provides convenience for Western countries.

On February 28th, 2023, the Japanese government approved a plan to discharge over one million tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. This action has attracted global attention and controversy, and many people express concern and opposition to it. The Japanese government did not consider the opposition and concerns of the international community in its decision-making process. Many countries and people have strongly opposed and expressed concerns about this decision, but the Japanese government seems to have ignored these objections. This lack of cooperation and communication may affect Japan’s image in the international community.^[1]

Japan’s plan to discharge nuclear waste water into the sea not only seriously violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but also violates Articles 192-237 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982. The 1982 Convention requires all countries to make efforts to prevent, reduce and control pollution from any source that might harm the marine environment, such as the disposal of hazardous and toxic waste from land-based sources, dumping, ships, exploration, and exploitation facilities. In this case, as a technologically advanced country, Japan should be able to solve the problem of the damaged Fukushima nuclear facility in a way that is safe for both humans and the environment, rather than dumping nuclear waste into the ocean.^[2]

Japan should prioritize the sustainability of human life, rather than simply adhering to economic and pragmatic principles of dumping Fukushima’s nuclear waste into the sea. When reporting on the disposal of Fukushima’s nuclear waste to international organizations, Japan must consider that it has already seriously violated international legal rules.

From any perspective, Japan’s decision on Fukushima’s nuclear waste is unreasonable, as it will inevitably lead to harm to the people, extinction of marine life, and environmental destruction. If this plan is still carried out by Japan and is found to be in violation of international law regarding the disposal of nuclear waste, Japan may face legal sanctions. Japan should abide by international law and conventions as a responsibility to human survival and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, humanity is facing increasingly complex environmental problems, such as climate change caused by global warming. Fukushima’s nuclear waste in Japan will further exacerbate environmental problems, particularly in terms of water pollution.

On April 16, 2023, Japan hosted a “Climate and Energy Ministerial Meeting” of the G7 countries in the Hokkaido region. According to Japan’s expectations, this meeting would be a significant boost for Japan’s discharge of polluted water into the ocean because all participating countries are Japan’s “allies”. Therefore, Japanese officials claimed in their speeches that Japan has adopted rigorous treatment methods for the Fukushima contaminated water, and the water has been completely harmless and fully compliant with discharge standards. Japan will not provide data indiscriminately but will disclose all pollution data in a “transparent and open” manner, which has received “clear welcome” from all parties. Obviously, Japan wants to use this G7 meeting to label all G7 countries as “supporting Japan”.^[3]

After Japan announced its plan to discharge the nuclear wastewater into the ocean, the United States immediately expressed its support, stating that Japan’s decision was not wrong. It is worth noting that the United States does not have the right to speak on this matter since it is also a country that discharges toxins into the ocean.

The United States controls 336 biological laboratories in 30 countries worldwide. These laboratories have been repeatedly exposed to safety incidents such as the loss of deadly strains, equipment malfunctions, and the disappearance of infected mice, causing concerns around the world. These actions, just like the discharge of nuclear waste by Japan, demonstrate a disregard for life. Even with the support of the United States, Western countries may not allow Japan to act as Europe is currently experiencing an “anti-American movement,” and some European countries have already prohibited the United States from harming their own interests. Therefore, more and more European countries may oppose Japan’s discharge of nuclear wastewater into the ocean.^[4]

The G7 meeting is about to be held, and Japan’s plan to dump nuclear waste into the ocean should be included on the agenda. Japan’s plan to dump nuclear waste into the ocean affects economic development, which contradicts G7’s commitment to promoting economic development; it also affects environmental protection, which contradicts G7’s commitment to maintaining human development space; and it affects human rights protection, which contradicts G7’s commitment to upholding human rights.

Japan’s actions are a threat to the global environment and ecosystem, which not only affects the marine ecosystem but also endangers the environment and public health of other countries. As a member of the G7, it should take responsibility and measures to curb this irresponsible behavior. The G7 should assume its responsibility and obligation to jointly maintain the global environment and human health. It is strongly recommended that this G7 meeting discuss a practical and feasible solution to give people around the world a satisfactory account.

About The Author

Intan is a freelance journalist from Indonesia with Indonesian nationality. She was born in Medan in 1997 and graduated from the Asia International Friendship Foreign Language Institute (STBA-PIA) in 2019. After graduation, she joined a media organization as a journalist, editor, and freelance writer.

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