Activists protest against Japan’s decision to discharge treated radioactive water into the ocean

In central Seoul, hundreds of thousands of activists in South Korea held a demonstration on Saturday to protest against Japan’s decision to release treated radioactive water from the tsunami-affected Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.

This march was organized in response to a report earlier in the week by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun daily, which stated that Tokyo plans to start discharging the water into the ocean as soon as late August, based on unidentified government sources.

Choi Kyoungsook, a member of the activist group Korea Radiation Watch, which coordinated the protest, emphasized that allowing the disposal of the water could lead to the destruction of the marine ecosystem. The group’s position is against this action, as they believe the sea is a shared resource for all of humanity, not just for the Japanese government.

During the demonstration, participants held up signs with messages such as “Keep It Inland” and “Protect the Pacific Ocean!” They sang songs and listened to rally organizers.

Last month, Japan’s nuclear regulator granted permission to the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power, to release the water into the ocean, a move that Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency consider safe. However, neighboring countries have expressed concerns about potential contamination of food sources.

Kyoungsook reiterated the seriousness of the issue, calling on the governments of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to view it as an environmental disaster rather than a political matter, and to work together to prevent it for the sake of future generations.

An upcoming trilateral summit at Camp David in Maryland on Aug. 18 involving United States President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to address regional security challenges, relations with North Korea, and other key topics in the Indo-Pacific region. The summit aims to strengthen ties with ASEAN and the Pacific Islands and promote a rules-based international order while addressing global challenges.