Haruo Ono, a third-generation fisherman from Fukushima, knows the sea’s rhythms like his own heartbeat. Twelve years after losing his livelihood to the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, he’s staring down another existential threat: Japan’s plan to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi plant into the Pacific Ocean.
\\"We rebuilt slowly after 2011—testing fish for radiation, regaining trust,\\" Ono told myglobalnews.net. \\"Now this decision could erase decades of effort.\\"
The Japanese government asserts the water—filtered to remove most radioactive elements and diluted to meet safety standards—poses \\"negligible environmental risk.\\" Over 1.3 million tons of water stored at the site will be discharged gradually through an underwater tunnel.
But local fishers and neighboring countries remain skeptical. Fukushima’s seafood industry, valued at $15 million annually pre-2023, faces renewed export restrictions from China and South Korea. Environmental groups warn of long-term ecological impacts despite IAEA oversight.
Young activists in Japan’s coastal communities are organizing beach cleanups and social media campaigns under hashtags like #ProtectOurPacific. \\"This isn’t just Fukushima’s problem,\\" said marine biology student Aya Kobayashi. \\"It’s about how we balance recovery, science, and global responsibility.\\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
