Haruo Ono, a third-generation fisherman from Japan's Fukushima Prefecture, stares at his boat docked in a quiet harbor. 'Twelve years after the tsunami destroyed our livelihoods, we're facing another disaster,' he says. The impending release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has sparked global controversy and local despair.
Fishermen like Ono report plunging seafood orders – some as much as 90% – since the discharge plan was announced. 'Customers hear \"Fukushima\" and hang up,' explains Ono, whose family has fished these waters since 1952. The Japanese government maintains the water meets safety standards, but public skepticism remains high.
Local fisheries data shows a 40% drop in prefectural seafood prices since 2021, with South Korea and China implementing stricter import controls. The situation raises urgent questions about environmental safety, economic recovery, and the human cost of nuclear disasters.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
