Various sectors in Hong Kong have expressed dissatisfaction with an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Japan's disposal of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and strongly protested against Japan's push to discharge wastewater into the Pacific.
A recent online poll on wastewater discharge from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, launched by the Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao, received more than 14,000 responses within four days. Nearly 98 percent of respondents opposed the water release plan, and over 96 percent did not believe Japan's so-called justification for the discharge.
Luk Bing-lam, chairman of the Hong Kong Nuclear Society, said there are many uncertainties in the IAEA's assessment report, and it did not mention how many experts have agreed with Japan's arrangement, which is worrying.
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has been following the issue of Japan's radioactive water discharge. Lawmaker Joephy Chan, a federation member, criticized the IAEA report on the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water for not being comprehensive and only adopting Japan's discharge plan, which is not convincing itself.
Cheung Siu-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Fishermen Consortium, said the consortium strongly protests against the planned discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water.
Cheung said the ocean is not a closed space, and if seafood is found to be contaminated with radiation, the fishing industry will be greatly affected.
Wu Shiu-sun, a professor at the Department of Science and Environmental Studies of the Education University of Hong Kong, pointed out that radioactive substances will not disappear after they are diluted, and they will spread through marine life to all parts of the world with the impact extending beyond Japan's waters.
The Japanese government has been pushing to dump the contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant this summer, which was hit by a massive earthquake and an ensuing tsunami in March 2011.
The move has aroused strong opposition and doubts from Japan's fishing and civic groups, neighboring countries, South Pacific island countries, and the international community.
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