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U.S. envoy: China's reaction to Fukushima water release is economic coercion

63 Comments
By Chris Gallagher and Sakura Murakami

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63 Comments
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Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

And this from a country that maintains sanctions on more than 50% of the countries in the world.

-18 ( +8 / -26 )

That pics really shows how photo ops being done. Why those ladies are not smiling as he does? Because they know the real massive buyer for fisheries product before 2011 are South Korea and China, to fix those issue can not be done by only photo ops.

-17 ( +8 / -25 )

Agree. China releases far more radiation from their plants every year than Japan is planning to. If China really is worried about contaminating water they can start making changes at home. But of course they're not. It's all political.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tytSIir3pKA&t=1s&ab_channel=ChinaUncensored

15 ( +20 / -5 )

Agree with the Ambassador. In typical hypocritical fashion China uses trade and economics as a weapon. There is no science or safety behind China's position as the Qinshan power plant in Zhejiang Province released 218 trillion becquerels of tritium in 2021. Which is ten times the maximum amount of tritium to be discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi plant in one year.

Japan should just ban any exports to China period. Oversupply of seafood should be made available at low prices to Japanese consumers, who are struggling with rising living costs.

18 ( +22 / -4 )

The economic coercion against Japan, the robocalls of harassment and disinformation both here in Japan and around comes right out of China's playbook. This is all politics," Emanuel said.

Agreed with Emmanuel 100%.

This is pure politics - namely anti-Japan politics- on display from the Communist Party. Nothing more.

Since when has the CCP ever cared about the "safety" and well being of their citizens? Since never.

Great to see the US has Japan's back on this.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

The Chinese economy is not doing so well and this provides a distraction.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

China is behind their own massive fishing fleet (probably fishing those same waters) even as they try to strangle Japan’s fishery industry and trade.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

As Japan's ally , United States ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel is obligated to let his country buy all those da-kine delicious and safe fishes that China refused to buy.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

@Hiro, on the face of it, yours is a good idea. But, Americans eat more beef, cholesterol-laden hot dogs, fried foods and McDonald's burgers than they do fish. Can't change that with a suggestion they eat healthier foods, even if they know nothing about the Fukushima seafood debate.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

"The economic coercion against Japan, the robocalls of harassment and disinformation both here in Japan and around comes right out of China's playbook. This is all politics," Emanuel said.

Err not quite.

How long has Mr Ambassador been in Japan?

Well, he arrived in 2022.

The disaster at Fukushima has been ongoing since 2011.

Ive been in Japan for decades and know full well the scandals and coverups that have gone on.

The Japanese people know even better than me!

My first vivid memory of no good here was Shin Kanemaru being placed in a wheelchair and hiding in a hospital in Tokyo.-he was not sick

There were beautiful Fukushima peaches on display today and they really were exceptional but nobody was buying.

The Chinese might say it plainly but the Japanese people most certainly think the same more than Emanuel will ever know

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

Some of the Chi-comm owned news websites are truly comical. Some of them have obviously fake news articles about Japanese politicians drinking Fukushima water and then dying. The anti-Japan crowd online have no shame or decency in their misinformation campaign. A lot of them make outrageous claims not backed by any real science. How ironic it is those that are loudest to criticize others of whitewashing history are the biggest such offenders.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

You,. the supposed leader of the world, set bad examples, so what do you expect?? Countries are getting wise to you, so, just copying/follow you when they deal with others, especially your allies.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

"The economic coercion against Japan, the robocalls of harassment and disinformation both here in Japan and around comes right out of China's playbook. This is all politics," Emanuel said.

Emanuel hits the nail on the head with this. For the CCP, literally everything is political.

Japan definitely should take the case to the WTO. It won't change China, but it will show them up and highlight their purely political lies to the world. The CCP hates being shown up for the liars that they are (as in cases like the UNCLOS ruling), which is all the more reason to do it.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

@Zoroto Perhaps you have already tasted it

I can see the lady's face, his suit is going to smell like radioactive fish.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The problems with the CCP is their economy has tanked the country is is a spiral going from 100 to -100. The country had no fiscal plan the banks are stealing the peoples money, the real estate has collapsed, the government built dams and released water to drown out towns to save themselves. Everything is so backwards they build things only to look at them and then they fall. Nothing works, because the mindset on every level is corruption,cheating, and deceit. Once their is a problem they blame others, its just a matter of time the place explodes nothing seems right at the moment.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

TrevorPeaceToday  07:32 pm JST

@Hiro, on the face of it, yours is a good idea. But, Americans eat more beef, cholesterol-laden hot dogs, fried foods and McDonald's burgers than they do fish. Can't change that with a suggestion they eat healthier foods, even if they know nothing about the Fukushima seafood debate.

Well there are the wealthy Hollywood celebrities, health conscious yogis and the people of Alaska that would salivate upon hearing the word safe and yummy Fukushima seafoods.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Much greater effort needs to be taken in highlighting the radioactive discharges from China's nuclear power stations , not to mention all the other crap they pollute the sea with. We need to be a lot less “diplomatic” in countering Chinese lies. Let the world population know the real figures about their radiological and other pollution.

Every time a Chinese mouthpiece whines on about the discharge don’t just politely disagree, demand that China meet the same radiological standards being complied with for the Fukushima discharges.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

JT had a good graphic here a couple of days back showing the process through which the once tainted water has to pass.

It looks good on paper, and the IAEA actually on site had no objections, and various organizations are there testing the waters to try and prove TEPCO wrong, so until the system is abused in some way, I'd say let's focus more on China's discharges, as englisc aspyrgend says above.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I believe China will never win, in fact china better not go to the WTO and open a can of warms.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I'd say let's focus more on China's discharges, as englisc aspyrgend says above.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry puts out a graph that shows volume of tritium discharge Japan Fukushima 22 trillion Bq

France La Hague 11,400 trillion Bq

So what about France? What about China? What about Canada? This is classic whataboutism.

1) nuclear waste water is different from Fukushima’s nuclear contaminated water. Fukushima is Japan’s Chernobyl, same level 7. None of the others had a meltdown or an accident.

2) What Japan is releasing is over 30 years. And more contaminated water is being made as we speak. The shell is broken. Fukushima has not been decommissioned yet. More contaminated water is in its way.

3) There is no precedence ever if nuclear contaminated water being dumped into the ocean.

4) Keep your radioactive contaminated garbage to yourself. Don’t dump it in a public place.

It’s your contaminated water. Treat it and dump it little by little over three decades in Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima prefecture if it is safe.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

The problems with the CCP is their economy has tanked 

No, China’s economy is growing at a higher percentage than that of the U.S. Moreover, you can judge by actions not by headlines of msm.

The U.S. has Kishida and Moon traveling to the US to pay tribute to Biden.

China has US officials Janet Yellen, John Kerry, Anthony Blinken, Gina Raimondo visiting China like emissaries of a vassal state not to mention Henry Kissinger, Tim Cook and so on.

It’s clear the US is trying to gain favor with Xi.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

No, China’s economy is growing at a higher percentage than that of the U.S.

Heh, someone is drinking the CCP kool-ade!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Qinshan power plant in Zhejiang Province released 218 trillion becquerels of tritium in 2021. Which is ten times the maximum amount of tritium to be discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi plant in one year.

France La Hague plant releases 11,400 trillion Bq. So what?

Japan stated tritium is safe and so what’s with the issue with comparing amounts of safe radionuclides?

China and France are not releasing contaminated water.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Japan stated tritium is safe and so what’s with the issue with comparing amounts of safe radionuclides?

Because China is both claiming it's unsafe, while performing the same actions they claim are unsafe.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Heh, someone is drinking the CCP kool-ade!

2% of the U.S. economy is less than 5% of the Chinese economy. Do you disagree?

Why are all these US officials visiting China if their economy has tanked?

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Because China is both claiming it's unsafe, while performing the same actions they claim are unsafe.

No, actually that’s Japan’s response choosing to compare tritium levels which is irrelevant since it is not harmful.

They are not concerned about tritium but heavy metals, carbon-14, cesium and so on. They don’t trust TEPCO’s credibility based on their past.

Let’s remove the Chinese element to avoid distractions. Do you think the Japanese who protest the release of contaminated water are also doing so for political reasons?

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

No, actually that’s Japan’s response choosing to compare tritium levels which is irrelevant since it is not harmful.

China: Complaining about releasing nuclear wastewater into the oceans

China: Release nuclear wastewater into the oceans.

Japan stated tritium is safe and so what’s with the issue with comparing amounts of safe radionuclides?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What does that have to do with you believing the CCP at face value (aka drinking their koolade):

Another attempt to deflect. It is about TEPCO and accepting TEPCO’s data at face value. Has nothing to do with the CPC.

Do you believe TEPCO’s data and claims given its history?

No country has ever dumped a million tones of nuclear contaminated water into the ocean. And

that’s just what TEPCO has now. More content water are on its way as they continue to cool the rods in the broken shell.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

China: Complaining about releasing nuclear wastewater into the oceans

China: Release nuclear wastewater into the oceans.

Nuclear waste water is the one mention by METI but Fukushima’s is contaminated water. There is a difference.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Nuclear waste water is the one mention by METI but Fukushima’s is contaminated water. There is a difference.

Is there?

There is no precedence of dumping nuclear contaminated water. Japan is the first.

Was there a meltdown at the nuclear plant in China?

Is Fukushima on the same level as Chernobyl?

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

quercetumToday 02:41 am JST

Because politics. 

Consider yourself schooled.

No it’s not politics. It’s because China has economic power and leverage.

By its size only. India has the same kind of leverage, particularly now that Chinese growth has slowed. China has to grow at significantly higher rates than the US or it will never get the 4x size it needs to have the same wealth per capita. The BBC is now saying that the CCP has given up on maximizing wealth and instead is focusing on maximizing control.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

There is no precedence of dumping nuclear contaminated water. Japan is the first.

China is releasing more tritium into the ocean than Fukushima intends:

Beijing has been accused of hypocrisy and of using the incident to whip up anti-Japanese sentiment.

Scientists have pointed out that China’s own nuclear power plants release wastewater with higher levels of tritium than that found in Fukushima’s discharge, and that the levels are all within boundaries not considered to be harmful to human health.

China’s Fuqing power plant in Fujian province releases about three times more tritium into the Pacific than the planned Fukushima discharge.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/25/fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-power-plant-china-wastewater-release

3 ( +5 / -2 )

By its size only. India has the same kind of leverage, particularly now that Chinese growth has slowed.

I respect India. It will be dominant in 40-50 years.

Back on topic, all the data came from TEPCO, it is monitored by NRA all from Japan. It is not difficult to come out with a perfect sampling by taking the lowest level and ignoring the rest.

At the end of the day, if anything happens, TEPCO is not going to take responsibility. They’ll bow though.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

China is releasing more tritium into the ocean than Fukushima intends:

Irrelevant. China, France, Canada, the U.S., the UK are releasing water used to cool the reactors.

Fukushima is a Chernobyl level disaster with water coming into contact with the reactors. The water is contaminated.

Japan is the only country in the world to dump nuclear contaminated water into the ocean.

This water is claimed to be treated by TEPCO the company that said it was safe.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Finally, I would like to emphasise that the release of the treated water stored at Fukushima Daiichi Power Station is a national decision by the Government of Japan and that this report is neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of that policy.

Rafael Mariano Grossi Director General, IAEA

The IAEA does not endorse or recommend TEPCO’s discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. The report is not an endorsement or a recommendation of that decision.

Why do think this is so?

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

What an embarrassment. Is Rahm trying out for the UN gig? Stay in your lane, Mr. Ambassador.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

The IAEA does not endorse or recommend TEPCO’s discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. The report is not an endorsement or a recommendation of that decision.

Does that somehow change that China is releasing more Tritium into the ocean than Fukushima intends?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Fukushima is a Chernobyl level disaster with water coming into contact with the reactors. The water is contaminated.

Is it?

You know it.

And yet, China is releasing more Tritium into the ocean than Fukushima will...

Faulty logic. Tritium is safe. Nice try but it’s the other radionuclides.

Has any country ever dumped a million tonnes of nuclear contaminated water in the ocean?

Does Japan know the consequences of such unprecedented act?

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Faulty logic.

Huh? I didn't even state a conclusion, which would be a necessity for there to be logic to be faulty. I just made a statement of fact that China releases more Tritium into the ocean than Fukushima will.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Does that somehow change that China is releasing more Tritium into the ocean than Fukushima intends?

Japan says tritium is safe. The issue is Japan is dumping nuclear contaminated and the IAEA does not endorse or recommend this policy, per IAEA Report.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

 I just made a statement of fact that China releases more Tritium into the ocean than Fukushima will.

You just showed that you do not understand the difference between water used to cool reactors and water that has become contaminated by contacting into contact with the rods.

Your faulty logic leads you to believe that China is releasing nuclear contaminated water into the oceans which is not true.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

You just showed that you do not understand the difference between water used to cool reactors and water that has become contaminated by contacting into contact with the rods.

You're right, I don't, I can only rely on what the scientists say:

Scientists have pointed out that China’s own nuclear power plants release wastewater with higher levels of tritium than that found in Fukushima’s discharge, and that the levels are all within boundaries not considered to be harmful to human health.

They seem to be saying this is ok. I don't claim to know more than the scientists who study this, do you?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The greater concentration of radiation,will be off the water of Fukushima

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

The authority on economic coercion has spoken

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@quercetum

it would be much better if there were fuel rods as that might include some degree of protection.

There aren’t due to the shielding melting exposing the fuel pellets which without cooling became molten and fell to their respective reactor floors

What were fuel rods have now become congealed toxic masses that emit radiation without any control

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Tepco has succeeded in focusing and limiting public attention on tritium but it is the least dangerous radionuclide present in the nuclear wastewater.

Is the released wastewater free of all other radionuclides?

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

The wastewater was filtered through an ALPS system and has been sitting in the oldest rusting tanks for over ten years. Presumably sludge has formed on the bottoms of the tanks.

The water will be drained off and filtered again, I think, before being sampled and analyzed, then mixed with large volumes of seawater. This is the dilution process.

The filtered, diluted, checked water is then pumped out to sea where it mixes so that a further dilution takes place.

At this point relatively small traces of Tritium which are well below international limits, remain and have (or some say have not) been detected.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

At this point relatively small traces of Tritium which are well below international limits, remain and have (or some say have not) been detected.

Tritium pose the least problem that's why they are leading people to believe it's the only radionuclide present in the released wastewater.

The iaea report includes at least 27 other radionuclides

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Roy Sophveason

Today 09:40 am JST

Tritium pose the least problem that's why they are leading people to believe it's the only radionuclide present in the released wastewater.

Because, to all intents and purposes, it is.

The iaea report includes at least 27 other radionuclides

The report also includes their amount: all of them added up make for about 20 Bq/L, that's 0.013% of the total radioactivity. Your bones are more radioactive than that.

Then why hide their presence and mislead the people?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Emmanuel keeps taking potshots at China trying to turn Japan against them. Someone needs to remind him that this isn't Israel, we're not trying to surround ourselves with 360 degrees of enemies. 

Xi's recent BRICS speech in South Africa mentioned the United Nations, 2030 and sustainable development goals multiple times... they are controlled by the same entity as the United States and the rest of the G7. If their goal is to maneuver the public towards war, then the only solution is peace.

Getting rid of antagonists like Emmanuel out of the country would help. His aren't isolated incidents, behavior like this has resulted in the Jews getting kiked out of 1030 countries since 1200BC.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Roy Sophveason

Today 09:50 am JST

Then why hide their presence and mislead the people?

> Who is hiding their presence? Basically the whole 72 page IAEA interlaboratory report is about them and their infinitesimal amount.

Are you saying that that report is a report of radionuclide content of the wastewater that was recently released?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Per nhk report;

TEPCO: Water meets strict standards

Ahead of the release, TEPCO had begun checking the concentration of tritium in the diluted water stored in a pit called a "discharge vertical shaft."

Company officials said at a news conference on Thursday morning that its concentration analysis of tritium found levels between 43 and 63 becquerels per liter. Those amounts are far below the government's standard of 60,000 becquerels and TEPCO's own limit of 1,500 becquerels.

No mention of the other 27 radionuclides.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Tepco and govt should show that they are monitoring all radionuclides and report actual measurements

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

But what they are doing is pass off tritium concentration measurements alone as the measure of the nuclear wastewater s safety.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Emanuel is pure hypocrite. If Americans love Japanese fish so much,why don't they import fish from Japan?How about let the US buy all those fish rejected by China,if they truly want to help their "ally"?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Even Japanese fisheries minister himself calling Fukushima wastewater 'contaminated',how ironic!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yes it was a Chinese coercion and so what, Mr. Emanuel?

China has no obligation to help Japanese military rearming through taking benefits from selling fisherie products to China. The ban is a carpet one that means all Japanese agricultural products not just Fukushima, XI has been waiting quite long to take actions. Is that simple.

The Chinese still eating fisheries but will switch to buy Russian Pacific fisherie products, Russia is a friend of China, she needs our help !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

elephant200Today 01:37 am JST

Yes it was a Chinese coercion and so what, Mr. Emanuel?

China has no obligation to help Japanese military rearming through taking benefits from selling fisherie products to China. The ban is a carpet one that means all Japanese agricultural products not just Fukushima, XI has been waiting quite long to take actions. Is that simple.

The Chinese still eating fisheries but will switch to buy Russian Pacific fisherie products, Russia is a friend of China, she needs our help !

As long as we are clear that China is the Queen of Sanctions now. No longer will there be a word from her about other country's sanctions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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