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2013 September 4 - 10 TOP3 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Fukushima fishermen mad about PM’s remarks that toxic water influence is ‘contained’

Fukushima fishermen have expressed their anger over Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s remarks that the influence of radioactive water leakage at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is “perfectly contained” within the port.

PM Abe on September 7 took part in a general assembly meeting of the International Olympic Committee held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in which the host city of the 2020 Summer Games was chosen. In his speech, the prime minister mentioned the toxic water leak at the Fukushima plant and said, “The situation is under control”, and “The radioactive water is perfectly contained within the 0.3 square kilometer area in the port attached to the plant”.

Konno Tomomitsu, a Fukushima fisherman who is a member of the Soma Futaba Fishery Co-operatives, said, “I think it is impossible to contain the leaked radioactive water within the port.” He pointed out that though the government claims the water is blocked by a silt fence installed in the port, it cannot completely prevent the water from escaping.

Ono Haruo, a fisherman in Shinchi Town in northern Fukushima, pointed out that even experts cannot tell when the contaminated ground water will flow into the sea. He stated, “I don’t understand how PM Abe could so positively claim that the contaminated water is ‘contained’.”

Regarding Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Olympics, Konno said, “For us, it seems like a festival planned for some remote foreign country. While the prime minister took part in an Olympic bidding event, no minister has come to Fukushima regarding the radioactive water leak. Everybody here says that the government doesn’t treat our issues seriously.”

In the wake of the water leakage problem, fishing operations in Fukushima have been halted without exception. Ono, whose three sons are also fishermen, said. “I don’t know when we will resume our operations. It’s the Liberal Democratic Party that has been promoting nuclear power generation for a long time. The Abe government should make every effort to tackle the radioactive water leak issue.”