Impact of Fukushima Water Release: Businesses in Japan Face Abusive Calls from China

Last Updated on August 29, 2023 by Robert C. Hoopes

Title: Rising Anti-Japanese Sentiment in China causes Turmoil for Japanese Citizens and Businesses

In recent weeks, Japan has urgently warned its citizens living in China to exercise caution when speaking Japanese in public, as a surge in anti-Japanese sentiment has led to alarming incidents. Japanese businesses have also been targeted, receiving a high number of abusive phone calls, ultimately hampering their normal operations.

Adding to the tension, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) has initiated the release of water used to cool the Fukushima nuclear reactors. However, this decision has sparked controversy, with China expressing its opposition to the discharge. In response, China has prohibited imports of Japanese seafood and denounced the move as “selfish” and harmful to the environment as well as human health.

Despite China’s objections, Japan maintains that the treated water is safe, citing support from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. Furthermore, newly published data from the Japanese government reveals that radiation levels in the waters off Fukushima remain within safe limits.

Japan also emphasizes that China’s own nuclear power plants release wastewater with higher levels of tritium than the discharge from Fukushima, posing no harm to human health.

In light of the escalating situation, Masataka Okano, the vice foreign minister of Japan, has summoned the Chinese ambassador to address the issue of the abusive phone calls. Additionally, Japan’s foreign ministry has urged the Chinese government to take appropriate action and ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and facilities in China.

Taking precautionary measures, the Japanese embassy in Beijing has advised its nationals to exercise caution and avoid speaking Japanese loudly unnecessarily. Japanese businesses, including restaurants in Fukushima, have unfortunately been subject to numerous harassing calls from Chinese speakers. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, although Japanese schools in China have experienced incidents involving the throwing of rocks and eggs.

Regarding the magnitude of the water release, Tepco plans to dispense over 500 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of wastewater over the next 30 to 40 years, ensuring that all radioactive elements except for tritium have been removed.

Furthermore, fresh tests conducted on Fukushima’s coastal water have shown no elevated levels of tritium, and there have been no indications of other radioactive materials such as caesium.

As the situation continues to unfold, both Japan and China must work towards finding a resolution that ensures the safety and well-being of their citizens and promotes diplomatic cooperation between the nations.