By Salifu Faridat
Japan and China are in a diplomatic dispute over Japan’s decision to release wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.
China has strongly opposed the move, saying it is selfish and harmful to the environment and human health. China has also banned Japanese seafood imports and urged its citizens to boycott Japanese products.
Japan has defended its decision, saying that the wastewater is safe and has been treated to remove most radioactive elements.
Japan has also received support from the UN’s nuclear agency, which said that the release is in line with international standards. Japan has released new data showing that the radioactivity levels in the water near Fukushima are within safe limits.
However, some Chinese people are angry at Japan and have been making abusive phone calls to Japanese businesses and groups.
They have also posted videos of themselves calling Japanese numbers, including restaurants in Fukushima. Some people have also thrown rocks and eggs at Japanese facilities in China, but no one was hurt.
The Japanese government has expressed its regret over the phone calls and asked the Chinese government to take action and protect Japanese citizens. The Japanese embassy in Beijing has advised Japanese nationals to avoid speaking Japanese loudly in public and to be careful when visiting the embassy.
The wastewater release is expected to take decades to complete. It is a result of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that damaged the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
The water has been used to cool the reactors and is stored in tanks on site. The tanks are running out of space and Japan says that releasing the water is the best option.