Japanese PM eats Fukushima fish amid radioactive waste fears
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida yesterday was seen eating raw fish from Fukushima prefecture in a video released by the Japanese government.
The fish was sourced from the northeastern region of the country, notorious for the release of radioactive waste from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
In the clip, Kishida can be seen enjoying the meal in his office, praising the freshness and taste of the raw fish. The release of radioactive tritium from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has raised significant consumer concerns, with neighbouring countries China and South Korea criticising the potential harm to their fishing industries. China has even banned seafood imports from Japan, reported Sanook.
Apart from fish, Kishida and three other ministers also consumed cooked pork, fruits, rice, and vegetables from Fukushima and neighbouring provinces, as shown in the clip.
In 2011, a massive tsunami resulting from a major earthquake hit the eastern coast of Japan, or the Pacific Ocean side, causing severe damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The accident released radiation into the surroundings, posing a danger to the nearby residents and marking one of the world’s worst nuclear crises.
However, Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), the company managing the power plant, revealed that before this release of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, other hazardous substances had already been removed. What remained was tritium, which is challenging to separate from water due to its molecular structure resembling water. Furthermore, it emits very low radiation and has a contamination level 500 times lower than the danger threshold set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
TEPCO further disclosed that it might take 30-40 years to release all the wastewater, as they can only release a limited amount each day.
For more news related to Fukushima, read here to see how Thailand’s FDA ramps up seafood inspection following Fukushima wastewater discharge.
