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Agence France-Presse

The leader of Solomon Islands, who has developed close ties with China, on Friday joined Beijing in denouncing Japan’s release of waste water from Fukushima’s crippled nuclear plant.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said he was “appalled” at the move and warned of effects on his South Pacific archipelago.
“If this nuclear waste water is safe, it should be stored in Japan. The fact that it’s dumped into the ocean shows that it is not safe,” he said.
“The effect of this act is transboundary and intergenerational and is an attack on global trust and solidarity,” he said, calling on Japan to stop “immediately” and find other options.
Will transparency over Fukushima water test results help Japan win back critics?
Japan began on August 24 discharging into the Pacific some of the 1.34 million tonnes of waste water that had collected since a tsunami devastated the facility in 2011.
Japan insists that the discharge is safe, a view backed by the UN atomic agency, and Western countries including the United States have voiced understanding.
But China, which has long-standing tensions with Japan, accused Tokyo of treating the ocean as a “sewer.” China banned all Japanese seafood imports and Chinese citizens have thrown bricks and eggs at Japanese schools and consulates.
There have also been scattered protests in South Korea, although the Seoul government, which is seeking to improve ties with Japan, has not raised objections to the Fukushima plan.


Sogavare last year reached a secretive security pact with China that the US and Australia fear could give Beijing a military foothold in the South Pacific.
In his UN address, Sogavare hailed China’s Belt and Road Initiative of infrastructure investment, saying that “South-South cooperation” was “less restrictive, more responsive and is aligned to our national needs.”


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Pacific nations

Solomon Islands joins China in blasting Japan over Fukushima water release

An aerial view of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters

Prime Minister of Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. Photo: AP

Japan-China relations: as critics cry ‘coercion’ over Fukushima seafood ban, will a WTO complaint do any good?

A member of staff sorts seafood at a booth selling products mainly from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures at Toyosu Market, in Tokyo’s Koto district, on Saturday. Photo: TNS

A sign stating that the sushi for sale was not made from seafood imported from Japan is seen at a Beijing supermarket on August 24. Photo: Kyodo

Fishery workers at Matsukawaura port in Soma City, Fukushima prefecture, unload seafood caught by trawlers on Friday. Photo: AFP

Japan urged to be transparent about Fukushima water release tests, amid charm offensive to defuse tensions

A facility that pumps up seawater to dilute treated waste water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture. Photo: AFP

Foreign journalists on a guided tour of the Fukushima nuclear power plant last week amid the first release of treated waste water from the facility. Photo: EPA-EFE

People in Beijing walk past a sign in an area with a number of Japanese restaurants reading “Suspend the sale of all fish products imported from Japan” on Sunday. Photo: AFP

South Korean lawmakers hold placards reading “Withdraw the discharge of the waste water from Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean” during a protest in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, on Sunday. Photo: AP

People holding placards march on the streets of Fiji’s capital city Suva on Friday, protesting against Japan’s release of waste water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. Photo: AFP

Fukushima water release: Asian states to pursue nuclear energy plans despite recent protests

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi at the Fukushima nuclear power plant last year. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters 

Crew of a fishing boat prepare to depart for the South China Sea from the port of a Philippine town. Photo: AFP 

News

Asia

Australasia

East Asia

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare called on Japan to find other options and warned of effects on his South Pacific archipelago
Beijing earlier accused Tokyo of treating the ocean as a ‘sewer’ and banned all Japanese seafood imports


Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare called on Japan to find other options and warned of effects on his South Pacific archipelago.


Fukushima nuclear disaster and water release

China-Japan relations

Japan

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands joins China in blasting Japan over Fukushima water release

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare called on Japan to find other options and warned of effects on his South Pacific archipelago Beijing earlier accused Tokyo of treating the ocean as a ‘sewer’ and banned all Japanese seafood imports

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare called on Japan to find other options and warned of effects on his South Pacific archipelago

Beijing earlier accused Tokyo of treating the ocean as a ‘sewer’ and banned all Japanese seafood imports