The Jogye Order Demands the Japanese government immediately Stop its Plan to Dump Radioactive Wastewater into the Sea

The Environmental Committee and the Social and Labor Affairs Committee of the Jogye Order released a statement on April 15, criticizing that Japan’s move will “set off a deadly chain reaction that will culminate in yet another major environmental disaster.”

The Japanese government finalized its decision on April 13 to release into the Pacific Ocean the wastewater used to cool the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Daiich Nuclear Power Plant. Amid the controversy regarding the environmental hazards such a move will cause to the neighboring countries, the Jogye Order called for the Japanese government to withdraw the plan, which is “utterly anti-life and disastrous to the environment,” in its official statement co-released by the Jogye Order’s Environmental Committee (chaired by Ven. Jimong) and Social and Labor Affairs Committee (chaired by Ven. Mugwan).

The statement condemned the decision saying “the radioactive materials in the wastewater have a half-life of several decades. The experts warn that it will inevitably increase marine species' exposure to radioactivity, and the concentrations in biota are of direct relevance to those who may consume them, including marine species, and ultimately, humans.” and denounced Japan as a nation “that completely disregards the potential harm to the people living in the neighboring countries and disrespects Mother Nature by brazenly polluting it, thus violating the environmental right of all living beings on earth.”

The Jogye Order described the plan as “an anti-life measure that fails to take into account the very real threat it poses to the environment, potentially disastrous to the marine ecosystem as well as human health,” and pressed the plan to “be retracted immediately as the contaminated water dumped into the sea will set off a deadly chain reaction in the environment.”

The statement also urged the Korean government “to provide scientific clarification about the effects the ocean discharge of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant site can bring about to calm the anxiety that many Koreans are now experiencing and respond firmly and resolutely to this clear threat to Korea's national security.”

The Environmental Committee and the Social and Labor Affairs Committee declared that “the Japanese government has a duty to make sure they have exhausted all other options to safely treat and dispose of contaminated water from the damaged reactors and minimize the harm it may cause.” and vowed “to do our best until the issue of contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima site is resolved safely.”

On April 13, the Japanese government finalized its decision to dilute and discharge into the occean the contaminated water containing radionuclides leaked from the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. The Japanese government claimed it poses no threat to the environment since the water is treated and diluted to below the legal safety limit.

However, there is no reported case in which such a large quantity of radiation tainted water was discharged into the sea, and it is worrisome in that no matter how diluted the contaminated water is, the radioactive materials to be released in the ocean will inevitably have a profound impact on the marine environment, food safety, and human health.

Source © Buddhist Daily

[statement]

The Japanese government must withdraw its decision to dump the radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the sea

The Japanese government finalized its decision on April 13 to release into the Pacific Ocean the wastewater used to cool the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Daiich Nuclear Power Plant.

The wastewater from the Fukushima power plant is contaminated with a variety of radioactive materials including tritium which has a half-life of several decades. The experts warn that it will inevitably increase marine species' exposure to radioactivity, and the concentrations in biota are of direct relevance to those who may consume them, including marine species, and ultimately, humans.

Japan’s decision to discharge contaminated water into the sea is an anti-life measure that fails to take into account the very real threat it poses to the environment, potentially disastrous to the marine ecosystem in the neighboring ocean.

The Japanese government has a duty to make sure they have exhausted all other options to safely treat and dispose of contaminated water from the damaged reactors and minimize the harm it may cause before considering the discharge into the ocean. It would be utterly amoral and anti-life if the Japanese government chooses ocean dumping simply because it is cheaper.

We ordinary citizens must always consider our neighbors, even when we do something as simple as fixing the house or mending the fence. It comes naturally to most of us to discuss and seek understanding from our neighbors for the noise and other inconveniences our actions may cause to their persons or environment. By deciding to dispose of the radioactive water in this manner, Japan is revealed to be a nation that completely disregards the potential harm to the health of hundreds of millions of people living in the neighboring countries and disrespects Mother Nature by brazenly polluting it, thus violating the environmental right of all living beings on earth.

The Japanese government must cancel their plan immediately before the contaminated water dumped into the sea would set off a deadly chain reaction that will culminate in yet another major environmental disaster. The Korean government also needs to provide scientific clarification about the effects the ocean discharge of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant site can bring about to calm the anxiety that many Koreans are now experiencing.

The Environmental Committee and the Social and Labor Affairs Committee of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism are hereby making an official statement that demands the Japanese government withdraw the decision that will cause harm to all living beings and vowing to do our best until the issue of contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima site is resolved safely.

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism hereby demands that:

 -  the Japanese government reverse its decision to release the radioactive water into the sea.

 - the international community be alert to the threat this issue poses to the world and make effort to seek an acceptable solution.

 - the Korean government respond firmly and resolutely to this clear threat to Korea's national security.

April 15, 2021

The Environmental Committee and the Social and Labor Affairs Committee of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism