The government of Japan is acting immorally and irresponsibly by dumping more than a million tons of nuclear waste water into the Pacific.

Starting last week, the release of radioactive water from Fukushima is anticipated to take four decades. Scientists from the U.S. The National Association of Marine Laboratories have warned the international community that the radiological risks involved have not been fully assessed. Furthermore, Japan has ignored the potential biological impacts of Tritium, Carbon-14, Strontium-90 and Iodine-129, all of which will be in the discharged water.

Communities from within Japan, Asia and the Pacific are voicing their concerns. The Pacific Islands Forum members have strongly opposed this move, saying “We have uncovered serious information gaps and grave concerns with the proposed ocean release. Simply put, more data is needed before any ocean release should be permitted. Despite this, Japan is continuing with the plans for discharge in the Spring of 2023 relying on the next four decades of discharge to figure it out”. 

The world’s oceans are already under extreme stress due to biodiversity loss, overfishing, climate change, acidification and pollution. Humanity depends on the ocean, and we cannot afford to harm the Pacific any further.

We, the International Union of Socialist Youth, call on the international community to join us in condemning these actions, and for governments to express their concerns to the Government of Japan.