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As I See It | Beyond scientific concerns, Japan’s Fukushima water release is also emotive, diplomatic issue

  • China has turned Fukushima into a geopolitical issue, but reality is that Tokyo has given Beijing the opportunity to do so, right on a silver platter
  • Beijing-Tokyo chill to continue with Fukushima throwing a spanner in the works, diplomatic visit opportunities squandered, and with more waste water released

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People in Beijing at an area of Japanese restaurants where there is a sign reading “Suspend the sale of all fish products imported from Japan”. There are already many issues that rile China when it comes to Japan. Photo: AFP
Despite ongoing US-China tensions, Beijing has welcomed a visit by a group of bipartisan lawmakers from the United States led by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
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My first thought was, surely next on the cards would be a similar visit by Japanese lawmakers.

But a quick search indicated otherwise.

In July, efforts by Japanese lawmakers in scheduling visits to China were stymied, due to Tokyo’s plan to release treated waste water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Tokyo Electric Power Company staff members sampling water from the upper-stream storage, two days before the second discharge of treated radioactive water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Photo: EPA-EFE
Tokyo Electric Power Company staff members sampling water from the upper-stream storage, two days before the second discharge of treated radioactive water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Photo: EPA-EFE
That month, Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Komeito, the junior party in Japan’s ruling coalition, planned to visit China but the trip was called off by Beijing at the eleventh hour.
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