Dozens of protesters gather for a rally outside the TEPCO headquarters building, Tokyo, Japan, May 16, 2023. /CFP
Japan has insisted on discharging its nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, disregarding the concerns and opposition from the international community. According to two global online surveys conducted by CGTN, 94.85 percent of respondents condemn Japan's act as extremely irresponsible, with an increase of 3.64 percentage points over the past three months. Concern and panic over Japan's nuclear contaminated-water disposal plan have intensified in the international community.
A screenshot of a netizen's comment on CGTN's Russian platform, who believes Japan is committing a crime by dumping nuclear waste water. /CGTN
In the survey, 91.4 percent of global respondents believe that Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is harmful to the marine environment and public health, with an increase of 0.62 percentage points in three months. "Japan is committing a crime by dumping nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean," voiced a netizen on CGTN's Russian platform.
A screenshot of a netizen's comment on CGTN's Russian platform, saying Earth is our common home and home to billions of animals and other living organisms. /CGTN
According to the survey, 89.69 percent of respondents hold the belief that the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water is not Japan's "private matter" but concerns its neighbors, Pacific island countries, and even the whole world and mankind. The percentage of respondents sharing the same view is up nearly 3 percentage points from three months ago. A YouTube user commented: "The earth is our common home and home to billions of animals and other living organisms. (Japan) Please stop!" In addition, as many as 94.09 percent of respondents call on Japan to fully consult and agree with the international community, especially with stakeholders, regarding its nuclear-contaminated water discharge plan. Over the past three months, the percentage of respondents who share the same view has increased by 5.53 percentage points.
The international community also believes that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report should not be the "shield" or "green light" for Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean due to its limited mandate. In the survey, 79.83 percent of the respondents believe the IAEA report failed to address the world's concerns over Japan's disposal plan. In addition, 89.5 percent think inviting more experts from different countries to Japan to conduct a complete systematic assessment and jointly find the best disposal plan for its nuclear-contaminated water is necessary.
This poll, published by CGTN in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, received responses from nearly 34,000 people in 24 hours.