Japan has a Responsibility to Prevent the Global Impact of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident's Aftermath

Original Title: Japan Has a Responsibility to Prevent the Global Impact of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident's Aftermath (Ambassador's Essay)

Fifteen years ago, the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan experienced a severe nuclear leak due to a strong earthquake and tsunami, shocking the world. The Fukushima nuclear accident appeared to be a natural disaster, but it was, in fact, a man-made catastrophe that exposed serious long-standing flaws in Japan's nuclear regulatory system, a severe lack of nuclear safety culture, and brought profound and heavy lessons to Japan. The Fukushima nuclear accident interrupted the global momentum of nuclear energy development, severely undermining the international community's confidence in nuclear safety. Many countries were forced to re-examine their nuclear energy development policies and plans, having to invest more time and higher costs to re-embrace nuclear energy.

In the process of dealing with the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident, the Japanese government, disregarding the strong opposition from the international community, especially neighboring countries, insisted on discharging Fukushima's nuclear contaminated water into the ocean, shifting the nuclear safety risks abroad. This is an extremely irresponsible act that violates international ethics. China firmly opposes the discharge of Fukushima's nuclear contaminated water into the sea and promotes the establishment and continuous strengthening of an independent and effective long-term international monitoring system, regularly sending Chinese experts to Fukushima for independent sampling and monitoring to ensure that Japan's discharge into the sea is under strict international supervision.

The discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea is merely the disgraceful first step in Japan's long-term process of dealing with the Fukushima nuclear accident. Over the past 15 years, cases of lack of integrity, deception, and radioactive leaks from nuclear power companies such as Tokyo Electric Power Company have emerged one after another, shocking the public. Just recently, negative news has again surfaced from Japan's nuclear industry. By the end of 2025, Chubu Electric Power Company admitted to organized and systematic fraud lasting for eight years during the restart application process for the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, which only came to light due to internal whistleblowing, prompting Japan's nuclear safety regulatory authorities to take notice. Even so, the Japanese side continues to accelerate the nuclear power restart process for economic benefits, ignoring domestic public doubts and opposition, which the international community should pay close attention to.

The Fukushima nuclear accident is a disaster that occurred in Japan, and it is Japan's responsibility to prevent the aftermath from impacting the global ecological environment. Japan must dare to face history, seriously learn from the painful lessons, and with a highly responsible attitude towards its own people and the nuclear energy sector, effectively strengthen national-level nuclear safety regulation, enhance supervision and constraints on nuclear energy enterprises, continuously improve nuclear safety levels, eliminate safety hazards, and maintain high transparency, rather than hiding the truth and attempting to downplay serious issues.

The international community is highly concerned about Japan's nuclear safety issues. Implementing strict supervision over the long-term process of dealing with the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident is by no means a private matter for Japan alone. Currently, the revival of nuclear energy has become an essential path for global green development and energy transition, presenting significant development opportunities. On the 15th anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its member states are actively addressing the long-term challenges of dealing with the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident, which has special and significant practical implications. The IAEA should maintain long-term deliberation on all aspects of the Fukushima nuclear accident's handling, supervising Japan's response to the complex challenges of decommissioning the Fukushima nuclear power plant and managing high-level waste according to the highest global nuclear safety standards, strict requirements, and best practices from various countries. This will help enhance global confidence in nuclear safety and support the revival of global nuclear energy.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to nuclear safety work, actively developing the nuclear energy sector with safety as a prerequisite, and has established a nuclear safety governance system centered on legal norms, administrative regulation, industry self-discipline, technical support, talent cultivation, cultural leadership, social participation, and international cooperation. China supports the IAEA in playing a core role, highly values the exchange and practical cooperation of nuclear safety policies between countries, and actively expands international cooperation platforms for nuclear safety, sharing China's nuclear safety regulatory experiences. China is willing to leverage its technical and management advantages to actively participate in the IAEA's supervision of the Fukushima nuclear accident's aftermath. Under the guidance of the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the four global initiatives, China will promote countries to uphold a rational, coordinated, and progressive view of nuclear safety, continuously strengthen the awareness of ensuring public health and environmental safety, guarantee the safe, healthy, and sustainable development of the nuclear energy sector centered on the people, build a nuclear safety community, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

(The author is the representative of China to the United Nations Office at Vienna and other international organizations, and the permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency.)