President Surangel Whipps Jr. said that he is in support of Japan’s plan to discharge wastewater into the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
In an interview with ABC Pacific last week, he defended the move of Japan.
“I stand by the decision that I made months ago, which was I support transparency. I support a methodical basis for doing this, to use the best science and data to make sure that the impact on the environment, especially the ocean, which not only the people of Japan depend on, but all of us in the Pacific depend on, has not impacted negatively.” Whipps said
Whipps was the first Pacific leader to support Japan after he visited Fukushima.
He said that what Japan is releasing is not nuclear wastewater but treated water.
He said he understand that there are still fears from the Pacific people around nuclear issues bit he said that it is important to find solutions and be transparent to each other.
Whipps said by WHO standards, Japan’s release of treated water is safe, However, it was The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog that said that the impact of the release is safe for the people and the environment.
Palau, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia have supported Japan, while Vanuatu and Tuvalu have expressed opposition.