Japan urged against discharging Fukushima water to Pacific

The government should not disregard the opinions of fishermen's cooperatives, agricultural, forestry and fishery cooperatives, consumer cooperatives, and municipal assemblies in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as the opposition of neighboring prefectures and international voices, the petition said.

The report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier this year, which says Japan's plans are consistent with IAEA Safety Standards, does not provide scientific justification for the ocean discharge of nuclear contaminated water, and it does not justify the release into the ocean, the petition said.

Kuni Nagatomo, a resident in Shimoda, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, said: "Radioactive substances do not decay over decades. Saying that it's OK because there's a small amount of radioactive substances or radiation in the nuclear contaminated water is diluted is something I cannot accept."