An aerial photo shows the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Incorporated in Fukushima Prefecture on 24 August 2023. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had started to release treated water stored within the premises of the plant into the ocean on the same day. Photo: TAKUYA MATSUMOTO / AFP
- Japan began discharging water collected from the Fukushima nuclear plant in August last year
- The move mixed reactions from Pacific leaders, but was strongly opposed by nuclear free campaigners
- President, President Hilda, says "the IAEA as the authority on nuclear safety" has said the water is safe for release, so the Marshall Islands "didn't feel like" challenging its decision.
The Marshall Islands decided to agree with other Pacific leaders to support Japan's release of treated nuclear wastewater, despite its president raising concerns.
In August last year, Japan began discharging water collected from the Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that caused it to melt down.
Pacific reactions were mixed.
The Marshall Islands has had ongoing concerns about the release and reiterated this at this 10th Pacific Islands Leader Meeting (PALM) in Japan, citing the nation's "unique burden of radioactive contamination" from United States nuclear testing.
However, President Heine still decided to join other Pacific countries last month in recognising "the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency as the authority on nuclear safety",] which has said the water is safe to be released.
Heine said the Marshall Islands "didn't feel like we could change the decision that has been made by the [Pacific Islands] Forum, but we could at the same time could express our opinion".
"We are also trying to get [the] Forum to ensure that there is monitoring of what's happening - if not reviving the independent panel, then have at least a monitoring scheme to help us understand what's going on with the pumping of nuclear-related water into the Pacific Ocean."
Meanwhile, Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown maintains the discharge does not go against the spirit of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty - also called the Treaty of Rarotonga - with Japan meeting all required international standards.
"There's no contravention in this because the water is being treated and cleaned and the isotopes are being removed before this water is discharged," Brown said at the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting on Friday.
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, left, and New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Caleb Fotheringham
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he does not have a view on whether there should be a separate Pacific group reviewing the release.
"We don't go and walk off and have our own opinion in the Pacific," Peters said while in the Marshall Islands on his four-stop Pacific tour.
"We listen to other people, we connect with them and understand their concerns and try and come to a united view; and that's where we're heading for now on that very issue."
He said New Zealand is satisfied with the IAEA.
"Are they asking any questions about other nuclear wastewater disposals around the world? Have a good look, hard look; there are others."
Kenneth Kedi is a former parliament representative of Rongelap Atoll, which is one of the worst affected atolls from the nuclear tests.
It was affected by high levels of radiation primarily from Castle Bravo - a nuclear test on 1 March 1954, that was considered to be a thousand times more powerful than the US atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The radiation forced the people on the atoll to abandon their island.
Kedi said his people have already had too much radiation exposure and they shouldn't have to risk being exposed to anymore.
"If it's clean why not just keep it in Japan, dig a silo and put it there," he said.
"Why dump it into the Pacific Ocean?"
'Billions outstanding'
Radiation resulted in health problems in the Marshall Islands that persist, like high rates of cancer.
The United States has a special relationship with the Marshall Islands with the Compact of Free Association.
It gives the US military access to the freely associated states of the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia, which in return are given financial assistance and the right for their citizens to work in the US.
The previous 20-year funding arrangement for the Marshall Islands expired on 30 September last year, but the Marshall Islands only signed off in October - delayed due to the nation wanting to see the US come to the table on outstanding nuclear legacy claims.
Kedi said the US did partially, but billions is still outstanding. He said the US has also never apologised for what it did.
"We consider them as special friends - even refer to them sometimes as family members, bigger brothers and sister.
"Apology cannot be granted, just simply saying we made a mistake."
He said if the US wants to make amends it should clear the radiation off the atolls so they can be inhabited again and pay the outstanding nuclear claims.
Peters said the delegation "didn't come here to start preaching to the Marshall Islands or to the US" when asked if the United States needed to address outstanding nuclear claims.
Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono, who is also on the trip, said he's here to support what the locals want.
"That's what we're here to do - to listen to them and to take their issues on board."
