Introduction
“Before the disaster, I believed that no serious nuclear accident could take place in Japan […]. But despite our state-of-art technology, Fukushima witnessed a nuclear meltdown […]”, said Naoto Kan, former Prime Minister of Japan, referring to the Fukushima catastrophe. A devastating earthquake, leading to a powerful tsunami, struck the shores of Japan on March 11th, 2011. Consequently, the twin natural disasters triggered a nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The events caused significant loss of life, substantial damage to infrastructure, and vast ecological destruction in Fukushima and its vicinity.
The present research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the incidents that unfolded in Fukushima, exploring the interconnection between the calamities and basic human rights. First, the article delves into the historical context of the triple disaster, shedding light on the specific events of the earthquake, the tsunami, and the nuclear accident. Second, the scope narrows to the adverse effects that the fishing community suffered due to the atomic catastrophe, detailing the policies implemented to restrict their activities. Third, the paper elucidates the human rights dimension of the nuclear incident, covering the debate sparked concerning the Japanese government’s plan to release contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. Lastly, the conclusion of the document summarises the main takeaways of the research.
The Fukushima Nuclear Accident
On March 11th, 2011, Japan’s East coast was hit by the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the country’s history. The seismic phenomenon, known as the Great East Japan (Tohoku) Earthquake, measured a magnitude of 9.0. In comparison, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded that struck Chile in 1960 had a magnitude of 9.5. The Great East Japan (Tohoku) Earthquake triggered a massive tsunami, which rose to 30 metres and reached five kilometres inland. After the earthquake, it hit the shores approximately 30 minutes thereafter. The towering waves submerged a total area of around 560 square kilometres across Japan, engulfing cities, towns, and large territories of arable land.
Following the natural disasters, the situation was further exacerbated. A nuclear accident took place at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in northeastern Japan. Based on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, the incident was classified as a Level 7: “Major Accident”. The earthquake damaged the electrical transmission lines of Fukushima Daiichi, and the tsunami destroyed its operational and safety systems, resulting in the cessation of all electrical power. With the cooling functions disabled by the tsunami, reactor cores in Units 1, 2, and 3 experienced overheating, leading to nuclear fuel meltdown and compromised containment vessels. The reactor containment vessels leaked hydrogen, causing severe effects at the site and beyond it. The nuclear power plants have seen equipment failures, sparking multiple explosions, fires, and injuries to workers and emergency personnel, coupled with the release of radioactive materials. Consequently, radionuclides were dispersed into the air and water, spreading both on land and in the Pacific Ocean. The term “radionuclides” refers to the radioactive forms of chemical elements that emit ionising radiation. According to the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, exposure to radiation can damage the individual’s chemical structures, potentially opening an avenue to the formation of cancer. Due to the radionuclides that were released in the environment, emanating from the nuclear complex, over 100,000 residents were evacuated from their homes. The Reconstruction Agency, an official body of the Japanese government, estimates that nearly 20,000 people died and more than 2,500 remain missing because of the triple catastrophe. Since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the events at Fukushima Daiichi have been considered the most severe nuclear power plant accident.
Immediate Effects on Fisheries
A major nuclear accident has many long-lasting and multifaceted implications on societies. Irrespective of residing in a contaminated area or resettled outside of it, nuclear accidents and their aftermath significantly undermine local populations’ capacity to meet most of their basic needs, inter alia, food security and environmental safety, healthcare, or housing. For instance, after the catastrophe, the radioactive contamination of the Pacific Ocean has prompted public concern vis-à-vis seafood safety in Japan.
Local fisheries were substantially damaged because of the radioactive materials emanating from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. As reported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the radioactive substances, including iodine and caesium, contaminated the fish. Two months post-incident, the World Health Organization noted that “Some seafood in the direct vicinity of the nuclear power plant has been found to be contaminated at levels above the regulatory limits set by the Japanese Government”. All industrial fishing activities were immediately halted in the proximity by the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Association following the accident. Fishing stopped within the thirty kilometre radius of the nuclear power plants, which by late September 2011 was reduced to twenty kilometres. Based on food safety considerations, the Government of Japan imposed a ban on the commercial distribution of particular fishery products that originated from the surrounding waters of the Fukushima Prefecture. Furthermore, the situation affected the perception of the products coming from the waters of Fukushima. Because of the released radioactive materials from the nuclear facility, consumers were concerned about the potential contamination of marine products. In an article published under the aegis of the United Nations four years after the incident, Mr. Kazunori Endo, Director General of local Soma Sousou Fishermen’s Cooperative, stated that “The number of people who are today willing to buy fish from Fukushima is very low”. Additionally, as a result of the natural disasters, fisheries have faced severe infrastructural losses. According to the Fisheries Agency of Japan data, roughly 29,000 fishing boats and 319 ports were impaired, accounting for around 10 percent of the East Asian country’s total fishing fleet and ports.
However, the predicaments that burdened the Japanese government must be acknowledged as well concerning its regulatory actions. The ban on the commercial distribution of products from Fukushima likely stemmed from prioritising human rights (e.g., the right to adequate food), protecting the health of citizens, and preventing risks to public safety.
Discharge of Contaminated Water: Human Rights Dimension
Following the nuclear accident in March 2011, the reactor cores were cooled by water, which became contaminated due to the radioactive release and was contained in tanks of Fukushima Daiichi. The water was subjected to Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treatment, developed to reduce the activity levels of differing radionuclides. However, in April 2021, a new stage of the incident’s aftermath began to unfold. The ALPS-treated water stored at the nuclear complex was declared by the Government of Japan to be released into the sea. The announced plan faced immediate backlash and condemnation from myriad actors involved.
Based on a 2023 study, Japan’s determination to discharge the contaminated water into the ocean potentially impacts the basic rights prescribed in the 8 core international human rights treaties that the East Asian nation is party to. These fundamental rights include, inter alia, the right to life, the right to health, the right to work, and the right to food. This viewpoint was further endorsed in a 2024 research paper, noting that Japan’s policy contravenes various human rights and breaches its legal obligations to protect them. With a specific focus on fisheries, United Nations human rights experts said the following:
The Government’s decision is very concerning given the warnings about the effect of such a discharge on so many people’s lives and the environment at large. It comes after years of discussion and concerns raised by local communities — particularly the fishing community who was already severely hit by the 2011 disaster […].
The experts emphasised that the discharge of 1,000,000 tonnes of contaminated water entails significant risks for people vis-à-vis the realisation of their human rights, not only in Japan but internationally as well. Greenpeace, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) addressing environmental issues, expressed its condemnation of the planned action. The NGO stated that the release of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean is in disregard of both fundamental human rights and international maritime law. Furthermore, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era, a transnational feminist network, underscored the risks of serious human rights infringements stemming from Japan’s policy, pointing out cross-border and intergenerational harms. However, despite the multisided counterpressure encountered because of its decision, the Government of Japan commenced the release of contaminated water into the marine environment on August 24th, 2023.
Conclusion
To conclude, this article explored the specific events, including the destructive earthquake and the deadly tsunami, that resulted in the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. It observed the adverse and immediate effects of the triple disaster on local fisheries by examining limitations on commercial fishing operations, the negative perception of customers concerning products, and substantial infrastructural losses. Moreover, the article analysed the human rights dimension of the nuclear accident aftermath’s complex debate springing from the Japanese government’s decision to discharge contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. Through this analysis, the research aimed to establish a connection between the long-term consequences of the nuclear accident and humanitarian concerns, thereby bridging science and human rights issues.
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