[Press Release for Immediate Release]

Korean Peoples' Action Against Japan’s Ocean Dumping of Radioactive Wastewater(KPAAJODRW)

Outraged Civil society around the world by Japan's discharge of wastewater from nuclear power plants on August 24, taking collective action

• Japanese fisherfolks and civil society protest in front of the PM's house and TEPCO, and will take a lawsuit to ban the discharge of contaminated water.

• Korean civil society nationwide have held 72-hour protests in front of the Japanese Embassy and consulates.

• Civil society in the USA, the Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, and Switzerland make a statement opposing Japan’s discharge and hold rallies.

• Civil society in the world will hold a global candlelight rally to stop the ocean dumping of nuclear wastewater in front of the UN Headquarter, NY on September 16.

After the announcement of the Japanese government’ plan to discharge nuclear wastewater on August 22th, millions of People in the world are furious at the Japanese government’s enforcement of nuclear wastewater ocean dumping ignoring the strong oppositions by many people in the world as well as Japanese fisherfolks. It will start releasing into the sea more than 1 million tons of treated radioactive water from the broken Fukushima nuclear power station on August 24.

Japanese civil society held an urgent protest in front of the Prime Minister’s house just after the Japanese government’s announcement on  August 22, and has had rallies in front of TEPCO in Fukushima and Tokyo since August 23. They condemn the Japanese government’s undemocratic and unscientific decision making that gives another damage to the people in Fukushima, a victim of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. To stop ocean dumping, Sayonara Nuclear Power Plants, a Japanese nationwide anti-nuclear organization, will hold a rally in front of TEPCO headquarter on the 24th of every month until not discharge. In addition, fisherfolks and civil society in Fukushima will file a lawsuit against the government and TEPCO in the Fukushima District Court to ban the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant on September 9.

Korean civil society has taken a 72-hour protest in front of the Japanese Embassy and consulates nationwide condemning the Japanese government’ irresponsible decision to contaminate the sea and urging the Korean government’s international lawsuit against Japan. 80% of Korean people oppose Japan’s plan and urge storage on land. They will hold national rallies between Gwangwhamun and Seoul city hall on August 26 and September 2. In the meanwhile, Korean civil society alliances, the opposite political parties, and religious groups submitted a complaint letter to the UN Human Right Council on August 14 together with global civil society groups.

Civil society in the countries that were influenced economically and environmentally directly from the sea pollution such as the USA, the Pacific Islands, Taiwan, and the Philippines made a statement against Japan’s nuclear wastewater release, and held or will hold protests in front of Japanese consulates. In addition, civil society and local governments in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK made a statement condemning Japan and urging stopping dumping of nuclear wastewater. 

Global civil society against Japan’s Ocean Dumping of Nuclear Wastewater has promoted a 1 million signature campaign to urge accountable behaviors and decision making of not only the Japanese government but also the UN and concerned countries such as the USA, EU, Korea, ASEAN, and PIF, not to back up Japan and TEPCO. They will organize a Global Candlelight Rally on September 16 in front of the UN headquarter in New York and major cities in the world such as Tokyo, Seoul, LA, Sydney, Manila, and Suva, and submit a 1 million global people’s joint statement to the UN and the governments of concerned countries.

The activities by civil society in the world are as below:

1. Japan

• Tokyo, August 22,  @ Japanese PM house
• Tokyo, August 23, @ TEPCO
• Tokyo, August 24, @ TEPCO
• Osaka, August 24 @ Umeda
• Fukushima, August 27 @ Iwaki
• Fisherfolks and civil society in Fukushima, September 9, file a lawsuit against the government and TEPCO

2. Korea

• Seoul, August 22, 2 pm  Media Conference @ Japanese Embassy / 7 pm  Urgent Rally @ Seoul City Hall
• Seoul, August 23, 11 am  Media Conference @ Japanese Embassy
• Seoul and 17 local cities such as Busan, Ulsan, Gwangju, and Daejeon, August 24, Media conferences and rallies @ Japanese consulates or city halls
• Seoul, August 26, 4 pm, the 8th National Rally @ Korea Press Center 
• Seoul, September 2, the 9th National Rally @ Korea Press Center
• Submit a Complaint letter to the UN Human Rights Council on August 14 together with global civil society groups (lead organization: Ocean Vision Legal)

3. Fiji

• Suva, August 25, 9:30 am @ Suva Flea Market, organized by PANG, Alliance for Future Generations, Pacific Conference of Churches; FWRM, DIVA for Equality and others joining the March including the largest Indigenous women's network
• Submit a Complaint letter to the UN Human Rights Council on August 14 together with global civil society groups (lead organization: Ocean Vision Legal)

4. Philippines

• The National Federation of Small Fisherfolk Organizations and environmental groups in the Philippines, August 22, made a statement condemning Japan’s release of nuclear wastewater

5. The USA

• Los Angeles, August 23, 12 pm @ Japanese Consulate, organized by Global Candlelight Action - Los Angeles / September 16, 5 pm @ Santa Monica beach, ‘Ocean Funeral’ & Candlelight Rally, organized by Ocean Health Cooperatives
• New York, August 23, 12 pm @ Japanese Consulate, organized by Global Candlelight Action - NY
• Washington DC, August 25, 11 am @ Japanese Embassy, organized by Global Candlelight Action - Washington DC
• Seattle, Washington, August 26, 2 pm @ Seattle Downtown  'West Lake Park', organized by Seattle Evergreen Coalition, KAPAC Seattle, Korean Progressive Coalition of Seattle, Korea Peace Now!, Grassroot Network Pacific NorthWest, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility 
• Boston, August 25, 5 pm @ Japanese Consulate, organized by Global Candlelight Action - Boston

6. Taiwan

• Taipei, August 22, media conference opposing the discharge of nuclear wastewater from Fukushima, organized by the National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform (NNAAP)_Statement: https://gcaa.org.tw/8617/

7. Australia

• Melbourne, August 26, 5 pm @ Korea Society of Victoria, organized by Candlelight Action Melbourne

8. New Zealand

• Wellington, Aug 25th, 10am @ Japanese Embassy, Wellington, organized by Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific

9. UK

• The UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities, August 22, published a statement condemning Japan and urging stopping the release of nuclear wastewater ( Press Release: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18R74JkoYUsf7nyXI7JVJQSu4o2R4iLTu/view?usp=sharing )
• North Wales, August 25, organized by PAWB (People Against Wylfa B) and CADNO

10. Germany 

• Berlin, August 25, 5 pm @ Brandenburg Gate
• Frankfurt, August 26, 3 pm @ Rathenauplatz (Goetheplatz), organized by Koreanische Friedensgruppe in Frankfurt
• Hamburg,   Aug 23 ~ 25  9am - 12:30 pm @ Japanese Consulate / September 9, 4 pm @ Jungfernstieg, organized by Global Candlelight Action - Hamburg

11. Switzerland 

• Zurich, September 16th, organized by Global Candlelight Action

Ends…For more details about the media release, please contact Denise K.H. YOON, Lead Organizer of Global Campaign Network Against Japan’s Ocean Dumping of Nuclear Wastewater, by email at [email protected] or by mobile phone, 010-5434-9167

Attachment: Photos_https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1puUAzWCk8NUQnXG_EHOoBHX76tdb3W08?usp=sharing