BEIJING: Japan’s decision to release more than 1.3 million metric tons of radioactive wastewater into the sea has spooked Chinese consumers of seafood, threatening the livelihood of China’s own fishing communities and seafood farmers.
Shortly after the Japanese government began discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the sea from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on Thursday, worrying comments appeared on livestreams hosted by fishermen in coastal Zhejiang province who were advertising their latest hauls.
A comment on the livestream read “You are doing harmful stuff”, falsely accusing the host of being irresponsible for vending nuclear-contaminated food.
“Please stop buying seafood for your own safety,” read another as its author sought to scare away potential buyers.
The remarks, which have led to the emotional breakdowns of several hosts on live broadcasts, were reported by a news website owned by Zhejiang Daily newspaper.
In a desperate move to sell her products, one host shouted at the camera that their seafood was caught close to the shore and wouldn’t be polluted by the recent discharge.
China’s customs authorities on Thursday announced a sweeping ban on Japanese seafood imports out of safety concerns over such products. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
