Photo/Illutration Storage tanks holding treated water line the grounds of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

I boiled “somen” noodles in a large pot. Then, I transferred the somen to a strainer and ran cold water over it to thoroughly chill it before slurping away.

Blissfully savoring this cool dish, which is like “eating” water, I was reminded of the sheer richness of Japan’s food culture, which encourages the lavish use of water in the summer.

Looking around the world, different cultures have different perceptions regarding disposing of water.

For Japan’s planned discharge of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, for example, the Chinese government says there should be no need to dump the water into the sea if it is safe.

I suppose Beijing’s point is that if the water is safe, there must be ways to use it and not just dump it.

This may be a valid argument in countries with chronic water shortages, but in this particular case, it is nothing more than an unreasonable assertion and it is clear Beijing is trying to use it as a diplomatic card. That makes me sigh.

That being said, the Japanese government’s attitude regarding the imminent discharge isn’t anything to be proud of, either.

Even now, a mind-boggling volume of groundwater and rainwater is continuing to seep into the Fukushima plant premises, becoming contaminated with radiation. It just won’t do to keep letting the water accumulate.

And that is the one and only reason why the government is effectively being forced into discharging the water into the sea.

I cannot believe how the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe could have been so irresponsible as to declare the situation to be “under control” when it was actually a catastrophe.

Every nuclear disaster destroys nature beyond repair. The government still hasn’t even worked out any decommissioning plans for nuclear reactors, yet it is giving its tacit nod to talks of restarting them in various parts of the nation. This is beyond comprehension.

People in the fisheries industry are worried about the Fukushima water release. The government and the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., have always promised not to proceed with the discharge “without the understanding of the parties concerned,” but now they are going back on their word.

We cannot allow them to pretend that everything has been settled.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 22

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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