Reflections on governing Japan’s discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water: from the perspective of building a Maritime Community with a shared future

Abstract

Since August 2023, Japan has discharged some eight rounds of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water, totaling some 62,800 tons. Despite global criticism and domestic opposition, the Japanese government continues with this discharge plan, anticipating its continuance for decades. As distinct from conventional nuclear wastewater discharges from nuclear power plants, Japan’s recent discharges of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water will release a significant number of radioactive nuclides into the ocean. It is foreseeable that the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water will adversely affect various sectors, including the marine environment, human health, the seafood trade, the maritime economy, and the international marine legal order. Currently, the governance of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water discharge faces three major dilemmas: insufficient participation by stakeholders, outdated regulations, and a crisis of trust. The concept of a titular Maritime Community with a Shared Future (MCSF) could address the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water, incorporating diverse interests while also considering both current and future development. This paper argues that it is imperative to jointly engage in negotiation within the perspective of MCSF, to jointly build a governance mechanism and advance the update of rules, and to share data and information sustainably to manage the discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water.