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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 29 June 2023
Regulators begin final safety inspection before treated Fukushima

wastewater is released into sea

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Fishing groups fear the
Associated Press wastewater release will
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese cause consumers to stop
regulators began a final buying seafood from the
inspection on Wednesday area.
before treated radioac- At an annual shareholders’
tive wastewater is released meeting on Wednesday,
from the wrecked Fukushi- TEPCO President Tomoaki
ma nuclear plant into the Kobayakawa said his com-
Pacific Ocean. pany will proceed firmly
The inspection began a with the wastewater re-
day after plant operator lease plan under the gov-
Tokyo Electric Power Com- ernment’s policy.
pany Holdings installed the He said TEPCO will promote
last piece of equipment the distribution of fisheries
needed for the release the products and make further
outlet of the undersea tun- efforts to gain understand-
nel dug to discharge the ing of the plan.
wastewater 1 kilometer (a Government and utility of-
thousand yards) offshore. ficials say the wastewater,
TEPCO said the Nuclear currently stored in about
Regulation Authority in- 1,000 tanks at the plant,
spectors will examine the must be removed to pre-
equipment related to the South Korean fishing boats stage a maritime parade to protest against the planned release of vent any accidental leaks
treated water discharge treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, on the and to make room for the
seas off Wando, South Korea, Friday, June 23, 2023.
and its safety systems dur- Associated Press plant’s decommissioning.
ing three days of inspec- They say the treated but still
tions through Friday. The government and TEP- eign Ministry spokesperson no told reporters Wednes- slightly radioactive water
The permit for releasing CO promised in 2015 not Mao Ning urged Japan on day that the government will be diluted to levels saf-
the water could be issued to release the water with- Wednesday to “stop forc- “abides by its policy of not er than international stan-
about a week later, and out consent from the fish- ibly promoting the ocean carrying out a release with- dards and will be released
TEPCO could start discharg- ing groups, but many in the discharge plan, earnestly out the understanding” of gradually into the ocean
ing the water soon after, fishing community say the dispose of the nuclear- fishing groups in Fukushima. over decades, making it
though an exact date has plan was pushed regard- contaminated water in a He said the government will harmless to people and
not been decided. less. science-based, safe and continue to communicate marine life.
The plan has faced fierce Neighboring South Korea, transparent manner, and closely with them and oth- Some scientists say the im-
protests from local fishing China and some Pacific accept strict international ers involved, while ensuring pact of long-term, low-dose
groups concerned about Island nations have also supervision.” safety and addressing the exposure to radionuclides is
safety and reputational raised safety concerns. Japanese Chief Cabinet issue of reputational dam- unknown and the release
damage. In Beijing, Chinese For- Secretary Hirokazu Matsu- age. should be delayed.q

2,700 people tricked into working for cybercrime syndicates

rescued in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — massive raid on Tuesday from China, the Philippines, ple from the region and line fraud.
Philippine police backed and said they rescued Vietnam, Indonesia and beyond being lured into Brig. Gen. Sydney Hernia,
by commandos staged a more than 2,700 workers more than a dozen other taking jobs in countries who heads the national
countries who were alleg- like strife-torn Myanmar Philippine police’s anti-cy-
edly swindled into working and Cambodia. However, bercrime unit, said police
for fraudulent online gam- many of these workers find armed with warrants raid-
ing sites and other cyber- themselves trapped in vir- ed and searched the build-
crime groups. tual slavery and forced to ings around midnight in Las
The number of human traf- participate in scams tar- Pinas and rescued 1,534 Fil-
ficking victims rescued from geting people over the in- ipinos and 1,190 foreigners
seven buildings in Las Pinas ternet. from at least 17 countries,
city in metropolitan Manila In May, leaders from the including 604 Chinese, 183
and the scale of the night- Association of Southeast Vietnamese, 137 Indone-
time police raid were the Asian Nations agreed in sians, 134 Malaysians and
largest so far this year and a summit in Indonesia to 81 Thais. There were also a
indicated how the Philip- tighten border controls few people from Myanmar,
pines has become a key and law enforcement and Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia,
base of operations for cy- broaden public education Sudan, Nigeria and Taiwan.
In this handout photo provided by the Philippine National Police bercrime syndicates. to fight criminal syndicates It was not immediately
Anti-Cybercrime Group, police walks inside one of the offices Cybercrime scams have that traffic workers to other clear how many suspected
they raided in Las Pinas, Philippines on Tuesday June 27, 2023. become a major issue in nations, where they are leaders of the syndicate
Associated Press Asia with reports of peo- made to participate in on- were arrested.q