Fishermen lodge protest with TEPCO on water leak

Japanese fishermen have lodged a protest with Tokyo Electric Power Company over leaking radioactive water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The chief of the national federation of fisheries cooperatives, Hiroshi Kishi, on Thursday summoned TEPCO President Naomi Hirose to his office.

TEPCO officials acknowledged earlier in August that several hundred tons of highly radioactive water had leaked from a storage tank at the Fukushima plant. They also said some of it may have seeped into the sea. They admitted in July that polluted groundwater was making its way to the ocean.

The leakage has forced local fishermen to stop offshore test-fishing activities. They were hoping to eventually resume commercial fishing.

Federation chief Kishi told Hirose that the problem of contaminated water has an immeasurable impact on the future of the fishing industry.

The TEPCO president apologized and said the leakage, on top of the groundwater problem, are things that never should have happened.

Hirose said his company will step up patrols at the plant to prevent further oversights, and will replace the current tanks with those that are more resistant to leaks.

The federation chief later said he expects the government to show leadership in dealing with the problem. Kishi said he thinks the utility has failed in its handling of the crisis.
Hirose said TEPCO, with the full support of the government, will swiftly put in place measures to prevent further leaks.
Aug. 29, 2013 - Updated 04:54 UTC