中文
BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese spokesperson on Friday denounced a Japanese government special fund to subsidize the fishing industry in Fukushima area as "buying silence domestically" in disregard of the safety and wellbeing of people living next to Japan and in the Pacific Island countries.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on a report that the Japanese government had set up a special fund of 80 billion Japanese yen to subsidize the fishing industry in Fukushima.
"If the release of the nuclear-contaminated water is indeed harmless, why presume that the fishing industry in Fukushima will be affected? If not for a guilty conscience, why would the Japanese government try to placate the people by giving out compensations?" Wang asked.
"The only logical answer is that there is indeed something very wrong about the ocean discharge," he said.
He said about 40 percent of Japanese people and those who live around the Pacific rim are strongly against Japan's pushing through the ocean discharge plan, including people in China, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the Pacific Island countries, the Philippines, Indonesia and Peru.
"Regrettably, the Japanese government has so far acted indifferently to the opposition from both at home and abroad," the spokesperson said.
Wang said Japan's use of compensation to buy silence domestically and disregard for the safety and wellbeing of people living next to Japan and in the Pacific Island countries will only invite stronger criticism and opposition from the international community.
