The escalation of tensions between Japan and China following the release of water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant continues to make waves. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has strongly condemned recent stone-throwing incidents against the Japanese embassy and schools in China. He also highlighted the numerous cases of telephone harassment from China, which have affected Japanese companies for several days.
The Chinese ambassador in Tokyo was summoned by the Japanese authorities to protest against this wave of telephone harassment. Japan has urged China to calm the situation and take responsibility for the actions of some of its citizens.
The release of Fukushima water into the ocean had been validated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Japanese authorities claim that this process is safe for the environment and human health. Despite this, China decided to suspend imports of seafood products from Japan in response to this decision.
Since the water discharge began, Japanese companies have been subjected to thousands of phone calls from Chinese numbers. This harassment campaign appears to be carried out randomly, affecting sectors ranging from bakeries to aquariums. On social networks, some Chinese Internet users have even shared videos where they call Japanese numbers, receiving a lot of support.
Faced with this situation, Japanese authorities have strengthened security measures around Japanese schools and diplomatic missions in China. The Japanese embassy in Beijing also called on its nationals to be cautious and avoid speaking loudly in Japanese in public.
However, Japan is also trying to make its voice heard internationally. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida noted that other countries, such as the United States, have expressed satisfaction with Japan’s measures to ensure the safety and transparency of the Fukushima water discharge process. Japan hopes that the international community will be able to make these voices heard by the Chinese government.
This escalation of tensions between Japan and China will undoubtedly have repercussions on bilateral relations and on trade between the two countries. It is necessary to monitor developments in order to understand the long-term consequences of this diplomatic crisis.