VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi, after surveying the site of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on Wednesday and meeting with locals, vouched for the safety of Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the power plant into the ocean.

In a major milestone for the decommissioning of the power plant, destroyed in a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the IAEA said on Tuesday that a two-year review showed Japan's plans for the water release would have a negligible impact on the environment.

Japanese fishing unions have long opposed the plan, saying it would undo work to repair reputational damage after several countries banned some Japanese food products for fear of radiation. Japan regularly tests seafood from the Fukushima area and has found it to be safe.

Grossi said there were no pending issues, after surveying the wrecked power plant and feeding flounder raised in the treated radioactive water as proof of its harmlessness.

He also inaugurated an IAEA office on site that will monitor the release of the water, which is expected to take 30 to 40 years.

Still, the reality for people, the economy, and social perceptions may be different from the science, Grossi said, acknowledging the fears surrounding the water release.

"I don't have a magic solution for the doubts and concerns that may exist, but we do have one thing ... we are going to stay here with you for decades to come ... until the last drop of the water has been safely discharged," he said.

The Japanese government is looking to start releasing water as early as August, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday.

The plan still needs official approval from the national nuclear regulatory body, which is expected on Friday.

CRITICISM ABROAD

Some neighbouring countries have also raised concerns over the threat to the environment, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday criticised the move towards discharging the water and threatened action if the plan should move ahead.

"The relevant Chinese government departments will strengthen the monitoring of the ocean environment and inspection of marine products import, so as to ensure the health and food security of the public," he said, but declined to give specific details on what sort of action the government would take.

China bans seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima and the capital Tokyo. Seafood imports from other prefectures are allowed but must pass radioactivity tests and have proof of being produced outside the 10 banned prefectures.

To assuage international concerns, Grossi said he will follow up his visit to Japan with a tour of South Korea and the Pacific Islands to explain the water will have no negative impact on the environment.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday his country would aim to gain acceptance both domestically and internationally with the IAEA's endorsement.

Kishida may meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to explain the water release, when attending the NATO summit meeting in Lithuania next week, the Mainichi newspaper said on Wednesday.

Japan's foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, is also preparing to meet his Chinese and South Korean counterparts mid-July on the sidelines of a South-East Asia group summit, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Japan says the water has been filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water. The treated water will be diluted to well below internationally approved levels of tritium before being released into the Pacific. (Reuters)

Myanmar's Supreme Court heard on Wednesday the latest in a series of appeals by former leader Aung San Suu Kyi against a slew of convictions, a source familiar with the case said, as she seeks to reduce her 33 years of jail time.

The 78-year-old Nobel peace laureate has been convicted of offences ranging from incitement and election fraud to corruption since the military arrested her during a February 2021 coup against her elected government.

Representatives of Suu Kyi, who was not herself present, made arguments in court on Wednesday about her conviction for a breach of the official secrets act and electoral fraud, said a source who sought anonymity as the matter is sensitive.

The court is expected to take up to two months to deliver its ruling.

A junta spokesperson could not immediately be reached for confirmation.

The 2021 coup plunged Myanmar into political and social chaos, with the junta drawing global condemnation for its heavy-handed crackdown on opponents such as Suu Kyi.

The military says defendants are given due process by an independent judiciary, countering criticism from rights groups over the jailing of members of the pro-democracy movement in secret trials and the resumption of executions after a gap of decades.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear Suu Kyi's appeals against convictions for misuse of state funds and violations of trade and telecoms laws over the next two weeks. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - The government will provide clean water for the community as an anticipatory step against drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said on Wednesday.

"We will support water supply, especially for the grassroots community in the form of clean and drinking water," he informed in Jakarta.

El Nino is a natural phenomenon of warming sea surface temperatures to above-normal levels in the central Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon can increase the potential for cloud growth in the central Pacific Ocean and reduce rainfall in the Indonesian region.

Decreased rainfall can lead to a shortage of water supply for agricultural and other business activities as well as for meeting the daily needs of residents, and it can increase the potential for forest and land fires, Effendy said.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has already mapped out areas that have the potential for drought and forest fires, he added. An intervention will be carried out in these areas to minimize the impact of El Nino.

"BNPB will be responsible for the mapping," he said.

Meanwhile, to help them overcome crop failure due to drought, the government will provide assistance to affected farmers, Effendy said. The provision of the assistance will be similar to the one provided by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for agricultural land destroyed by flooding.

"President Jokowi has approved flood assistance for our farmers. There is also a possibility of assistance for farmers who may experience drought but I have not received direction," he said.

Earlier, the head of state had asked government ministries and agencies to anticipate the impact of El Nino, including the possibility of a long drought that would affect the national economy.

"Anticipate the potential for a long dry season due to El Nino," the President urged.

He said the water supply from more than 5 thousand reservoirs and 38 dams built by the government must be managed properly to deal with the impact of El Nino.

The President then underlined the importance of reducing the risk of forest and land fires during the dry season. (antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, drew attention to threats to sea security and safety related to technological developments.

The minister noted that a report on the threats was published by the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) regarding the sea on March 14, 2023.

"Apart from threats to territorial waters and jurisdictions, we must pay attention to maritime security and safety in relation to technological developments as stated in the UN Secretary General's report on the sea three months ago," he stated in a Workshop on Maritime Security at a hotel in Jakarta, Wednesday.

He pointed out that the development of maritime technology will also facilitate the occurrence of crimes. This condition must be considered for transforming national maritime security, he said.

Mahfud emphasized that one of the visions of Golden Indonesia 2045 in the national long-term development plan (RPJPN) is development in the maritime sector. The success of this target will be greatly supported by the safety factor of the sea.

"It is hoped that Indonesia will be able to take on a bigger role in responding to the developing geopolitical situation," he said.

He noted that maritime security is a strategic issue that should become the concern of the government. In addition, Mahfud said that President Jokowi has given directions to ministries/institutions (K/L) that have authority at sea to have the same understanding.

The minister noted that the government is responsible for handling security in order to maintain sovereignty and the territorial areas, so the efforts must be well-coordinated.

Since various K/L currently have limited resources, safeguarding security, ensuring safety, and conducting law enforcement at sea should be carried out in synergy and be well-coordinated, he remarked.

This has also been stipulated in Government Regulation Number 13 of 2022 concerning the Implementation of Security, Safety, and Law Enforcement in Indonesian Waters and Indonesian Jurisdictional Areas, he added.

He said that in the near future, the substance in the regulation will be strengthened in the draft revision of changes to the maritime law initiated by the House of Representatives (DPR). (antaranews)