![Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka [Image: Fiji Government]](https://www.fijivillage.com/news_images/60813257064e7c87cd397dd1aaf6ed.jpg)
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says while they regret the fact that Japan has gone ahead to start discharging the treated nuclear wastewater before the Pacific Islands Forum scientific team have come back, Japan is working on the results carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Speaking after 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders’ Summit in Vanuatu, Rabuka says unfortunately yesterday was D-day for Japan to discharge the treated nuclear wastewater from Fukushima, and they have started.
Rabuka says based on the International Atomic Energy Agency report, he made his unilateral statement, and it ruffled a few feathers in his own caucus, and his own coalition which was to be expected because the Fijian parliament had passed a motion to ask Japan not to discharge the treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific.
The Prime Minister says the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Retreat earlier this year reiterated that position, and stressed the continuing monitoring of the discharge of the water.
Rabuka goes on to say that another concern is the bigger industrial powers are not serious about the carbon emissions target.
He says for us in the Pacific, it is about our survival to achieve the emissions target.
Rabuka says it is included in the MSG Leaders’ communique and sent to the rest of the world, and this will be discussed in the next COP meeting. He adds that part of the resolution on climate change was the growing concern for the discharge of the treated nuclear wastewater from Fukushima.
Rabuka says they are mindful of the Rarotonga Agreement that we would like to keep the Pacific a nuclear free zone.
