VOA慢速英语2021 日本计划将福岛核电站污水排入海洋（在线收听）

Japan says it will start releasing radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear center into the sea beginning in two years.

日本表示，其将从两年后开始将福岛核电站的放射性污水排入大海。

The contaminated water is to be treated before it is released into the Pacific Ocean.

被污染的水在排放到太平洋之前要经过处理。

The government announced the plan Tuesday and said it had been approved by cabinet ministers. The decision had long been expected, but faced delays linked to safety concerns and public opposition.

日本政府于周二宣布了这一计划，并表示计划已获得内阁部长的批准。这一决定早就在人们的预料之中，但由于安全问题和公众反对而拖延。

Japan has said the water release is necessary to move forward with cleanup efforts at the Fukushima nuclear center. Three reactors there suffered meltdowns after the 2011 earthquake and huge ocean wave destroyed the plant's cooling systems. The disaster forced 160,000 people to flee contaminated areas around the plant.

日本表示，为了推进福岛核中心的清理工作，排放污水是必要举措。2011年，地震和巨浪摧毁了该核电站的冷却系统，致三座反应堆熔毁。这场灾难迫使16万人逃离核电站周围受污染的地区。

Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, operates the nuclear center. It is carrying out the cleanup. TEPCO said Fukushima will run out of all its storage space for radioactive water by late 2022.

东京电力公司（简称TEPCO）负责该核中心的运营。该公司正在进行清理工作。东京电力公司表示，到2022年底，福岛核电站所有放射性污水存储空间均将耗尽。

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the government had decided the ocean release was the most realistic way to solve the water storage problem. Other methods considered included injecting the water into the ground or converting it to steam or hydrogen and then releasing it into the atmosphere.

日本首相菅义伟表示，政府确定将污染排入大海是解决污水存储问题的最现实方式。其他被考虑的方法包括将污水注入地下或将其转化为蒸汽或氢气，之后再将其释放到大气中。

The government describes the water to be released as "treated" and not "radioactive." But experts say that 100 percent of radioactive materials cannot be removed. TEPCO and government officials say tritium -- a radioactive form of hydrogen – is the only substance that cannot be removed from the water. They say tritium is not considered harmful in small amounts.

政府称将要排放的污水是“经过处理的污水”，而不是“放射性污水”。但专家表示，放射性物质不能彻底清除。东京电力公司和政府官员表示，氚——氢的一种放射性形式——是唯一不能从污水中清除的物质。他们称少量氚不会造成危害。

The officials say all other radioactive materials in the water can be reduced to releasable levels. The exact amount of radioactive material that would remain in the water is not known. Some scientists say the long-term effects on ocean life from large amounts of such treated water also remains unknown.

官员表示，污水中的所有其他放射性物质都可以降低到可排放水平。目前尚不清楚污水中放射性物质的确切数量。有科学家表示，目前也不清楚大量经过处理的污水会对海洋生物产生哪些长期影响。

Fishermen and many people living in the area strongly oppose the plan. They have said releasing the water into the ocean could cause widespread damage to Fukushima's fishing and agriculture industries.

渔民和生活在该地区的多数人都强烈反对这一计划。他们表示，将污水排入大海可能会对福岛的渔业和农业造成严重损害。

Suga said the government plans to offer assistance to help local agriculture, fisheries and tourism businesses.

菅义伟表示，政府计划提供援助，帮助当地的农业、渔业和旅游业。

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, said in a video message the ocean release was in line with international practice. He added, however, that "the large amount of water at the Fukushima plant makes it a unique and complex case."

国际原子能机构（简称IAEA）总干事拉斐尔·马里亚诺·格罗西通过视频表示，向大海排放污水符合国际惯例。不过，他同时表示，“福岛核电站庞大的污水量使其成为独特而复杂的案例。”

China and South Korea reacted strongly to Japan's decision.

中国和韩国对日本的决定反应强烈。

China called the plan "extremely irresponsible," saying Japan had not considered the health concerns of neighboring countries.

中国称这一计划“极不负责任”，并表示日本没有考虑邻国的健康问题。

In South Korea, the country's minister for Government Policy Coordination, said the plan was "absolutely unacceptable." He urged Japan to provide more information about how the water will be treated and how the plan's safety will be verified.

韩国政府政策协调部长表示，这一计划“绝对不能接受”。他敦促日本提供更多信息，就如何处理这些污水以及验证这一计划的安全性进行说明。

Words in This Story

contaminate – v. to make something dirty or poisonous

convert – v. to change the appearance, form, or purpose of something

tourism – n. activities related to travel to a place for pleasure

practice – n. what people do or how they do it

unique – adj. very special or unusual

absolutely – adv. completely or totally (often used to make a statement more forceful)

verify – v. to prove that something is true