THE release of treated wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean has affected tours to Japan with some 10% of Malaysian tourists cancelling their travel plans altogether.

“Interest in Japan tours has slowed down a bit,” an industry source told The Malaysian Insight after Japan last month began releasing treated radioactive water from the damaged power plant, 12 years after a nuclear meltdown.

Apple Vacations & Conventions Sdn Bhd managing director Koh San said his company was flooded with over 600 inquiries as soon as Japan announced what they were going to do.

“They were basically asking if Japan was still safe and should they be avoiding eating seafood when they are there.

“They were asking if they could change their menu and have one which was seafood-free. The more fearful ones cancelled their trip altogether.

“We tried to reassure those who called that it was safe, and that the tourism industry in Japan was operating as if nothing had happened.”

Koh said there were some who eventually opted to change the destination of their holidays.

He said what spooked Malaysian tourists who had booked tours to Japan was the reaction from China.

“The various news reports coming from China made people feel that Japan was not safe.”

Koh said he believed the current uncertainty and apprehension is only temporary.

“Over time when people have a better understanding of the nuclear wastewater issue, they will gradually get over the hysteria.”

Albert Tan, the honorary president and advisor of the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA), said he too believed the panic that led to the cancellation of bookings was just a temporary hiccup and travel agencies will still continue to promote tour packages to Japan.

“Japan is, and will still be, a popular destination for Malaysians. It’s a beautiful country and very safe.

“I believe that as long as travellers understand the situation, they would not hesitate going to Japan.”

To allay fears and avoid cancellation, some tour firms are trying to accommodate their clients’ requests as much as they can.

“When arranging Japan tours, they would try to avoid seafood-based meals if their clients requested a change,” Wayne Law, chairman of the Perak branch of the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA), said.

“We tell customers if they are not at ease eating seafood in Japan, we will try to avoid seafood in their meals.”

However, Law said not all travellers are jittery.

“There are some who don’t mind and just want to go on their trips as planned.”

The Japanese government started discharging the treated wastewater on August 24 amid protests from its neighbours, particularly China.

According to Japanese media reports, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government had obtained an understanding from fishing industry groups, and they had reached a certain consensus to officially release the wastewater.

Earlier in July, Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visited the Fukushima nuclear plant to inspect the wastewater release plan and believed that if Japan followed the plan for the release operation, it would “comply with international safety standards.”

Currently, the storage capacity for nuclear wastewater in the plant has reached 98%, and it is estimated to reach full capacity between February and June 2024. –  September 9, 2023.