Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida‘s ate fish from Fukushima to demonstrate its safety has drawn comparisons to a memorable ‘Simpsons’ episode, prompting fans to humorously suggest that the show’s creator, Matt Groening, possesses some prophetic abilities.
Kishida’s action mirrors an episode in which the fictional character Mr. Burns eats a radioactive fish, akin to the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. This move is intended to assure the public that the waters near Fukushima are no longer hazardous, as concerns had arisen due to the release of treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean. This wastewater had accumulated since the 2011 catastrophe when a massive tsunami damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing a near-complete meltdown.
While neighboring countries, especially China, have criticized Japan for the wastewater release, Kishida’s stunt of eating Fukushima fish sashimi aimed to downplay these concerns. This gesture is reminiscent of Mr. Burns’ appearance in ‘The Simpsons,’ where he attempts to eat a three-eyed fish to counter public fear.
first as tragedy then as farce https://t.co/K6BFF3LaSf pic.twitter.com/sXcdfnaHyT
— scott (@scottfromperth) August 30, 2023
The parallels between Kishida’s action and the show’s episode have sparked discussions on social media, underlining the uncanny resemblance. Despite this, international energy regulators, including those at the United Nations, align with Kishida’s assertion that the water release’s impact on humans and the environment will be negligible.