Sekuritisasi Lingkungan oleh Tiongkok terhadap Pembuangan Air Limbah Nuklir Fukushima ke Samudra Pasifik

Abstract

This study examines how China frames the discharge of Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean as an environmental security threat, utilizing the perspective of securitization. Employing a qualitative approach and a single-case study design, the research draws on various secondary data sources—such as academic literature, official documents, and credible media reports—to trace the construction of the threat narrative, the dynamics of contested meanings, efforts to institutionalize the discourse, and audience responses to the issue. The findings indicate that the discharge of Fukushima wastewater is no longer viewed merely as a technical matter of nuclear waste management. The issue evolved into a security concern after being constructed through narratives highlighting potential risks to marine ecosystems, public health, and food security. This construction of a threat was reinforced by statements from government officials, state-owned media coverage, and policies restricting imports of Japanese fishery products. These measures subsequently fostered strong political legitimacy within China. The study’s findings demonstrate that the concept of security in international relations is defined not only by the existence of objective threats but also by the social and political processes that shape how risks are understood and interpreted as security threats.

Keywords: Audience Acceptance, Environmental Security, Institutionalization, Risk Construction, Securitization.