Marine Sports in the Risk Society: Examining the Crisis of Marine Leisure Practice Following the Fukushima Contaminated Water Discharge

Key Points

• The central aim is to analyze the potential impacts of Fukushima's contaminated water release on marine leisure practices through the lens of risk society theory.
• Conducted a qualitative study combining systematic literature review and thematic analysis.
• Collected and analyzed domestic and international academic literature and policy documents related to environmental pollution and marine sports.
• Identified key issues and recurring themes surrounding marine leisure practices.
• The research indicates a high likelihood of avoidance behavior in marine sports participation regardless of measurable environmental changes.
• Marine sports, involving direct contact with water, are particularly sensitive to shifts in risk perception.
• Invisible and delayed risks such as radiation tend to redefine the sea from a space of healing and leisure to one of uncertainty and fear.

Abstract