On Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid a quick visit to the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant to emphasize the safety of an upcoming release of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, a contentious plan that his government wants to begin as soon as possible despite opposition at home and abroad.
The distribution date of the treated water has not been determined as a result of the uproar surrounding the idea, but Kishida said it is time to decide on it before departing Washington on Friday.
Since the government announced the release plan two years ago, it has faced strong opposition from Japanese fishing organizations, which worry about further damage to the reputation of their seafood as they struggle to recover from the accident. Groups in South Korea and China have also raised concerns, turning it into a political and diplomatic issue.
The government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., say the water must be removed to make room for the plant’s decommissioning and to prevent accidental leaks from the tanks because much of the water is still contaminated and needs further treatment.
The distribution date of the treated water has not been determined as a result of the uproar surrounding the idea, but Kishida said it is time to decide on it before departing Washington on Friday.
Since the government announced the release plan two years ago, it has faced strong opposition from Japanese fishing organizations, which worry about further damage to the reputation of their seafood as they struggle to recover from the accident. Groups in South Korea and China have also raised concerns, turning it into a political and diplomatic issue.
The government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., say the water must be removed to make room for the plant’s decommissioning and to prevent accidental leaks from the tanks because much of the water is still contaminated and needs further treatment.
