Kishida visits Fukushima plant to highlight safety

TOKYO (AP):

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant on Sunday and said an impending release of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean cannot be postponed.

He said the move is safe, but his government will do its utmost to support fishing communities from the potential impact of damaging rumours during the decades-long project.

Kishida made his trip hours after returning from a summit with US and South Korean leaders at the American presidential retreat of Camp David. Before leaving Washington on Friday, Kishida said it is time to make a decision on the treated water’s release date, which has not been set due to the controversy surrounding the plan.

Kishida saw wastewater filtering and dilution facilities, and met with the plant and company executives. He told reporters that he confirmed their commitment to safely carrying out the upcoming water discharge. To make room for new facilities needed for the progress of the decommissioning, the treated water needs to be disposed of and tanks removed to make room.

The treated water discharge “by no means can be postponed for the decommissioning and Fukushima’s recovery”, Kishida said.

LONG-TERM PROJECT

Kishida said the water release is a long-term project and that he is aware of the importance of recognising the concerns and needs of local fishing groups. “I hope to convey the government position directly to the fisheries’ representatives,” he said.

Since the government announced the release plan two years ago, it has faced strong opposition from Japanese fishing organisations, 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, or TEPCO, 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.

Japan has obtained support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to improve transparency and credibility and to ensure the plan by TEPCO meets international safety standards. The government has also stepped up a campaign promoting the plan’s safety at home and through diplomatic channels.

The IAEA, in a final report in July, concluded that the TEPCO plan, if conducted strictly as designed, will cause negligible impact on the environment and human health, encouraging Japan to proceed.

While seeking understanding from the fishing community, the government has also worked to explain the plan to neighbouring countries, especially South Korea, to keep the issue from interfering with their relationship-building. Japan, South Korea and the US are working to bolster trilateral ties in the face of growing Chinese and North Korean threats.