Japan to start releasing Fukushima water into sea in 2 years

BEIJING, April 13, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday that his government has decided to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea amid domestic and international opposition.

Kyodo News reported on Tuesday morning the release will start after two years. The contaminated water will be diluted first so concentrated levels of radioactive tritium, which can cause cancer, and other hazardous elements meet Japanese national standards.

Foreign Ministry spokesman answers reporters' questions

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a question and answer session on Japan's proposed decision on nuclear waste water discharge, in order to safeguard international public interests and the health and safety of the Chinese people, China has expressed its serious concern to the Japanese side through diplomatic channels and requested the Japanese side to effectively treat the issue of nuclear waste water disposal at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in a responsible manner and with prudence.

Zhao Lijian said that the Fukushima nuclear accident is one of the most serious in world history. The leak of large amounts of radioactive materials has had profound impact on marine environment, food safety and human health. The disposal of contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant bears on global public interests and the immediate interests of neighboring countries. The issue should naturally be handled in a prudent and appropriate manner with the participation of all parties concerned to forestall further harm to marine environment, food safety and human health.

The world is watching with deep concern the upcoming decision by the Japanese side on the discharge of nuclear wastewater into the ocean, raising doubts and expressing opposition. There is also strong opposition in Japan. The Japanese side often calls on other countries to fulfill their international obligations. Now the eye of the world is on Japan. It cannot turn a deaf ear to this. The stakes are high indeed. The Japanese side should act in a responsible manner for global public interests and the interests of its own people.

To safeguard international public interests and Chinese people's health and safety, China has expressed grave concern to the Japanese side through the diplomatic channel, urging Japan to handle the issue of wastewater disposal from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in a prudent and responsible manner.

图源：央视新闻视频截图

China urged the United States to treat Japan's decision to dump contaminated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea according to the facts, rather than according to the country that would make the move.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing in Beijing when commenting on the United State's recently declared stance that Japan's decision has been "transparent," and "appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards."

"International authorities and experts have clearly pointed out that the discharge of tritium-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean will affect the marine environment and the public health of neighboring countries," said Zhao, adding that at the same time, the existing treated wastewater contains other radionuclides and needs to be further purified and treated.

"The disposal of nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant accident in Japan is related to the international marine environment, food safety and human health," he said.

Zhao stressed that China hopes the U.S. side will treat the real environmental issue without reflecting on any particular country.

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for efforts on Monday to forestall further harm to environmental protection, food safety and human health.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi made the remarks when he met Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna.

He said the IAEA had taken note of the concerns of relevant parties within the Board with mounting global attention to this matter, and the Agency will actively advance its work on the assessment and monitoring activities in an impartial, objective and scientific-based manner.

In the process, the agency will enhance communication with China and all other relevant stakeholders, said Grossi.

Wang pointed out that a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday expressed concerns over Japan's nuclear wastewater disposal plan.

Expressing China's support for the IAEA to play a vital role in the assessment and monitoring work, Wang said it is legitimate for China as a neighboring country, along with all other stakeholder countries, to be involved in the Agency's work on this front.