UPDATE - China calls on IAEA to take 'responsible' stand on discharging water from Japanese nuclear plant

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM CHINA, SOUTH KOREA; CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE, DECK

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) – China on Monday urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to take a “responsible” stand on Japan's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea.

“The IAEA should come to a responsible conclusion on the ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Fukushima that can stand up to the test of history and science. It must not endorse Japan’s wrong decision,” Wang Wenbin, spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Beijing.

“It is neither ethical nor lawful to spill the risk of nuclear pollution to the rest of the world,” he added.

However, Tokyo said it will go ahead with releasing the treated nuclear waste from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea this summer as planned.

However, the exact timing has yet to be decided, Japanese officials said.

“The treated and diluted water will be released into the ocean by strictly complying with regulations to ensure safety,” said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu.

In Beijing, Wang urged Japan to address international and domestic concerns by halting its ocean discharge plan, disposing of nuclear-contaminated water in a safe and transparent manner based on scientific principles, and accepting rigorous international monitoring.

Hirokazu said the Japanese government is "intensifying its efforts to raise awareness of the comprehensive safety measures through television messages and online ads."

He emphasized that Tokyo will make a "thorough decision on the timing of the release, considering various factors and ensuring safety and reputation protection.”

Yamaguchi Natsuo, chief representative of the Komeito party, the junior coalition partner along with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said: “The release should not coincide with the sea bathing season.”

- South Korean official speaks of seafood ban

Separately, South Korea's ruling People Power Party's floor leader, Yun Jae-ok, said that seafood imports from Japan's Fukushima region will be banned until safety concerns are resolved, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

“The government will make preparations with a firm view that anything unsafe should not happen with people's food,” he added.

Japan's water discharge plan, announced in April 2021, faced significant criticism from China, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan, and international organizations, including the UN.

The US supported the proposal, following years of discussions on dealing with over 1 million tons of water stored at the Fukushima nuclear complex since the 2011 disaster.

Despite the pressure, Japan last month initiated the injection of seawater into a drainage tunnel at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, marking the initial stage of releasing treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean.