Fukushima disaster: Japan says experts met in China to dispel concerns over radioactive water

On Sunday (Mar 31), Japan announced that its specialists have engaged in discussions with Chinese officials to alleviate Beijing's worries regarding the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean.

Fishing associations and nearby nations, particularly China, have opposed the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater. China's response, which involved stopping all imports of Japanese seafood, has significantly impacted Japanese scallop producers and exporters who rely on the Chinese market.

During the discussions in Dalian, a northeastern city in China, Japanese officials provided a "science-based" explanation of the safe execution of the wastewater discharges, as reported by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

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Background: Fukushima disaster and wastewater accumulation

Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant suffered damage to its power supply and reactor cooling systems, leading to meltdowns in three reactors.

Consequently, a largeamount of radioactive wastewater accumulated on-site. After more than a decade of storage in tanks, occupying considerable space on the complex, the plant commenced the discharge of treated wastewater into the ocean on August 24, 2023. This process, which involves treating the water at least once and diluting it with seawater, is anticipated to continue for several decades.

During a summit meeting in November, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to have scientific discussions by experts.

Since then, there have been several informal meetings between the two countries. Sunday's statement from the Japanese Foreign Ministry was the first public acknowledgment of these talks.

Experts discussed technical matters related to the wastewater discharges, focussing on transparency. However, details, including what the Chinese side said and whether differences were resolved, were not disclosed due to the sensitivity of the issue.

This meeting followed a visit by Rafael Mariano Rafael, Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to the plant in mid-March, where he confirmed the safe execution of the ongoing discharges as planned.

(With inputs from agencies)