(MENAFN) Japan and China engaged in talks regarding the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant during discussions held in Dalian, northeastern China, on Saturday. The two sides exchanged views on technical aspects concerning the treated water, marking the first publicly acknowledged dialogue between Japan and China at the level of experts on this issue.
Representatives from Japan reiterated their stance that the water release is safe and highlighted ongoing radiation monitoring activities. The Japanese delegation included officials from the Foreign, Economy and Trade ministries, as well as from the Nuclear Regulation Authority and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Meanwhile, Beijing was represented by experts from research organizations.
The talks in November between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping set the stage for finding ways to address the issue through consultations and dialogue. Since Japan began releasing treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi plant in August last year, the move has elicited strong reactions from China, as well as opposition parties in South Korea and the Solomon Islands.
In response to Japan's water release plans, Beijing imposed a ban on seafood imports from Japan. The Fukushima Daiichi plant has over 1 million tons of treated wastewater to be released over a 30-year period.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was compelled to cease operations after experiencing the most significant nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, triggered by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011.
In a recent development, the plant operator reported a leak of 5.5 tons of water, containing an estimated 22 billion becquerels of radioactive substances, from a facility designed to treat contaminated water. The incident was attributed to human error by a worker. However, the operator emphasized that the leak had no adverse effects on the health of the staff or the environment surrounding the plant.
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