Japanese Foreign Ministry: "South Korea Should Lift Fukushima Import Ban... Will Persuade on the Term 'Treated Water'"

Lifting Ban on Fukushima Imports Aligns with Existing Position
EU Emphasizes Resuming Imports... Korea "Will Continue to Persuade"
IAEA Reiterates 'Suitability Assessment'
Tokyo Electric Power Provides Real-Time Data on Ocean Discharge

On the 18th, the Japanese government stated regarding the South Korean government's ban on imports of seafood from Fukushima that "the position of lifting the import ban is the stance Japan has consistently taken and remains unchanged."

Referring to the EU's lifting of the import ban, they said, "We will continue to persuade the South Korean government."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mentions EU Lifting Ban on Fukushima Seafood Imports

The Embassy of Japan in Korea held an online briefing session for Korean media on the same day titled ‘Response to the Ocean Discharge of Treated Water from Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System)’, explaining the safety of the contaminated water. Officials from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Nuclear Regulation Authority, and Tokyo Electric Power Company attended the session.

Regarding Japan's import ban on seafood, they said, "On July 13, the EU announced the lifting of the import ban on Japanese food products. Therefore, we plan to provide explanations to South Korea based on scientific evidence going forward," emphasizing that the existing position of lifting the import ban remains unchanged. They added, "We will continue to provide explanations to South Korea based on scientific evidence."

The Term 'Treated Water' Is More Appropriate Than 'Contaminated Water'... Will Persuade South Korean Government

During the Q&A session, there was a point raised about the use of the term ‘contaminated water.’ When a Korean reporter used the term ‘contaminated water,’ a Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official responded, "We will continue to use the term ‘treated water’ and will make efforts to gain understanding through dialogue with the Korean people." The Japanese side argues that water that has passed through the ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System), a device that removes multiple radionuclides and whose safety has been verified, should be referred to as ‘treated water.’ The official stated, "There may be various opinions within Korea, but we hope people understand why Japan uses ‘treated water’ instead of ‘contaminated water’ and take an interest, and we will continue to invest time and effort to gain understanding."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Additionally, Tokyo Electric Power Company announced that they will share various data and information on the Japanese government’s website after the discharge of the contaminated water. Real-time public data will include ▲ radiation monitors at the seawater intake and upstream reservoir for dilution ▲ radiation monitors at the outlet of the pump transferring ALPS treated water (contaminated water) ▲ flow rate of the ALPS treated water transfer pipe ▲ flow rate of dilution seawater ▲ calculated tritium concentration in ALPS treated water diluted with seawater, among others.

Discussion Ongoing on Timing of Contaminated Water Discharge... IAEA Repeatedly Emphasizes 'Suitability' Judgment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Japanese government emphasized the legitimacy of the discharge by introducing the conclusion of the IAEA comprehensive report that the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant meets international safety standards. An official said, "The IAEA concluded that the radiation impact on people and the environment from the planned discharge of ALPS treated water by Tokyo Electric Power Company is negligible."

When asked about the timing of the contaminated water discharge, they said, "We will make a final decision after sufficient discussion while ensuring safety and taking measures against damage that may arise from unfounded rumors," adding, "Although no specific process has been determined yet, we will continue to respond with high transparency." Regarding the South Korean government's request for the participation of Korean experts in the inspection process of the contaminated water discharge, they stated, "The review conducted by the IAEA involves experts from third countries designated by the IAEA," and "The Japanese government will respect the judgment of the IAEA."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.