US and Japan Reaffirm Support for Contaminated Water Discharge... "Meets International Standards"

On the 24th (local time), the U.S. government reaffirmed its support for Japan's plan to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a press conference on the 21st at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo after meeting with the head of a fishermen's association regarding the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

In response to domestic media questions about Japan's stance on the discharge of contaminated water, the State Department replied through a spokesperson, stating, "As Japan implements its plan to release some of the treated water stored in the nuclear plant tanks into the Pacific Ocean, decisions regarding the discharge of contaminated water must be based on science."

Regarding Japan's discharge plan, the spokesperson added, "It is safe and complies with international standards, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear safety standards," and stated, "We are satisfied with Japan's plan."

The State Department said, "Japan has been implementing a transparent, science-based process while actively cooperating with the IAEA," and added, "We understand that Japan has also consulted with scientists and partners in the Indo-Pacific region regarding the plan."

Earlier, Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly expressed support for Japan's contaminated water discharge plan during a briefing on the 15th. Since the Biden administration took office in 2021, it has supported Japan's push for the discharge based on the execution of scientific procedures in accordance with international safety standards.

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