Japan PM defends Fukushima discharge in meeting with Chinese premier

Jakarta, Sep 6 (EFE).- Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday defended his country’s decision to discharge treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang after Beijing banned seafood imports from Japan.

Speaking from Jakarta on the sidelines of a summit of Southeast Asian nations (Asean), Kishida told Li that the discharge of treated water into the Pacific Ocean “had been conducted in accordance with international standards and practices,” according to a statement from Japan’s foreign ministry.

The Japanese premier added that his country would continue to call on actions based on scientific evidence and dissemination of accurate information.

The meeting between Kishida and Li was the highest level meeting between both countries since Japan began discharging treated water into the ocean on August 24, Japanese media reported.

China criticized Tokyo for releasing the Fukushima wastewater and responded by banning all imports of seafood products from Japan.

Both nations are also at loggerheads over territorial disputes in the East China Sea, with Kishida calling on Beijing to build “constructive and stable Japan-China relations.”

The meeting took place in Jakarta as regional leaders gathered for the Asean Plus Three summit with South Korea.

Kishida is hoping to strengthen cooperation with Asean countries — Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — to counter China’s growing power and influence in the Pacific. EFE

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