US reaffirms support for Japan's release of treated water
Lawmakers and party officials of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, including party chief Lee Jae-myung, second from left, march toward the presidential office after staging a protest at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Aug. 25, calling for Japan to stop the discharge of treated, contaminated wastewater from its nuclear power plant in Fukushima. Yonhap
The United States reaffirmed Friday its support for the release of treated radioactive water from Japan's destroyed nuclear power plant in Fukushima, calling it safe and transparent.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the Department of State, also said the U.S. is happy with the level of transparency Japan has shown in the lead up to the release, which began Thursday (KST).
"Japan has been open and transparent as it has sought to responsibly manage the Fukushima Daiichi site and the eventual release of treated water, proactively coordinating with scientists and partners from across the Indo-Pacific region as well as with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which concluded that Japan's process is safe and consistent with internationally accepted nuclear safety standards," Miller said in a released statement.
This, however, comes amid concerns and opposition from Japan's neighboring countries, as well as its own fishing population, that the release of the water into the Pacific Ocean may have a long-term, irreversible impact on the environment and people.
The state department spokesperson insisted that Tokyo has been transparent in its decision to release the water.
"As Secretary Blinken noted on August 15, the United States is satisfied with Japan's safe, transparent, and science-based process," he said.
"We welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA as well as with regional stakeholders." (Yonhap)