In light of the controversy surrounding Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the nuclear power plant into the ocean, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and a number of ministers appeared while eating seafood off Fukushima Prefecture.
The lunch meeting appeared to be aimed at dispelling concerns about the potential negative impact of the discharged water on human health and reputational damage to fish products from the surrounding areas of Northeast Japan Prefecture.
In press statements following the meeting, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in charge of nuclear policy, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said Kishida ate sashimi made of seabass, flounder and octopus, along with rice harvested in Fukushima.
“We need to inform people both at home and abroad about the safety of seafood caught at sea near the Fukushima nuclear complex,” the minister added.
Nuclear energy
Last Thursday, Japan began releasing treated Pacific water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was devastated by a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011.
Despite Japan’s assertion that this process is not dangerous, since the water has been previously treated, and the discharge will take place gradually, this step has raised the concern of some neighboring countries, especially China and South Korea.