TOKYO, March 31 — Japan and China engaged in an “expert dialogue” yesterday on the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, marking their latest collaborative effort to tackle the ongoing dispute surrounding the issue.
The discussion took place in Dalian, China, where the Japanese delegation presented their perspective on the safety of the water release and provided detailed updates on ongoing radiation monitoring activities, reported the Kyodo News Agency today, quoting the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
In response to the series of discharges that commenced in August of last year, China has maintained an import ban on all seafood products from Japan.
This marked the first publicly acknowledged expert dialogue between Japan and China specifically addressing the water release issue, despite ongoing communications between the two nations on various levels.
Representatives from Japan included officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Economy, Trade, and Industry Ministry, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, and the plant’s operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. China’s delegation consisted of experts from research organisations.
During the dialogue, participants exchanged viewpoints on technical matters pertaining to the treated water.
In November last year, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to seek resolutions to the issue “through consultations and dialogue in a constructive manner.”
Kishida reiterated after the summit that expert discussions would be grounded in scientific principles.
Earlier this month, senior officials from both countries held discussions in Guangzhou, China, addressing the water release and other pending issues, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining close communication.
Japan has conducted four rounds of treated water discharge into the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima plant, with the most recent discharge ending in mid-March.
— Bernama
