Japan's ruling coalition bigwig finds foreign opposition to treated water's release "unacceptable"

Tanks containing treated radioactive water are seen at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, in February. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Foreign opposition to the government's recent decision to release treated radioactive water from the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the ocean, voiced from countries such as China and South Korea, is "hardly acceptable as it is emotional and seems to be intertwined with other issues," Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said Wednesday.

At a general meeting of the junior coalition party's upper house members held in the Diet Building, Yamaguchi added: "The government needs to persistently explain to the international community that the decision was made in a transparent and calm manner based on scientific evidence. It should also be widely known to the public."

During a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Headquarters for Accelerating Reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake, held the same day, some LDP members expressed their understanding of the release into the ocean of the treated radioactive water, while others voiced dissatisfaction toward the government and insisted on the need to set conditions.

Tanks containing treated radioactive water are seen in the background at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, on April 7. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

The water in question has been treated with special equipment and will be diluted by 100 to 1,700 times before being released into the ocean. However, strong concerns remain among people such as fishermen about possible harmful rumors regarding their marine products.

At the LDP meeting, it was noted that it is necessary to thoroughly compensate the fishermen should there be damage caused by harmful rumors. Among other topics mentioned was the need to request the government to establish a safety-monitoring system participated in by fishermen and third parties, and to strengthen the system of disseminating information.

As for the opposition parties, there is a movement to make this an issue for the next House of Representatives election, which has to be held by autumn.

Amid this situation, there are some politicians who have questioned the timing of the government's decision to release the treated radioactive water.

Former Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga, the chairperson of the LDP's reconstruction acceleration headquarters, said to reporters after the meeting, "We will discuss measures against harmful rumors and issues of related policies and make a recommendation to the government."

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