Japan braces for Fukushima fight with China at Jakarta summits

HIROYUKI AKIYAMA, Nikkei staff writer

September 6, 2023 01:43 JST

Jakarta-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to Jakarta for regional summits has been
dominated by China's criticism of Japan's decision to release treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. This contentious issue has taken center stage during discussions
between Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summits, hosted
by Indonesia. These summits include key Asian nations, such as Japan and China.

The core of the dispute revolves around Japan's release of treated water from Fukushima, which began
in late August. While Japan maintains that the water has been processed to remove radioactive
materials, with tritium levels falling within international safety standards, China argues that it remains
"contaminated," In response to this disagreement, China has suspended seafood imports from Japan,
adding to the tension between the two nations.

Prime Minister Kishida has highlighted the strict safety measures in the treated water release, backed by
the IAEA report. Japan is committed to transparency and cooperation with international bodies. Kishida
aims to promote a scientific dialogue with China, involving experts to address the issue thoroughly.

While Japan engaged in discussions with various regional countries, including South Korea and
Southeast Asian nations, few raised objections apart from China, Russia, and North Korea. Japan is
concerned that China's vehement criticism could influence economically dependent emerging countries
in the region.

Sino-Japanese relations were getting better before the wastewater release incident, with planned
meetings between Kishida and Chinese leaders. However, this event has created tension, causing Japan
to closely watch China's stance in international meetings before responding. Japan is also wary of China
using the incident to create divisions among its partners, including the U.S. and South Korea, with whom
it is strengthening security cooperation due to concems about China's actions in the region