Japan reassures over waste discharge

On July 17, leaders of Japan and countries and territories in the Pacific held the Pacific Island Summit, discussing cooperation to ensure maritime security.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio speaks at the Pacific Islands Summit on July 17 in Tokyo (Source: Kyodo News)

According to Kyodo news agency, this year's 10th conference includes Japan and 18 countries and territories in the region, taking place in the context of Tokyo seeking to increase its involvement in the region.

At the conference held in the Japanese capital Tokyo, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio also sought to reassure leaders about the safety of the Northeast Asian country's discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.

The discharge is set to begin in August 2023. Some summit members have expressed concerns about the safety of the discharge, but Tokyo said no member has publicly criticized it, as it is being carried out in coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Japan is also expected to offer support for maritime response capabilities, climate change and natural disasters, while Kishida could pledge more than 60 billion yen ($380 million) in development aid over the next three years, sources familiar with the matter said.

The 10th Pacific Islands Summit, taking place from July 16-18, focuses on key issues affecting the region, from strengthening security to finding ways to respond to, mitigate the impact of, and adapt to climate change.

The summit will issue a joint statement on July 18.

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