Japanese consulate slams Hong Kong minister over accusations dumping nuclear waste water would violate international law

‘It is incorrect to accuse Japan of trying to proceed with the discharge one-sidedly and that Japan is in violation of international law,’ consulate says

Remarks follow accusations by Hong Kong’s environmental minister that dumping nuclear waste water will violate Japan’s obligations under international law

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Workers at Onahama port in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture handle the first catch of the day. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 12:11pm, 9 Jun 2023Updated: 9:03pm, 9 Jun 2023

The Japanese consulate in Hong Kong has hit back at accusations by the city’s environmental minister that the country’s plan to discharge radioactive waste water into the sea around Fukushima violates international law.

The consulate on Friday also said that any further restrictions on imports from Japan were unnecessary, stressing the release of the water would not harm agricultural, marine and other food products.

“It is incorrect to accuse Japan of trying to proceed with the discharge one-sidedly and that Japan is in violation of international law,” a spokesman said. “[It] is not radioactive waste water but Advanced Liquid Processing System treated water that has been sufficiently purified.”

The processing system refers to a filtration technique used to remove radioactive materials from contaminated water.

Japan earlier announced it would release waste water used at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the sea this summer, sparking international concerns over the potential risks of importing seafood from the area.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Thursday warned that the city would place further restrictions on food imports from Japan if the country proceeded with the disposal plan.

“Ignoring the strong concerns of the international community, the Japanese government insisted on forcing the discharge of the Fukushima nuclear waste water into the sea,” Tse wrote in an opinion piece published by a local news outlet.