Politics & Government

Kishida Demands Scientific Evidence for Fukushima Water Dispute

Amiri Diwan/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani walks with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a welcome cermeony at the Amiri Diwan in Doha, Qatar July 18, 2023.

Jiji Press

16:48 JST, July 19, 2023

DOHA (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday urged China to present scientific evidence if Beijing continues to criticize Tokyo’s plan to release treated water into the sea from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

“We’ll press for discussion based on scientific evidence,” Kishida told a press conference in Doha, Qatar, after a tour of three Middle East countries.

Kishida said nothing has been decided on whether to reshuffle his cabinet and the leadership team of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the near future.

“I’ll decide on an appropriate timing in line with my cabinet’s policy of tackling domestic and foreign policy challenges that cannot be left unaddressed,” he said.

The Japanese prime minister said he and leaders of the three Middle Eastern countries reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the rules-based, free and open international order.

Kishida said he hopes to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this year to forge constructive and stable relations.

Referring to high oil prices, he said it is necessary to maintain the international order and bring a fair and lasting peace to Ukraine at an early date for market stability.