Japan Minister Apologizes for ‘Contaminated Water’ Remark

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:36 JST, August 31, 2023

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Testsuro Nomura apologized Thursday for referring to treated water being discharged from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant as “contaminated.”

Earlier on the day, Nomura had met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Prime Minister’s Office. After that meeting, Nomura told reporters, “We exchanged information about further assessments of contaminated water.”

Kishida said: “That remark was regrettable. I told [Nomura] to make a full apology and retract his statement.”