Japan to PH: Thanks for support of Fukushima wastewater discharge
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko has thanked the government for its support ​to Tokyo​'s move to discharge treated radioactive water into the sea.
​"Japan deeply appreciates the Philippine government's understanding of the release of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant from a science-and-fact-based perspective and its impact on the ocean,​" Koshikawa said in his post on X (formerly Twitter).
​He said Tokyo is "grateful for the majority of the international community, including the Philippines, that shows their understanding of the mentioned discharge, based on facts and science."
"This is a crucial step for Japan towards recovery from the catastrophe," he added.
On Thursday, the day of the wastewater release, the Philippines expressed no opposition to Japan's move.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Philippines "recognizes the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s technical expertise" on the matter after the latter greenlighted Tokyo's plans to discharge the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treated water that contains radioactive substances.
"The Philippines continues to look at this issue from a science- and fact-based perspective and its impact on the waters in the region," DFA said.
Meanwhile, Kazuhiko also answered China's criticism of its move.
"Addressing China's criticism for the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea, we bring to your attention that China's nuclear power plants release a significantly higher amount of tritium into the ocean compared to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station," he said.
"We also would like to remind you that China once said 'the study of origins is a scientific matter' and 'should not be politicized' in response to criticism of the WHO-China joint study of the origins of COVID-19," he added.