Jakarta: Speaking at the East Asia Summit in Jakarta on Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida again criticized China for its blanket ban on imports of fishery products from Japan.

Kishida reiterated Japan’s stance that it will take all possible measures to ensure the safety of the release into the sea of tritium-containing treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, and will continue to give explanations based on scientific evidence to the international community.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris expressed support for Japan over the water release, while Chinese Premier Li Qiang did not mention the water release issue, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Apparently with China in mind, Kishida also said that activities that violate Japanese sovereignty are continuing in the East China Sea, and that militarization and coercive actions are continuing in the South China Sea.

At the same time, the Japanese leader expressed Japan’s position of seeking constructive and stable relations with China.

The summit brings together the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and some countries, including Japan, the United States, China and Russia.

Referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kishida said that at a time when the world is at a historic turning point, it is important to maintain the international order based on the rule of law.

The prime minister also expressed opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and economic coercion.

JIJI Press