TOKYO: Japan has lodged protests with China and Russia after they referred to treated water being released from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant as “nuclear contaminated,” Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa said Friday.

“It is very regrettable that an assertion contrary to the facts was made,” Hayashi said at a press conference, referring to a joint statement issued by China and Russia after their summit in Beijing Thursday. The protests were lodged with Beijing and Moscow separately via diplomatic channels on Thursday.

The Fukushima nuclear plant, which was crippled by a massive tsunami in 2011, started releasing treated water into the ocean in August last year after diluting it with seawater. The treated water contains small amounts of radioactive tritium.

Hayashi said the release of the treated water has posed no problem from a scientific viewpoint and wins understanding and support from the international community. “Japan will explain this to China and Russia politely and transparently,” he said.

JIJI Press