In a curious diplomatic dance, nuclear experts from Japan and China engaged in “new framework” talks in January, focusing on the treated water released from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The discussions were prompted by an agreement reached at the Japan-China summit last November, aimed at resolving Beijing’s ban on imports of Japanese marine products that began in August last year.
Sources close to the matter revealed that the two governments agreed not to disclose the contents of the January talks, likely due to the sensitive nature of the topic and the public outcry in China over the discharge of the water into the ocean. Despite this, both sides plan to continue holding talks on the matter several times in the future.
The discussions in January, conducted online, involved officials with expertise in treated water from nuclear power plants. The Japanese delegation included representatives from the Foreign Ministry, the economy ministry, the Environment Ministry, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO).
The backdrop of these talks includes a meeting between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November last year. During this meeting, Kishida urged for the immediate removal of China’s import restrictions, but Xi expressed concerns about the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean, highlighting its potential impact on global health and marine environments. Despite these concerns, both leaders agreed to seek a solution through consultation and dialogue.
Kishida later expressed his expectation that future talks would be based on expert-level scientific analysis. Although administrative-level communication between the two governments has continued, the January talks were seen as a significant step forward, positioning them as a “new framework” based on the Japan-China summit.
However, despite these positive developments, the Chinese side has yet to show any signs of ending its import ban, leaving the outcome of future talks uncertain.
(Source: Asahi | Nikkei Asia | Nippon | SCMP)
