Tokyo [Japan], August 30: China and North Korea strongly reacted to Japan's discharge of radioactive contaminated water into the sea, while US officials moved to support.
Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi yesterday asked China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens after confirming information that the Japanese Embassy in Beijing was bricked, according to AFP. The request comes amid controversy after Japan released treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture into the sea.
"Annoying" calls
Since Japan began discharging radioactive water into the sea on August 24, a series of annoying phone calls allegedly originating from China and calls for a boycott of Japanese products have appeared online. , according to Kyodo News. Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which operates the Fukushima nuclear power plant, said it received more than 6,000 phone calls from China in the four days to August 27, but did not disclose the content of the calls.
At a press conference in Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary HirokazuMatsuno said the government is aware that many Chinese consumers have avoided buying Japanese products and canceled trips to Japan. Many Chinese travel companies have begun to cancel tours to Japan after the radioactive water discharge, according to the Global Times. Earlier, on August 24, China announced a ban on all seafood imports from Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on August 28 that Tokyo had expressed concern to Beijing about harassment by Chinese nationals after Japan started discharging radioactive water. On the same day, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano summoned Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao and urged Beijing to encourage people to "react calmly" to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and facilities in China.
Later, the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo said that Mr. Wu had lodged a complaint with Mr. Okano, claiming that a large number of nuisance calls had been made from Japan to the Chinese diplomatic missions in the country. hinder their activities. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on August 28 stressed that Beijing always protects the safety, legitimate rights and interests of foreigners in China in accordance with the law, and rejected Japan's complaints, according to the statement. Kyodo News.
In addition to China, North Korea on August 24 also criticized Tokyo's act of releasing radioactive water. "Japan should immediately withdraw the discharge of dangerous radioactive wastewater, which seriously threatens the life, safety and future of mankind," the North's foreign ministry said in a statement cited by KCNA.
US Ambassador is coming to Fukushima to eat fish
Meanwhile, the US and Korean governments support the release of radioactive water by Japan . US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington was "satisfied with Japan's safe, transparent and science-based process", according to AFP. Earlier, an official of the US Embassy in Japan said on August 23 that US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel will visit Fukushima Prefecture on August 31 and plan to eat fish caught in this area to show support for the decision. of Tokyo, according to Kyodo News.
In South Korea, the government says it has found no scientific or technical problems with Japan's release of radioactive water, but the public remains concerned about the risk of seafood and ocean contamination. . KBS reported that about 30,000 people joined a protest in Seoul on August 26 to demand that the South Korean government take steps to avoid what they fear is an impending disaster from Japan's release of contaminated water.
To assuage these concerns, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on August 28 had a seafood lunch during a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, according to a statement from Yoon's office. Earlier, Prime Minister Han said on August 24 that the ban on food and seafood imports from Fukushima prefecture would remain in place until public concerns subside.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper