A Japanese official has urged Russia to rely on scientific evidence in the dispute over Fukushima’s treated radioactive water. Russia is considering joining China in banning Japanese seafood imports due to concerns about potential contamination from the water released by Japan. The Russian food safety watchdog, Rosselkhoznador, has discussed the possibility of restricting fish product supplies from Japan with the Chinese side. A final decision will be made after negotiations with Japan. Rosselkhoznador has requested information from Japan about its radiological testing procedures for exported fish products, including the presence of tritium. Russia has imported 118 tonnes of Japanese seafood this year and received 190 tonnes last year.
Japan has called on Russia to base its actions on scientific evidence, as Russia was part of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s expert team that approved the Fukushima water release plan. Japan’s Environment Ministry has reported that recent seawater analysis showed tritium concentrations below the lower limit of detection at 11 sampling points, posing no risk to human health and the environment. Russian authorities have also detected no irregularities in marine samples tested in regions close to the water release site.
In response to China’s ban on Japanese seafood, Japan has filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization and urged China to repeal its measure. Japan emphasized that its standard for releasing tritium is lower than that of China’s nuclear reactors. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reiterated Japan’s position on the safe disposal of treated radioactive wastewater and urged China to rely on scientific evidence during discussions with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Professor Nobumasa Akiyama of Hitotsubashi University believes that the Chinese Communist Party seeks diplomatic advantages by opposing Japan’s discharge. He emphasized the importance of maintaining international trust and achieving both scientific safety and social security.