U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, who is set to visit the Fukushima prefecture on August 31, expressed his anticipation to taste local seafood and purchase renowned Fukushima peaches.
"My return to the Fukushima region this week is intended to be both a diplomatic mission and a personal attempt to better understand the region's resilience... I hope to witness the progress made in Fukushima and hear stories from local residents about the measures taken to ensure safety and well-being," the diplomat wrote in his article for the Japanese publication "Nikkei."
Emanuel also emphasized that he has no doubts that the "seafood I'm about to enjoy and the stories I'm about to hear" will reflect the dedication, determination, and dignity that the Japanese people carry on their path.
"I look forward to savoring fresh seafood from Fukushima and purchasing products, especially the delicious peaches from this region," he added.
On August 30, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and several cabinet members dined on seafood and agricultural products from the Fukushima prefecture, aiming to demonstrate the safety of goods after the water discharge from the "Fukushima-1" nuclear power plant began last week.
On August 24, the company TERSO initiated the discharge of ocean water previously used for cooling damaged reactors and subsequently treated in the ALPS system. This system can remove 62 types of radionuclides, except tritium. This water is stored in massive tanks on the station's premises. Nearly 90% of their 1.37 million ton capacity has been filled.
The current phase of the trial water discharge will last for 17 days, during which 7,800 cubic meters of water are expected to be released into the ocean. The total amount of water discharged from the "Fukushima-1" nuclear power plant in Japan during the 2023 fiscal year, ending on March 31, 2024, will reach 31,200 tons with a tritium radioactivity concentration of 5 trillion becquerels.
Despite TEPCO and Japanese authorities asserting that the water discharge poses no threat to the environment and humans, China and several other countries have strongly criticized such actions. China, in particular, has banned the import of all Japanese seafood products and intensified customs control over other Japanese goods.
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