Speaking at his first visit to the facility since taking office,
The Fukushima Daiichi plant suffered a triple meltdown in 2011 following a massive earthquake and tsunami.
Kishida's brief tour of the facility by its operator,
“I felt strongly that the water issue is a crucial one that should not be pushed back," Kishida told reporters after the tour.
The government and
The plan has been fiercely opposed by fishermen, residents and Japan’s neighbors, including including
Contaminated cooling water has continued leakig from the damaged reactors since the disaster. The water has been pumped up from basements and stored in about 1,000 tanks which the operator says will reach their capacity late next year.
Japanese officials say disposal of the water is indispensable for the plant cleanup, and that its release into the ocean is the most realistic option.
Kishida said the government will do its utmost to address concerns the water disposal will hurt local fishing and other industries.
“We will provide explanation about the safety (of the disposal) from a scientific viewpoint and transparency in order to dispel various concerns,” Kishida said.
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