Meeting between Mr. TAKAHASHI Mitsuo, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Ambassador OKADA Kenichi, Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong with the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR

   
On 3 May 2024, Mr. TAKAHASHI Mitsuo, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Ambassador OKADA Kenichi, Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong, held a meeting with Mr. TSE Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology, and Ms. Vivian LAU, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the Government of the HKSAR.
 
Regarding the import control measures currently imposed by the Hong Kong side against Japanese agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food products following the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, as well as the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea in 2023; the Japanese side asked the Hong Kong side to immediately lift the control measures which are not based on scientific evidence. The Japanese side also shared the views of the IAEA, an international body which has the authority in the field of nuclear energy, and the results of Japan's monitoring data and others. It was confirmed that both sides would continue the dialogue based on scientific evidence and communicate closely in the future.
 
In the press release issued by the Hong Kong government regarding this meeting, it has used the phrase of “the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water”, and stated that “there is currently no guarantee from the Japanese authorities that the discharge will not pose any potential risks to food safety and marine ecology”. However, first, what is discharged into the sea is not nuclear-contaminated water itself. It is the ALPS treated water that has been treated to a safe level by a system called ALPS. Second, the IAEA’s comprehensive report which was released in July 2023, concluded that the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea is in line with relevant international safety standards and that the impact on humans and the environment is negligible. In addition, Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, has visited Japan in March this year and he has reaffirmed that the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea is being carried out safely and as planned in full accordance with international standards. Third, Japan has been promptly and transparently disclosing the data obtained by monitoring after the start of the discharge, and it has been confirmed that Japan's marine environment and aquatic products are safe. Such information is being provided to the Hong Kong Government promptly and appropriately.

In addition, the press release states that “there is currently no guarantee from the Japanese authorities that their purification and dilution system can operate continuously and effectively in the long term”. However, the water treated by ALPS has to be confirmed that it meets the regulatory standards before its discharge. If it does not meet such standards, the water shall not be discharged in the first place. Therefore, whether or not that the ALPS itself is operating effectively is not directly related to the safety of the discharge.

Japanese side will continue to provide scientific data and other related information to the Hong Kong Government promptly and appropriately with a high degree of transparency and reliability, and will continue to request the Hong Kong side to take appropriate measures.