Meeting between Mr. SAKAMOTO Tetsushi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Ambassador OKADA Kenichi, Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong with Mr. CHEUK Wing-hing, Acting Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the HKSAR

   
On 16th August 2024, Mr. SAKAMOTO Tetsushi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Ambassador OKADA Kenichi, Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong, held a meeting with Mr. CHEUK Wing-hing, Acting Chief Secretary for Administration 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 once again 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”. However, first, what is discharged into the sea is not nuclear-contaminated water itself. It is the ALPS treated water that has been released after being purified and diluted to a safe level through treatment by a system called the 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, visited Japan in March this year and 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. Furthermore, the IAEA report of the review mission on the safe aspects of handling of the ALPS treated water, which was published in July this year, also reaffirmed that the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea is being carried out safely. 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 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 the ALPS itself is operating effectively is not directly related to the safety of the discharge.

The 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.