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▼ Kishida Starts 7-Day Trip To Indonesia, India For ASEAN, G20 Talks
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida embarked on a seven-day trip to Indonesia and India on Tuesday, seeking to address concerns about the disposal of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, especially in response to recent criticisms from China, during multinational summits.
Kishida will participate in meetings with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries in Jakarta for three days, followed by the two-day Group of 20 major economies summit starting on Saturday.
These gatherings mark the first large-scale international forums following the commencement of water discharge from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific on Aug 24, which drew criticism from local fishermen, China, and fisheries groups in Asian nations.
Kishida told reporters at his office before leaving Tokyo, "I will explain Japan's transparent handling of the treated water in collaboration with the IAEA to gain understanding and cooperation at multilateral and bilateral summits," referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Tokyo also aims to beef up ties with the "Global South" developing and emerging countries, including ASEAN members and some from the G20, in a bid to counter Beijing's expanding influence.
Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, among others, will address various meetings in Jakarta. These include the ASEAN-plus-three talks on Wednesday, which involve Japan, China, and South Korea, as well as the East Asia Summit on Thursday, where they will be joined by regional powers such as the United States, India, and Russia.
However, the two are not likely to hold a bilateral meeting during their stay in the Indonesian capital, according to Japanese government officials.
At the meetings, the Japanese prime minister will explain the safety of the water discharge to the global community, as the IAEA concluded in July that the plan complies with global safety standards, according to government officials.
The water release is necessary for decommissioning the Fukushima complex, crippled by a massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
However, the Chinese government has alleged that the IAEA assessment did not reflect views from all experts involved in the review, criticizing Japan's discharge of "nuclear-contaminated water" into the ocean as irresponsible.
After the water release, Beijing suspended all imports of Japanese seafood. Tokyo called for its immediate withdrawal, citing the lack of scientific basis for the measure.
The United States and the European Union, among others, have shown their support for the water discharge.
At the G20 summit in New Delhi, Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine since February last year, as well as global issues of food security, climate change, health and digitalization, are likely to be discussed, Japanese government officials said.
Among other participants are U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will join them instead of President Vladimir Putin, according to the Indian government. Chinese President Xi Jinping will not participate in the G20 meeting.
Kishida is expected to hold bilateral talks with leaders of countries such as India and Indonesia on the fringes of the international conferences, according to the Japanese government.
© KYODO
Kishida will participate in meetings with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries in Jakarta for three days, followed by the two-day Group of 20 major economies summit starting on Saturday.
These gatherings mark the first large-scale international forums following the commencement of water discharge from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific on Aug 24, which drew criticism from local fishermen, China, and fisheries groups in Asian nations.
Kishida told reporters at his office before leaving Tokyo, "I will explain Japan's transparent handling of the treated water in collaboration with the IAEA to gain understanding and cooperation at multilateral and bilateral summits," referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Tokyo also aims to beef up ties with the "Global South" developing and emerging countries, including ASEAN members and some from the G20, in a bid to counter Beijing's expanding influence.
Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, among others, will address various meetings in Jakarta. These include the ASEAN-plus-three talks on Wednesday, which involve Japan, China, and South Korea, as well as the East Asia Summit on Thursday, where they will be joined by regional powers such as the United States, India, and Russia.
However, the two are not likely to hold a bilateral meeting during their stay in the Indonesian capital, according to Japanese government officials.
At the meetings, the Japanese prime minister will explain the safety of the water discharge to the global community, as the IAEA concluded in July that the plan complies with global safety standards, according to government officials.
The water release is necessary for decommissioning the Fukushima complex, crippled by a massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
However, the Chinese government has alleged that the IAEA assessment did not reflect views from all experts involved in the review, criticizing Japan's discharge of "nuclear-contaminated water" into the ocean as irresponsible.
After the water release, Beijing suspended all imports of Japanese seafood. Tokyo called for its immediate withdrawal, citing the lack of scientific basis for the measure.
The United States and the European Union, among others, have shown their support for the water discharge.
At the G20 summit in New Delhi, Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine since February last year, as well as global issues of food security, climate change, health and digitalization, are likely to be discussed, Japanese government officials said.
Among other participants are U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will join them instead of President Vladimir Putin, according to the Indian government. Chinese President Xi Jinping will not participate in the G20 meeting.
Kishida is expected to hold bilateral talks with leaders of countries such as India and Indonesia on the fringes of the international conferences, according to the Japanese government.
© KYODO
- September 5, 2023
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