China's envoy: IAEA report not 'license' for Japan to dump radioactive water

Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao urged Tokyo on Wednesday to stop its ocean discharge plan, saying the assessment report of the International Atomic Energy Agency cannot be used as a "license".

The IAEA assessment report cannot serve as a "license" for Japan's ocean discharge, Wu said, adding that the timing of Japan's decision, the function of IAEA and the wrongdoings of Japan had denied the plan's legitimacy and legality.

"Long before the IAEA working group completed its assessment and released the final report, Japan had already unilaterally approved the plan. This has raised serious doubts about Japan's sincerity in the international community," Wu said.

Without providing a convincing explanation for other available solutions, the Japanese government announced its ocean discharge plan in April 2021 and officially OK'd it in July 2022.

According to Wu, the IAEA is an international organization that promotes the safe, reliable, and peaceful use of nuclear technology from a functional perspective.

"It is not an appropriate organization to assess the long-term impact of nuclear contaminated water on the marine environment and biological health and it should be noted that Japan has limited the authorization of the IAEA working group and refused to accept the assessment of alternative disposal methods," Wu said.

"Based on the above, the IAEA report does not prove the legitimacy and legality of Japan's ocean discharge plan. Japan cannot evade its moral responsibility and international legal obligations," Wu said, adding that the IAEA should uphold the principles of objectivity, fairness, and professionalism, fully respect the opinions of experts from all parties in the working group, and ensure that the upcoming final report stands up to scientific and historical scrutiny.