On August 30, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ate fish harvested off the coast of Fukushima to assuage concerns following the controversial release of water from the damaged Okuma nuclear power station. To demonstrate the safety of Fukushima’s seafood, Japan’s Prime Minister was filmed eating it.
Kishida and three other officials were shown eating Fukushima fish in a video shared on social media by his office in an attempt to allay fears following the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant.
“This is very good,” Kishida remarked as he chewed on a piece of flounder sashimi, urging viewers to eat “safe and delicious” Japanese seafood in order to help the northeastern region.
The video also shows the leaders enjoying sashimi, boiled pork, fruits, rice, and vegetables from the Fukushima region.
China protests Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge, and Japanese businesses face backlash
Even before the wastewater spill, many in Japan’s fishing industry were concerned about the impact on the country’s seafood reputation, both locally and internationally.
The discharge, which is the size of more than 500 Olympic swimming pools, is likely to take decades, allowing engineers to begin removing highly dangerous radioactive fuel from three destroyed reactors.
Bricks and eggs have been thrown at Japanese schools and consulates in China, and Tokyo has warned its citizens to keep a low profile in the country. Businesses in Japan have also been inundated with obnoxious calls from Chinese phone numbers.
On Thursday, Mr. Kishida was scheduled to visit Tokyo’s main Toyosu fish market to try more Fukushima fish.
Japan has asked that China, its largest fish market, lift its prohibition on seafood imports, threatening to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Kishida’s administration is also apparently contemplating a package of financial assistance for the fishing industry, as well as assistance in finding new export markets.
According to the UN watchdog, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the water being released is safe.
Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Japan, was scheduled to visit the Fukushima area on Thursday and eat locally caught seafood as a gesture of support for Japan.