Immovable Japan's Aso: "Isn't it okay to drink contaminated water from nuclear power plants?"

Despite China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Objection, Stance Remains Unchanged

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) and Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] Taro Aso, Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, once again claimed that drinking contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant containing tritium poses no problem.

According to NHK on the 16th, Deputy Prime Minister Aso told reporters that "(the contaminated water to be discharged) will be diluted to one-seventh of the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for drinking water," adding, "Isn't it drinkable?"

Earlier, on the 13th, when the Japanese government decided to discharge the Fukushima nuclear plant's contaminated water filtered through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) into the sea, Aso stated, "It is okay to drink that water." In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian commented, "Try drinking that water and then talk," sparking international controversy.

Debates on this issue continue on Japanese internet platforms. Some criticized by saying the entire cabinet should drink it first, while other internet users defended the government's position by arguing that the tritium concentration in the contaminated water Japan plans to discharge is lower than that discharged by South Korea or China.

Amid this situation, attention is focused on whether Deputy Prime Minister Aso will actually drink the Fukushima nuclear plant's contaminated water. Previously, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe publicly demonstrated the safety of Fukushima-produced food circulating in the market by tasting seafood from Fukushima during his tenure.