Chinese Military Officer Notifies Non-Attendance at Japan Exchange Event... Likely in Protest of Contaminated Water Discharge

Japanese Kyodo News reported on the 12th that Chinese military officers have notified that they will not participate in the officer exchange event between the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Japan Self-Defense Forces scheduled to be held in Japan this month.

A representative of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, the Japanese contact point for the "China-Japan Field Grade Officer Exchange Event," stated, "We received a message from the Chinese side saying 'circumstances are unfavorable.'"

Kyodo News indicated that China's non-participation appears to be a protest against the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (referred to by the Japanese government as "treated water") into the ocean.

This exchange program had been suspended due to COVID-19 and other reasons but resumed after about four years when a Japan Self-Defense Forces delegation visited China in July. Chinese military officers were coordinating a visit to Japan this month to meet with officials from the Japanese Ministry of Defense and to conduct training at Self-Defense Forces facilities.

Following the start of Japan's contaminated water discharge on the 24th of last month, tensions between China and Japan escalated, leading to the sudden postponement of the visit to China by Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of the Komeito party, the junior partner in Japan's ruling coalition.

[Image source=Yonhap News]