Japan PM, China premier trade barbs over Fukushima water release

Kishida calls for 'scientific' talk as Li points finger at Tokyo at Jakarta summit

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, briefly met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right, on Sept. 6 in Jakarta, according to a Japanese government official. (Photos by pool photo/Reuters)

TSUBASA SURUGA and RAMON ROYANDOYAN, Nikkei staff writers

September 6, 2023 17:52 JST

Updated on September 6, 2023 20:59 JST

JAKARTA -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang traded barbs on Wednesday over wastewater released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.

Speaking at the ASEAN+3 summit in Jakarta, which was also attended by the South Korean president, Kishida stressed that the wastewater was safe, based on an International Atomic Energy Agency report.