The governor of Fukushima Prefecture says he hopes that an inspection of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant by a South Korean team will rely on scientific facts and assessments from an international organization.
Uchibori Masao was speaking to reporters on Monday on the team's upcoming visit to the troubled nuclear power plant to look into the planned release of treated and diluted water from the plant into the sea.
The team is made up of experts on nuclear power generation, the marine environment and other fields. Japan and South Korea agreed to the on-site survey during a bilateral summit in early May.
The team plans to inspect the plant on Tuesday and Wednesday to assess the results of an analysis on water treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System.
The members also plan to examine how treated water is stored and managed.
Uchibori said the communique of the Group of Seven summit supported the independent review by the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that the discharge of treated water will be conducted consistent with IAEA safety standards.
The governor said it is very significant that the G7 member nations backed the IAEA's ongoing efforts. He said he believes South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is also closely watching the agency's review.
Uchibori emphasized the importance of fully understanding scientific facts and using the views of an international agency as a basis for discussion, echoing the support expressed by the G7 members.
Under Japan's plan, the treated water will be diluted to reduce the tritium levels well below national regulations before it is released.