"Only schedule for end of August is blank" PM Kishida plans to release treated water = Korean coverage

It is predicted that Japan will start releasing treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean at the end of August. Except for this moment, Prime Minister Kishida's schedule is jam-packed.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said on July 21st that Prime Minister Kishida is coordinating the schedule of the Japan-U.S.-South Korea summit with South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol and U.S. President Biden on August 18th in the United States. It also reported that Prime Minister Kishida's political schedule would be affected.

Prime Minister Kishida has to digest a tough diplomatic schedule even after the Japan-US summit. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related summits will be held in Indonesia from September 4-7, and the Group of 20 (G20) summit will be held in India from September 9-10. He is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly at the end of September. An extraordinary session of the Diet is scheduled to open even after returning to the country after completing overseas schedules.

For this reason, the only times when the schedule is available are the end of August and mid-September. Considering the Japanese government's policy of releasing treated water during the summer, it is predicted that Prime Minister Kishida will likely make a decision at the end of August. Nikkei predicted that day that "Prime Minister Kishida is expected to use his time in Japan to focus on domestic affairs and personnel affairs." The issues faced by the Kishida administration are the release of treated water and the reshuffling of the Cabinet. The Japanese press expects the Cabinet reshuffle to be carried out in mid-September. In other words, the explanation is that the end of August is the most likely time to release the treated water.

However, it must overcome the opposition public opinion of the fishermen. This is because, in 2015, the company promised in writing to the Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative that it would not dispose of the treated water without the understanding of those involved. Prime Minister Kishida plans to meet with Masanobu Sakamoto, chairman of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, in order to persuade fishermen who oppose the release of treated water. At this meeting, he is expected to seek understanding by explaining the safety of the treated water discharge plan and countermeasures against harmful rumors.

The Nikkei predicts, "Prime Minister Kishida is expected to make a decision by the end of August after coordinating with the national fisheries cooperatives, which are opposed to the release of treated water, within this month."