New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta told the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday that her government has full confidence in the IAEA’s advice on the proposed Fukushima treated water release.
"I also felt it was important to draw attention to the Pacific's traumatic experience with nuclear testing and asked directly that meaningful engagement continue with the Pacific region on the proposed release," she said in a statement following the meeting with Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
After a two-year review, the IAEA said Japan's plans to release some 500 Olympic size swimming pools worth of water from the Fukushimi plant wrecked by a tsunami more than a decade ago were consistent with global safety standards and that they would have a "negligible radiological impact to people and the environment".
Following the release of the report, Grossi visited South Korea. He is currently in New Zealand before travelling to the Cook Islands where he will meet with Pacific Islands Forum chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown. The Pacific Islands Forum, a regional bloc of 17 island nations, has raised significant concerns about the release of the water fearing among other things theMahuta said New Zealand acutely understands the effects nuclear testing has had on its Pacific neighbours in the past, and the government would continue to call for the release of the water to be dealt with through transparency and meaningful dialogue.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
IAEA chief's visit to South Korea draws protests against Fukushima water releaseThe head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog was met with protests while visiting South Korea on Saturday in a bid to calm fears over Japan's plan to discharge treated radioactive water from its tsunami-hit Fukushima plant.
Read more »
IAEA chief's South Korea visit draws protests over Fukushima water releaseHundreds of protesters took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday during a visit to South Korea by the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog aimed at calming fears over Japan's plan to discharge treated radioactive water from its tsunami-hit Fukushima plant.
Read more »
IAEA chief says 'absolutely logical' that Japan's Fukushima water release is attracting interestIt is 'absolutely logical' that Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear plant is attracting great interest in the region, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said on Sunday.
Read more »
IAEA chief says 'absolutely logical' Japan's Fukushima water release draws interestIt is 'absolutely logical' that Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear plant is attracting great interest in the region, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said on Sunday.
Read more »
N. Korea slams IAEA for Fukushima water approvalThe plan to release Fukushima wastewater has raised concerns in neighbouring countries, prompting China to ban some food imports and sparking protests in South Korea.
Read more »
South Korean lawmakers berate IAEA chief over Japanese plans to release treated Fukushima wastewaterSouth Korean opposition lawmakers have sharply criticized the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog for its approval of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Read more »