Japan covets G7 endorsement on radioactive water discharge

TOKYO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Japan will seek the endorsement of the Group of Seven (G7) nations for its latest radioactive wastewater discharge plan when it hosts a meeting of the group's energy ministers in April, local media reported Wednesday.

The government is seeking to include a phrase that says the G7 members "welcome" its "transparent" approach toward the disposal of the treated water in a document to be released after the April 15-16 gathering in Sapporo, Kyodo News reported citing government sources.

The move reflects the government's attempts to promote a narrative about the safety of the treated water, which contains low-level concentrations of tritium, according to the reports.

In January, the Japanese government said a controversial plan to release radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan's northeast into the Pacific Ocean will start in the spring or summer.

The announcement came before the visit of a technical task force of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Japan from Jan. 16 to Jan. 20 to review the country's plan, following which a report will be published within three months.

Amid angry backlash among the Japanese public and local fishing communities, neighboring countries China and South Korea as well as Pacific island nations have expressed opposition.