Photo/Illutration Fisheries minister Tetsuro Nomura apologizes at a Sept 8 joint session of two Lower House committees for a remark he made about water discharged into the ocean from the grounds of the Fukushima nuclear plant. (Koichi Ueda)

Fisheries minister Tetsuro Nomura apologized at the Diet on Sept. 8 for calling treated radioactive water discharged into the ocean from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant “contaminated water.”

Though the Diet is not in session, the Lower House committees on agriculture, forestry and fisheries--as well as economy, trade and industry--held a joint session on Sept. 8 regarding the water discharge and China’s total ban on seafood imports from Japan.

Before responding to his first question, Nomura said, “Because of my mistaken comment, I created extremely unpleasant feelings among fishermen in Fukushima and around the nation, as well as among all Diet members gathered here today. I deeply apologize for that.”

Nomura also said he had directly apologized to Masanobu Sakamoto, head of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (Zengyoren).

Nomura made the remark on Aug. 31 but immediately retracted it and apologized after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed him to do so.

He was also asked about another comment he made that he had never expected China to implement a total ban on Japanese seafood imports.

His remark was his personal view, he said, and the government had considered all possible measures by China in response to the release of treated radioactive water.

The government announced additional support measures for fishermen after Beijing announced the total ban.

Meanwhile, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the economy minister, was asked if monetary compensation from Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, would be provided to those who have received crank and critical phone calls from China in the wake of the water discharge.

Government agencies and restaurants have received such harassing calls after the water began being discharged on Aug. 24.

Without providing specific details, Nishimura said it might be possible to provide compensation if a causal relationship was established between the phone call and its interference with business operations.

Opposition lawmakers also criticized Kishida’s absence from the session, considering the enormity of the issue. The prime minister is traveling abroad to attend international conferences.

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