IAEA must not endorse Japan's wrongdoings in nuclear-contaminated water disposal: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to come to a responsible conclusion on the ocean discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima, Japan.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when answering a query concerning that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will visit Japan starting Tuesday and deliver a report on the safety of discharge of tainted water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, which may give backing for Japan to proceed with the discharge.

Wang said China's opposition to Japan's efforts of pushing through the discharge plan of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean is consistent, stressing that it is neither ethical nor lawful to spill the risk of nuclear pollution to the rest of the world.

China urges Japan to face up to the legitimate concern of the international community and people in Japan, stop forcibly proceeding with its ocean discharge plan, dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, safe and transparent manner and place itself under the strict monitoring of the international community, the spokesperson said.

China believes that the IAEA should come to a conclusion on the ocean discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima that is responsible and can stand up to the test of history and science, and must not endorse Japan's wrongdoings in the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water, Wang said.

"It is for the maritime environment that we all share, the life and health of all human beings and the only planet that we call home," the spokesperson said.