Namely, when asked by the poll about the Japanese government’s basic policy on handling the water treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS-treated water), some 47.3% of the respondents said that their “understanding had not improved.” The governor stated that the prefecture would thus “continue to make efforts to provide accurate information.”
The governor went on to note that the poll had revealed various other perceptions and opinions in addition to objections to the offshore release of the ALPS-treated water, including the emergence of new rumors and misinformation, as well as concerns about the effect of tank storage on the reconstruction of the region.
The governor then reiterated the importance of acquiring public understanding, both locally and nationally. He cited the “Action Plan for the Continuous Implementation of the Basic Policy on Handling of ALPS Treated Water,” issued in December 2021, as an example of how to enhance the dissemination of information, and asked the national government to “work on the matter solidly and with responsibility.”
Gov. Uchibori also described as a “harsh reality” the fact that fourteen countries and regions were still continuing their restrictions on imports of Japanese products on account of the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi.
He then said that dispelling fears and misinformation—including those overseas—was a high-priority prefectural issue. He stressed that Fukushima Prefecture wanted to “eliminate those concerns, working in cooperation with the national government.”
