TOKYO/SEOUL: US President Joe Biden wants to lock in friendly ties between Japan and South Korea at a summit on Friday, but their readiness to shelve grievances will be tested when Tokyo begins pumping water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.
Japan already delayed the release to avoid stirring up political opposition in South Korea before President Yoon Suk Yeol joins Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a meeting with Biden at the Camp David retreat on Friday, four officials in Japan and South Korea told Reuters.
The dumping of radioactive water may happen days after the summit, which the U.S. is billing as a "historical" trilateral meeting that will deliver a "bold counter" to regional rival China.
That puts less domestic political pressure on Yoon, said one of the officials, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Washington needs its Asian allies to work together because they see the military power balance in East Asia, including around Taiwan, shifting in China's favour. Beijing is also deepening cooperation with Russia in the region, and their mutual ally North Korea is accelerating its missile program.
"The trilateral is a significant move in the geopolitical landscape like AUKUS was for the defense landscape," U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said at a briefing on Aug. 11, referring to the 2021 defence pact between the United States, Australia and Britain.
YOON'S DETENTE
Unlike his more combative liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, Yoon has played down unresolved disputes, such as compensation for Korean women forced into Japanese military brothels during World War Two, that have dogged relations for years.
Even if Fukushima fades as an issue, the risk of bad blood remains real. As relations soured in 2019, for example, Moon nearly scrapped a critical intelligence-sharing deal with Japan, reversing the decision at the last minute under U.S. pressure.
By accepting an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report last month that greenlit Japan's Fukushima water release, Yoon could encourage fresh dissent that China will try to amplify, analysts say.
"There is certainly some possibility that Yoon will come under pressure over this, particularly if there is data that shows that the water is more dangerous than we otherwise thought," said Christopher Johnstone, a former East Asia director of Biden's National Security Council who is now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Japan says it will remove most radioactive elements from the water except for tritium, a hydrogen isotope that must be diluted because it is difficult to filter.
Seoul expects Tokyo to share information, allow access to its experts, and immediately halt any dangerous releases, a Yoon administration source said, adding that those steps will help facilitate security cooperation.
On Monday, Park Gu-yeon, vice minister of government policy coordination at the prime minister's office, said both sides have made "substantial progress" on the water release issue. A senior South Korean official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivity, said the government did not see it as a source of friction.
A Japanese foreign ministry spokesperson said Tokyo would continue to work closely with Seoul.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with Japan's plans.
"Japan has coordinated closely, proactively, with the IAEA on its plans, and they've conducted a science-based and transparent process," he said.
CHINESE INFLUENCE
Protests against the release have so far been muted, at least by South Korean standards, with just a few hundred people gathering in Seoul on Saturday to demand a halt. The political fallout for Yoon has also been limited; his approval rating has recovered after dipping when Seoul endorsed the IAEA findings.
Nonetheless, a Gallup poll in late June showed that 78% of South Koreans worry about potential contamination of the ocean and seafood. Some analysts say China may see an opportunity to exert influence.
"China absolutely will try to exploit Fukushima to drive a wedge between South Korea and Japan," said David Boling, a director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. "The opposition party has been critical of Yoon for not taking a tougher stance on Fukushima."
Beijing has banned seafood imports from 10 Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, and is testing produce from elsewhere.
China will try to sway sentiment in South Korea with disinformation, state media, and spending to influence politicians and thought leaders, said Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who tracks how it influences other nations.
In July, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release.
The IAEA has criticised what it says is a fabricated document a South Korean media site used in June to claim Tokyo had unduly influenced the organisation. In July the state-backed Chinese newspaper Global Times, which has published stories questioning the safety of Japanese produce and casting doubt on the IAEA's findings, picked up the report.
Reuters has not been able to confirm the document's origin.
China's government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On Tuesday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno took aim at other "fake" documents that the same South Korean site said showedradioactivity in the Fukushima water exceeded safety standards.
"It greatly hurts the feelings of the people who are striving for reconstruction" in Fukushima, he said.
Reuters
Fri Aug 18 2023
Japan plans to start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as early as late August. - REUTERS/Filepic
Bangladesh buka semula sekolah walaupun cuaca masih panas
Pelajar kembali ke sekolah di seluruh Bangladesh walaupun negara itu dilanda gelombang panas berlarutan yang mendorong pembelajaran secara bersemuka ditangguhkan, hujung minggu lalu.
Filipina tangguh kelas secara bersemuka kerana cuaca panas
Filipina menangguhkan kelas bersemuka di semua sekolah kerajaan selama dua hari, susulan cuaca panas melampau dan mogok oleh pemandu jeepney atau bas mini di seluruh negara.
Puting beliung landa bandar Guangzhou
Puting beliung melanda bandar Guangzhou di selatan China dan mengorbankan lima nyawa dan 33 lagi cedera.
Menurut laporan CCTV, puting beliuang itu melanda daerah Baiyun di Guangzhou pada petang Sabtu.
Menurut laporan CCTV, puting beliuang itu melanda daerah Baiyun di Guangzhou pada petang Sabtu.
Tak dapat jadi TPM, Menteri Luar Thailand letak jawatan
Menteri Luar Thailand, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara meletak jawatan secara mengejut hari ini, selepas tidak dinamakan sebagai timbalan perdana menteri dalam rombakan Kabinet.
20 tentera maut, gudang peluru di Kemboja meletup
Sebuah gudang peluru tentera meletup pada Sabtu membunuh sekurang-kurangnya 20 tentera dan mencederakan beberapa yang lain di tengah Kemboja.
Tumpuan Isnin - 29 April 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Jadikan ASEAN sebagai pusat pertumbuhan utama- Pakar
ASEAN mempunyai potensi untuk menjadi pusat pertumbuhan ekonomi yang kukuh, inklusif dan mampan.
Menurut penganalisis ekonomi, Fithra Faisal, negara-negara besar khususnya harus tundukkan 'ego' mereka dan bekerja bersama dengan anggota ASEAN untuk memperkukuhkan lagi ekonomi negara.
Menurut penganalisis ekonomi, Fithra Faisal, negara-negara besar khususnya harus tundukkan 'ego' mereka dan bekerja bersama dengan anggota ASEAN untuk memperkukuhkan lagi ekonomi negara.
Bill Gates sambut baik dana $500 juta dari Arab Saudi
Pengasas Microsoft, Bill Gates mengalu-alukan bantuan $500 juta dolar dari Arab Saudi dalam usaha memerangi penyakit polio bagi tempoh lima tahun akan datang.
Hanya US boleh halang Israel terus serang Rafah- Mahmoud Abbas
Rafah menjadi tempat lebih sejuta rakyat Palestin berlindung daripada serangan berterusan Israel, sejak tujuh bulan lalu.
Anwar tekan kepentingan sokong pengiktirafan negara Palestin di PBB
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menekankan kepentingan menyokong pengiktirafan negara Palestin di Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) ketika bertemu rakan sejawatnya dari Jordan, Bisher Hani Al-Khasawneh, di luar mesyuarat khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia (WEF) di Riyadh Arab Saudi pada Ahad.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Jepun mula fasa keempat lepas air terawat dari loji nuklear Fukushima
Tiga pusingan pelepasan air terawat sebelum ini dari NPP Fukushima telah dijalankan pada Ogos, Oktober dan November 2023.
Tiada peningkatan tahap radio aktif di perairan Malaysia
Sistem Pemantauan Air Spektrum Gamma (GSWMS) yang dipasang di perairan negara dalam tempoh 1 Okt hingga 30 Nov lepas mendapati tiada peningkatan aras keradioaktifan di perairan Malaysia.
Pakar IAEA akan periksa loji kuasa nuklear Fukushima pada 24-27 Okt
IAEA akan melawat Jepun untuk memeriksa loji kuasa nuklear (NPP) Fukushima buat kali pertama sejak pelepasan air terawat bermula.
Aktivis Korea Selatan sifatkan pelepasan air Fukushima 'keganasan nuklear'
Sekumpulan aktivis Korea Selatan pada Khamis mengutuk pembuangan air sisa tercemar nuklear daripada loji kuasa nuklear Fukushima Daiichi yang musnah ke Lautan Pasifik oleh Jepun, lapor Xinhua.
Jepun mulakan fasa kedua pelepasan air tercemar Fukushima
Fasa kedua pelepasan bermula kira-kira 10.30 pagi dan dijadualkan berterusan hingga 23 Okt.
Jepun selesai pusingan pertama pelepasan air radioaktif loji Fukushima
Pengendali loji kuasa nuklear Fukushima Daiichi Jepun yang musnah pada Isnin berkata pusingan pertama pelepasan air terawat ke laut telah selesai.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Jumlah tritium dalam laut selepas pelepasan air Fukushima di bawah had: Korea Selatan
Kepekatan tritium dalam air laut susulan pelepasan air tercemar dari loji janakuasa nuklear Fukushima Jepun yang musnah adalah jauh di bawah had standard.
Keputusan Jepun teruskan pelepasan sisa air Fukushima 'mengecewakan' - Pakar
Jepun dilapor telah merawat tercemar nuklear yang dirawat ke tahap di mana pegawai mengatakan ia tidak lagi berbahaya, dan memutuskan untuk mula mengalirkannya ke Lautan Pasifik.