China voices concern over impact of Fukushima nuclear leak

China is highly concerned about the consequences of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident and has asked the Japanese government to carry out timely follow-up measures, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.
 
We hope Japan will take effective measures to provide timely, comprehensive and accurate information to the international community and protect the ocean environment, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.
 
The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., on Monday admitted, for the first time ever, that its insistence on simply calling the tragedy "nuclear reactor damage" in the past five years had "hidden the truth."
 
According to Ken Buesseler, marine radiochemist with the U.S. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the consequences of the Fukushima nuclear accident were "unprecedented," since over 80 percent of the leaked radioactive substances have flown to the sea.
 
We hope Japan will maintain a high sense of responsibility to its own people, the people in neighboring countries and the international community, Hua said, adding China is willing to communicate with relevant parties including the Republic of Korea (ROK).
 
China has also asked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to enhance monitoring and evaluation of the radioactive water, according to Hua.
 
After the quake and tsunami in 2011, the Chinese Foreign Ministry advised people to be prudent when planning trips to the disaster areas, Hua said the advice is still valid at present.
  [Xinhua - globaltimes.cn]
3/6/16