処理水放出「先送りできず」　福島第１原発を初視察―岸田首相

　岸田文雄首相は１７日、就任後初めて東京電力福島第１原発（福島県大熊、双葉両町）を視察し、廃炉作業の状況などについて東電から説明を受けた。首相は視察後、政府が決定した放射性物質トリチウムを含んだ処理水の海洋放出に関し、「先送りできない課題だと痛感した。安全性について透明性を持って説明していく」と記者団に語った。
　政府は２０２３年春ごろをめどに処理水を海洋放出する方針だが、地元では風評被害を懸念する声が根強い。首相は「懸念払拭（ふっしょく）に全力で取り組む。地元の理解を得るよう努力を続けていきたい」と述べ、風評被害対策などに全力を挙げる方針を強調。福島の除染作業を進め、放射性廃棄物の県外最終処分に取り組む意向も示した。
　同原発を視察した際、首相は東電職員に対し「廃炉は復興の前提だ。地元の信頼関係を大事に、しっかり作業を進めてほしい」と求めた。
　首相は同県浪江町にある東日本大震災慰霊碑で献花したほか、双葉町の「特定復興再生拠点区域」（復興拠点）内外を訪問。富岡町では帰還した住民らとの車座対話に臨み、復興への政府の取り組みを説明した。
　１６日には岩手、宮城両県の被災地を回った。（2021/10/17-16:45）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida traveled to Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Sunday to inspect the disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant for the first time since taking office Oct. 4.
   He received an explanation from officials of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. on progress in the work to decommission the nuclear power station and on treated radioactive water at the plant. Kishida is expected to show his resolve to make all-out efforts to tackle possible misinformation and unfounded rumors related to the planned release of the water, which contains tritium, a radioactive substance, into the ocean.
   This is his first visit as prime minister to the prefecture, which was hit hard by the March 2011 major earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent severe accident at the TEPCO nuclear plant. An unprecedented triple meltdown occurred at the Fukushima No. 1 plant due to damage from the natural disaster.
   Kishida told the TEPCO officials: "Decommissioning of the plant is a precondition for the reconstruction (of Fukushima). I want you to proceed with the decommissioning work by attaching importance to a relationship of trust with local communities."
   On Saturday, he visited areas damaged by the quake and tsunami in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures. The three prefectures, including Fukushima, are part of the Tohoku region. They were hit hardest by the natural disaster.