日本政府、廃炉進捗説明　各国の処理水言及減る―ＩＡＥＡ総会

　【ウィーン時事】ウィーンで開かれている国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）の年次総会に合わせ、日本政府は１７日、東京電力福島第１原発の廃炉作業の進捗（しんちょく）状況を国際社会に説明した。総会では各国代表が一般討論演説に臨んだが、原発にたまる放射性物質トリチウムを含む処理水の海洋放出への言及は、放出開始から日が浅かった昨年と比べ減っている。
　総会会場で、日本政府は廃炉や福島の復興に関するイベントを開催。経済産業省や東電の担当者らが、溶け落ちた核燃料（デブリ）の試験的な取り出しが始まったことや、住民の帰還が困難な地域が残っていることなどを紹介した。処理水放出を検証するＩＡＥＡのカルーソ原子力安全局調整官も登壇し、日本側とは独立した立場を強調した上で、「放出されているのは『汚染水』ではなく、処理された水だ」と念を押した。
　中国代表は１６日の演説で「『汚染水』の海洋放出に強く反対する」としつつ、「汚染水」の表現は不適切だとする日本の反論には沈黙。昨年繰り広げられた日中間の激しい応酬は鳴りを潜めた。（2024/09/17-20:40）

The Japanese government Tuesday provided the international community an update on the decommissioning work at the meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan.
   The briefing was conducted on the sidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual general conference in Vienna, at which world leaders engaging in general debate mentioned Japan's release of radioactive tritium-containing treated water from the Fukushima plant into the ocean less frequently than in the previous year's meeting.
   Tokyo hosted an event on the decommissioning process and the revitalization of Fukushima Prefecture at the general assembly venue. Representatives from the industry ministry and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. explained that the country has begun trial work to remove nuclear fuel debris from a reactor and that former residents still remain unable to return to some districts in Fukushima.
   Gustavo Caruso, director and coordinator at the IAEA's Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, which is monitoring the water release, took the stage at the event. Caruso said that the treated water is not "contaminated water," but "water after the process of cleaning," while stressing that his position is independent from Tokyo.
   In a general debate speech Monday, the Chinese representative expressed strong opposition to the "discharge of contaminated water into the sea." But Beijing did not engage with Japan's argument that the term "contaminated water" is inappropriate, in stark contrast to the heated exchange between the two Asian countries at last year's meeting.