TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday (April 15) expressed concern over Japan's decision to release radioactive water from the disabled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, as it could affect the environment and the safety of people in neighboring countries.

The Japanese government announced Tuesday (April 13) that it had decided to dump tons of treated radioactive water into the sea in two years. Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said the discharge was an "inevitable" part of decommissioning the power plant that was at the center of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in March 2011.

During a press conference on Thursday, MOFA Spokesperson Joanne Ou (歐江安) said the ministry has reached out to Japanese authorities to voice opposition to Tokyo's controversial plan on behalf of the Cabinet-level Atomic Energy Council (AEC). She emphasized that marine resources are important assets shared by the global community and that it is every country's responsibility to ensure the quality of the oceanic environment.

Ou pointed out that the AEC had presented its opposition to Japan earlier this week and had demanded that the country share information on the implications of releasing the contaminated water. MOFA is also paying close attention to the issue since it concerns marine life and the health of Taiwanese, she said.

The spokesperson said the Japanese government is aware of Taiwan's concerns and that it had promised to treat the radioactive water in accordance with the standards of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. While the discharge will not take place until two years from now, MOFA will continue to seek related information from Japan based on a memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries in 2014, she added.