New Agriculture Minister Makes 1st Visit to Fukushima

Tomioka, Fukushima Pref., Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese agriculture minister Taku Eto on Wednesday made his first visit to Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, since he took office this month, holding talks with local business owners.

"What I found shocking during the talks was that there still seems to be reputational damage for products from the prefecture," the minister told reporters there. "I felt that support is essential."

He indicated that the government will work on measures to deal with reputational damage over the release into the sea of tritium-containing treated water from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.

At a fish market in the city of Iwaki in the morning, Eto had talks with Tetsu Nozaki, head of the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations, and others.

"I received a strong request to continue support," Eto said, referring to an aid project for fishery operators that expires at the end of the next fiscal year. "We will work to meet it."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]