Japan offers $20m to IAEA during agency's head visit

The Japanese government said on Thursday it will provide the International Atomic Energy Agency about 18.5 million euros ($20.13 million) for a number of initiatives of the agency across diverse areas utilizing nuclear technology, including cancer research, medicine, and environmental protection.

The announcement was made following IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi's meeting with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, respectively, in Tokyo on Thursday.

Doubts have been raised about whether or not the IAEA will remain independent in monitoring the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. Some Japanese people expressed distrust of the nuclear watchdog despite that Grossi emphasized the IAEA's independent sampling of water treated through the Advanced Liquid Processing System at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

"The IAEA is an organization that promotes nuclear power, and the Japanese government has contributed significant amounts of funding to it in the past. From this standpoint, I do not believe that it is an organization that is impartial or independent," said one of the plaintiffs suing the Japanese government and TEPCO over the ocean discharge who declined to be named.

As a guest of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grossi had a three-day visit to the country, which ended on Thursday. He visited the Fukushima plant and met with local officials and representatives from fishing and business groups on Wednesday.

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture around 12:14 am local time on Friday. The epicenter was at a depth of 50 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

"Japan is a country prone to earthquakes and volcanic disasters. The IAEA should recognize this and advise the Japanese government accordingly," said Shuhei Matsushiro, a director of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement.