The head of a prefectural fisheries and forestry unit has called on Japan’s government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) to reconsider plan to release treated water from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station into the Pacific.

Yasushi Sato, director of the Miyagi Fisheries and Forestry Policy Division, called for other methods of disposal to be looked at again. Miyagi is the next prefecture north of Fukushima.

The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum said Mr Sato had made his comments at a second meeting of a working group an inter-ministerial council set up to implement the government’s policy on the disposal of treated water from the power station.