For the US, Japan is the friend who can do no wrong - even when it's dumping radioactive waste water into the ocean
Washington could well have remained silent. But its quick support for Japan - set against the views of regional governments, environmental experts and activists - has sparked accusations that strategic considerations trump environmental concerns for the US.
Tokyo has said it can remove all the strontium and caesium from the 1 million tonnes of waste water it plans to discharge into the Pacific Ocean in two years time, but the tritium - a less radioactive material that poses little risk to human health in low concentrations - will remain.
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Environmental organisation Greenpeace East Asia has warned that the waste water could damage the marine environment, and the environmental organisation has said it will support countries challenging Japan's decision.
In remarks that drew a thunderous roar of approval from Chinese social media users, Zhao added: "Japan should not expect the world to pay the bill for its treatment of waste water. As for the individual Japanese official's remarks that the water is OK to drink, why doesn't he take a sip first?"
However, in a brief statement on its website, the US State Department said Tokyo had "been transparent about its decision and appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards", without providing any evidence to back up this claim.
As Washington's best and staunchest Asian ally, it appears that Japan can do no wrong. The country is pivotal to US efforts aimed at containing China's rise and countering the threat Beijing is seen as posing to the liberal international order.
Washington's message is plain and simple, it seems: that even in the face of strategic difficulties, a quid pro quo can be expected while scientific appraisals and environmental evaluations can be overlooked. Friendship truly is a many-splendoured thing.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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